What is truly important is how this money despite seemingly creating his identity actually did little or nothing to change his identity in the eyes of many (this will be explored in further detail later). As for Gatsby's identity coming from his momentary circumstances, Gatsby actually manipulates the prosperous and "moneyed " citizens of New York, one great example being Meyer Wolfsheim, into making him into a million heir. In a way Gatsby is in fact a perfect example of the American Dream in the way his exploits the rich though underhand means. "He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong. " Gatsby's illegalities allow him to "brush shoulders " with the wealthy. This is turn gives him status, identity. Within his culture Jay Gatsby's identity clearly relied on his money this relates back to my thesis in the sense that this way cultural identity of an individual is extremely easy to define (as the culture is presented in the book), effectively just by a number. Thus the actual cultural identity within the book can therefore be easily defined as one concerned primarily with money.
There is a clear separation in the identity of those with old money and the nouveau rich. Earlier I noted that money was the substantial factor in creating the identity of Jay Gatsby, but at the same time it did little or nothing to change his identity. This statement when first looked at seems extremely contradictory to itself, which it is. However it is in fact entirely accurate to the presentation of the American cultural identity within the novel. As mentioned above Gatsby built his identity from money, drawing self-worth from actual monetary worth, which is entirely how the culture he was within operated, or so it would seem.
