American Capitalism In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The Essentials of the American Principle The 1920’s Roaring Twenties characterized by man’s pursuit of wealth, women’s ideal symbolization, and religious ideology, is about the American enrichment in a society that is embodied within the foundation of theology and capitalism. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the characteristics such as Gatsby’s perfectionism and Wilson’s jaded viewpoint of God are used by Fitzgerald to inspect the pessimistic elements that resemble the foul association with capitalism. By connecting the combined religious ideologies such as Puritanism, with the characters’ internal beliefs belonging in society, Fitzgerald examines the downfall of the American capitalism by exploring the effects caused by the fabricated

During this era, women’s roles changed greatly as the new high social class females called the “flappers,” developed. The flappers set ideal qualities such as beauty for a woman that high class men such as Gatsby sought after. The flappers in exchange for their beauty wanted access to the material wealth from the men. Fitzgerald shows the influence that American capitalism had over this development in women through Daisy’s relationship with Tom and Gatsby. American capitalism dictates relationships, “Even in the early stages of their relationship, part of his attraction to Daisy arises from his considering factors akin to the laws of supply and demand that influence a commodity’s price” (Little). Daisy’s reason for marrying Tom Buchanan was only so she could gain the riches that Tom possessed. While Tom’s purpose was to care for Daisy in order to keep her by his side to maintain his social appearance. This social exchange forms a perception that women were nothing but extravagant economic tools for men. As both men and women desired the economic benefits of the other, the social aspects of marriage became more about greatening each other’s social status instead of one 's pursuit of love and happiness. However, since Tom is part of the old rich, the new American social marriage belief does not affect him greatly as it does with the new rising rich class because to the old rich this is very similar to their usual marriage traditions. Evidence as Tom says to his new baby girl, “I hope she will be a fool – that is the best thing a girl can be in this world” (Fitzgerald 17). This is an indication that females should stick to their roles as being social tools for their husbands. Because female involvement outside social issues meant that husbands were