A Society in Defeat
A Failing Society
in a society. There is no hiding that Gatsby's society was going to fail and the reasons for it are
endless. Another society that is bound to fail is that of a high school. The hallways are filled
with gossiping chatter and relationships that are beginning and ending for all the wrong
reasons. Material wealth is a usual necessity in order to fit in. Students are categorized into
groups based not on their personality but on how they look or how much money they have.
Why do we care so much about people's imperfections and flaws when we ourselves are no
better . "And you found he was an Oxford man," said Jordan helpfully. "An Oxford man!" He
was incredulous. "Like hell he is! He wears a pink suit." Jordan told Tom that Gatsby went to
Oxford and he automatically judged him. Instead of being ridiculed its time for us to stick up
for each other and be the better person.
The Perfect Image
It may seem strange that a high school could make a society fail but in all actuality, it is not as
crazy as it sounds. Many people can fake a perfect image but inside they are suffering from
gossip, lies, and the usual high school drama. In The Great Gatsby Tom and Daisy faked
their way up to being a picture perfect “American” family. The feelings that Tom and Daisy had
for each other were everything but love. "I love you now – isn't that enough? I can’t help
what’s past." She began to sob helplessly. "I did love him once – but I loved you too.” Daisy
faked her love for Gatsby and faked that she never did. Daisy is so desperate to keep a perfect
image that she pays no attention to how it will hurt Gatsby and the people around her.
In high school we don't usually fake love but we do fake our image. As high school students
we have absolutely no individualism and we care more about our image than our happiness.
For example, students are pressured to be something they are not; they have to be skinny,
well dressed, wealthy, and have to change their personality in order to fit in with a certain
group. This gives students no individualism which is really sad because as kids we should be
able to wear what we want, act how we want, and just be ourselves.
Drama, Drama, Drama!
In partnership with Life and Style magazine; NY Times has found that teens gossip up to 30 times
a day! There is absolutely no reason why people should be gossiping this much and there is no
reason why it should be occurring at schools. Gossiping is part of a normal school day for
most students and many do it without even thinking about it. Gossip can destroy a society in
the sense that people will never be able to live without being judged or ridiculed. Gossip can
destroy a society because it destroys relationships, causes mistrust, and can ruin a persons
reputation .These are all characteristics of a failing society in both the Great Gatsby and in a
high school. Tom and Daisy are considered the gossip king and queen of their day. Their whole
life is based off of gossip. "We heard you were engaged to a girl out West," Daisy begins. Nick
denies the rumor flatly: "It's a libel. I'm too poor.” Tom and Daisy accused Nick of being
engaged when clearly it was false. Gatsby’s society will go through many tragedies if it's people
keep on gossiping and spreading lies.
You Did What???
Failing relationships are something that both Gatsby’s society faces and a high school society
does to. High school students get themselves into relationships mainly on the label. Us students
don’t know what love is and how it feels. We are to young and immature to know the real
meaning. At least we have something to blame it on , our age. Gatsby’s society on the other
hand has no one to blame but themselves. “He thinks she goes to see her sister in New York.
He's so dumb he doesn't know he's alive”. Tom was talking about how he tricks Wilson
to thinking that Wilson's wife is not having an affair. Tom and Myrtle show no shame in what
they are doing and find nothing wrong with it. In a marriage having an affair will ruin a family
but Myrtle and Tom do not care about that. This society is so cruel that they see absolutely
nothing wrong with the fact that marriages and lives are on the line.
So What?
In our modern society we will always be gossiped about and ridiculed for not being good enough.
Why can't our society just stop and say "You are good enough". The reason why so many girls
hate going to school is because they know they will hear: "Did you see what she was wearing" or
"I cant believe she said that." When girls hear this in the halls they always assume that people
are taking about them and making fun of them. Why should we beat ourselves up for
something we didn't do or say? In Gatsby's society lies and rumors are spread constantly and
the result of this is ultimately death. In order to stay "alive" in Gatsby's society you have to be
born into money, gossip, have no moral standards and you can't show your true emotions.
The reason why Gatsby, Myrtle, and Wilson died was because they were the complete
opposite; they had money, but were not born into it, they fell in love, showed their emotions,
and all had dreams that were crushed by the horrible society they lived in.