PaulinoF_Gatsby

==== In 1848 German Philosopher Karl Marx stated in his communist manifesto that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles "(Wikipedia – Class Struggle). Aside from being the central beliefs of the communist social paradigm it is also one of the central themes evident in the character struggles of The Great Gatsby. The story of The Great Gatsby is one filled with social struggle; Be it the love shared by Daisy and Gatsby which is marred by their difference in social standings, the glamor and splendor of Gatsby's parties and the stark poverty in which those who aren't of the privileged elite find themselves, class struggles permeate the scenery of Fitzgerald's masterpiece. ====

==== Among the first characters in which this stark social contrast can be observed is in Tom Buchanan, he represents the top of the Bourgeoisie. “[Tom's] family were enormously wealthy -even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach...”(Fitzgerald 22). Tom spares no thought for the matter of money or the spending thereof. He bestows lavish gifts to his mistress as well as barring no expense in the pursuit of his wife's affection. In contrast George Wilson, who's life mirrors Tom's, has to constantly struggle against the vagaries of fate attempting to make ends meet and provide for his wife. In these two characters the stark contrast of socioeconomic standings is clearly visible. While Tom is rich, strong of body and lives in a prestigious neighborhood, George is poor, both weak of body and spirit and lives in the Valley of Ashes an area where the poor are pushed off to to try and eek out whatever living they can amid the wastelands left behind by an industrialized society. The relationship between both men closely follows Marx's thoughts on the relationships of social classes. The Bourgeois, Tom, maintain control on the means of production as a way to force the proletariat, George, to perform work for them and so obtain even larger spending power and being able to exert even more control over the lower classes; as they the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. ====

==== The world presented in The Great Gatsby many different levels of social inequalities not only between those on opposite ends of the spectrum but as well within the upper echelons of society. The attendees of Gatsby's parties are described as being “newly rich” people by Tom who shows a clear disdain in his tone stating that most of those are “just bootleggers”, giving them characteristic of being below his social, if not his economic, level. ==== ==== It is in the face of this that Jay Gatsby decides that if he is to obtain the heart of Daisy again he must climb to her social standing by any means possible. At the start of their relationship 1917 young Jay Gatsby is a soldier that happened to catch the attention of Daisy above all other officers in the military camp yet feels a little guilty for pretending to be something more than a penniless officer. “[Gatsby] had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much the same strata as herself […] he had no comfortable family standing behind him...”(Fitzgerald 130). By the time Gatsby and Daisy meet again Gatsby has risen in the socio-economic structure and feels that he is on a level high enough to pursue Daisy once more and compete with what Tom can offer. Gatsby uses his mansion to throw lavish parties and treat his guests to anything they desire, making an extravagant display of his wealth so as to impress others and potentially attract the attention of Daisy. Yet even this fails him in the end when despite all his dreams and plans Gatsby ends up alone with almost no one to mourn his passing. Despite everything he did to achieve his wealth and try a reunion with Daisy we can see that no amount of wealth or parties could buy him what he desired most. Entry into that prestigious level that the elite reserve for themselves. In his mad dash to attain everything he ended up with nothing, another petty casualty just like George Wilson, in the crazy race to climb the social ladder. While Daisy “...gleaming like silver, safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor”(Fitzgerald 131) spares not a single thought for Jay Gatsby. ====

====As we can see most of the struggles characterized in the book can be taken to represent the ever present class struggle described by Marx that permeate all societies. The difference between the haves and the have-not- as well as the ever present desire to overcome your position and perhaps rise to the top. The roads are littered with those who have failed to achieve this goal while those at the top laugh and judge the struggles of the petty rabble forever trying to reach for the skies. ====

Works Cited:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. //Great Gatsby//. New York: Scribner, 1996. Print.

"Class struggle -." //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. .