Whereas Scott Fitzgerald’s novel focuses more on romantic love, a social class theory analysis reveals that social stratification of also carefully featured. The novel features characters who can be considered as being from the top social class who remain in the top class throughout. There are also members of the underclass who although happen to interact with the top classes always remain in the underclass (Fitzgerald, 1925). Finally, there are those who either manage to move up the social ladder or in the very least have the potential to do so. The Great Gatsby reveals that even in a capitalist society with no formal aristocracy, social stratification can still exist.
Tom and Daisy Buchanan can be said to form the echelons of the social system in the novel’s narrative. Daisy had grown in riches since a tender age: “ The largest of the banners and the largest of the lawns belonged to Daisy Fay’s house ” (Fitzgerald, 1925, p. 80). Her husband also grew up in an affluent family. As a married couple, Tom and Daisy are still wealthy and doing well in life. It is important to note that their being rich does not guarantee happiness. Indeed, Tom is a womanizer while Daisy is also having an affair. On the lower echelons of the social ladder are George and Myrtle Wilson who are not only poor but also seemingly with little chance of overcoming their poverty (Fitzgerald, 1925). George is a mechanic who is normally treated by the rich as a mere necessity. They need him to repair their cars but speak ill of him and consider him to be an idiot. Conversely, Myrtle is also used by millionaire Tom as a necessity too since he has an affair with her and retains a flat in town for their meetings. Interestingly, the poor also despise one another a Myrtle says this about her husband: ‘ The only CRAZY I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake (Fitzgerald, 1925, p. 39)
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Finally, there are those who started in the lower echelons of the social ladder but are seeking to climb it one way or the other. One way is the hard way that involves back-breaking hard work. Nick Carraway, the narrator falls in this category. He is a Yale graduate and a military veteran who fought in the Great War: “ I participated in that delayed Teutonic migration known as the Great War ” (Fitzgerald, 1925, p. 5). He is now seeking to learn the bonds trade and use it to improve his status in life. The other is the easy way that involves breaking the law to earn riches. Jay Gatsby falls in this category. He is a veteran like Nick but instead of pursuing studies, he went into bootlegging and became a millionaire. Although Jay is a millionaire like Tom and lives in their affluent neighborhood, Tom still despises him and looks down upon him. ‘Who is this Gatsby anyhow?’ demanded Tom suddenly. ‘Some big bootlegger?’ (Fitzgerald, 1925, p.115). A common motif for climbing the social ladder is that doing so does not end well for the poor who do it. Jay is miserable because of his love for Tom’s wife and although he eventually wins her love, he ends up being mistaken for Myrtles’ lover and shot dead by George. Conversely, Nick becomes disenchanted by life in the affluent neighborhood and goes back to the humble area he had come from.
When analyzed from a social class theory approach, the novel Great Gatsby does present a relatively clear picture of social stratification in 1920s USA. There are only two main social classes, one that has the poor and the other that has the rich or what can be called old money. George and his family are in the former while Tom and his family are in the latter. However, there is another group that is seeking to climb up the social ladder which includes Gatsby, the title character and Nick the narrator. None of the two seeking to climb the social ladder ever succeed.
References
Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The Great Gatsby . https://www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/the-great-gatsby.pdf
