aurthur mizener has said of F. Scott Fitzgerald, " He realized the central moral dilemma of American life, the conflict between the possibilities of life which are made available by wealth, plus the lack among the rich of the heightened sensitivity to these promises." In a well-organized essay discuss how this quote applies to Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and Nick. Use evidence from the text to support your analyst.
This is a pretty detailed question. I think ideally you would devote at least a paragraph to each character. I can't do that here but I can try to generalize for you. the societies of East and West Egg are deeply divided by the difference between the noveau riche and the older moneyed families. Gatsby is aware of the existence of a class structure in America, because a true meritocracy would put him in touch with some of the finest people, but, as things stand, he is held at arm's length. Gatsby tries desperately to fake status, even buying British shirts and claiming to have attended Oxford in an attempt to justify his position in society. Ultimately, however, it is a class gulf that seperates Gatsby and Daisy, and cements the latter in her relationship to her husbad, who is from the same class as she is. The life of the filthy rich is a status so caught after by the lower classes. Although the illusion is tempting, the reality behind the lives of Tom, Daisy and Gatsby seems like a dull and spirit-crushing experience. Although Nick seems to be an outsider looking in, he too gets caught up in the vapid lives of the over indulgent who apparently want for absolutely nothing.
http://www.gradesaver.com/the-great-gatsby/study-guide/major-themes/
