(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

A Marxist Deconstruction Of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby

This is a Capitalist ideal; because the characters have this value and they are corrupt, Fitzgerald is criticizing Capitalism as a system through its values. .
             In being humanitarians, Socialists are opposed to any human being treated as a material thing. Because Capitalism is "founded on commodity exchange and production, it forces the worker himself a thing to be bought and used" (Posnock 210). Often in Gatsby, human beings are treated as objects to be obtained.
             Money and wealth are subjects that saturate the entirety of The Great Gatsby. Instead of having use value - the value that is ingrained in an object - Capitalists place a market value on everything - the value that that item can be exchanged for. The strong use of market value in the novel shows just how corrupt Fitzgerald thinks American society is; nothing has its own value. Marx says that with "the money to buy everything comes the power to change reality into mere representation" (Tyson 54). Because of this, nothing is valued purely in and of itself. Gatsby's collection of books is a good example of this. They cost a lot of money and promise to unfold "shining secrets" of wealth, yet he never opens them (50; Ch. 3). Another of these objects is the necklace that Tom gives Daisy to obtain her.
             The upper class is depicted as being tremendously artificial and tainted. The reason that Gatsby works so hard to become a member of the upper class is to impress a girl whom he places a market value on - and he becomes a member of that class through illegalities. When Gatsby buys his house to impress Daisy, he is not simply purchasing property; he "thinks he is buying a dream" (Tyson 75-76). .
             Marxist theory claims that in Capitalism, "the most desired people are perceived as desirable objects" (Posnock 201). The character most often treated as an object in Gatsby is Daisy. Almost every man that Daisy comes into contact with assumes that she can be obtained.


Essays Related to A Marxist Deconstruction Of Capitalism Through The Great Gatsby

1. Marxist and Feminist Lenses - The Great Gatsby

Every character in the Great Gatsby written by F. ... View this situation through a Marxist lens and one can see that Daisy's love becomes a commodity. ... By looking at his early life decisions through a marxist lens one can see that Gatsby became just another paper doll addicted to paper money. ... Besides the reconstruction of Gatsby's identity, Gatsby's death can also be viewed through a marxist lens in which money leaves him as an isolated individual. ... By using marxist and feminist lenses to view the Great Gatsby, the social hierarchy of the 1920's is shown to lure ...

  • Word Count: 1445
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

2. The Pros of a Marxist Society

The title Marxism could easily be changed to "anti-capitalism.... Capitalism separates people into classes, making one group much more powerful than the other. ... The government in a Marxist society is based on the ideology behind class struggles in that they play a crucial role in underlining the society's development from bourgeois oppression via capitalism to create a classless society (socialist society). ... Ultimately, a Marxist society is the solution to society's problems. ... It rids society of capitalism, which is diseased and condemned to collapse. ...

  • Word Count: 642
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby From Freedom and Equality to Materialism and Merit: The Demoralization of the American Dream The American Dream during the time of our forefathers was for one to be free, equal, and entirely self-made. During the "roaring twenties," however, an economic boom triggered a frenzy of capitalism that adulterated this dream into being wholly based on materialism and social merit. ... Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, the author lives the corruption of this dream through Tom and Daisy (the inheritors of success), Gatsby (the achiever of success), and Myrtle (t...

  • Word Count: 1366
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

4. the great gatsby

The Great Gatsby- Essay The novel "The Great Gatsby" is a story about mistaken identity. Through real I had found the identity given to Mr. ... "The Great Gatsby" is a man who threw great parties and lived in a mansion. ... In Gatsby's attempt to win Daisy back, he bought a great mansion with the millions that he inherited. ... Later Jay Gatsby is killed by Mr. ...

  • Word Count: 544
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Analysis of Great Gatsby characters

The entire spectrum of social classes during the 1920's is represented in The Great Gatsby. ... It is through his eyes and ears that we form our opinions of the other characters. ... The Great Gatsby accurately portrays the rich during the booming 1920's. ... As the novel progresses, we see that the myth of "the Great Gatsby" was created by Gatsby himself. ... In The Great Gatsby, the Valley of Ashes between West Egg and New York City consists of a long stretch of desolate land created by the dumping of industrial ashes. ...

  • Word Count: 892
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Great Gatsby Movie vs Book

The Great Gatsby The novel The Great Gatsby was written by F. ... I think that the movie "The Great Gatsby" is sucessful in capturing the work of the author on screen. I think the movie we watched in class does a nice job at capturing the mood of The Great Gatsby. One example of the movie showing the mood described in the book were Gatsby's partys. ... One thing that bothered me were the changes made to the movie "The Great Gatsby" from the book. ...

  • Word Count: 325
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Great Gatsby

Nick Carraway the narrator of The Great Gatsby has qualities, which are the complete opposite of those of Tom Buchanan, his cousin-in-law. ... Willison, to Gatsby. ... What if I did tell him (Gatsby)? ... The theme of morality is shown through their conscience actions. ... In The Great Gatsby, there are three illicit relationships: Gatsby and Daisy, Nick and Jordan, and Tom and Myrtle. ...

  • Word Count: 6164
  • Approx Pages: 25
  • Grade Level: High School

8. The Relationship Between Literature and Society

Marxist theory focuses on understanding literature through and in relation to the determining forces of a society, such as history, economics, ideology, and class. The Marxist theory will help me analyze the connection between literature and society through the works of Karl Marx, Mikhail Bakhtin, F. ... The Marxist theory is created by a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, and revolutionary socialist named Karl Marx. ... He places a great deal of emphasis on the importance of words addressing someone and having the opportunity to generate conversation to receive an answer. ... Marxist...

  • Word Count: 2612
  • Approx Pages: 10
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. Great Gatsby

How is The Great Gatsby a portrait of the times? The book Great Gatsby explains in a clear way how life was during the 1920's in America. ... In "The Great Gatsby", life is portrayed during the 20's. ... Gatsby earned his money through illegal actions with the mob. ... He actually gained his wealth through bootlegging alcohol and other mob activities. ...

  • Word Count: 986
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question