The Great Gatsby:
Poverty & Riches
"New" Money
West & East Egg in NY
"Old" Money
Ch. 1 - A Found Poem that captures West Egg & East Egg
Dissimilarity in every particular except shape and size.
West Egg, (the less fashionable of the two)
Rented for twelve or fifteen thousand a season
Spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy
Glanced seaward
With heightened sensitivity to the promises of life.
Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered
(Enormously wealthy) - elaborate glowing now with reflected gold
Overlooking the Long Island Sound
Making a shadow on the sea
Here, the dominant race, with lingering regret, is pretty cynical about everything
Beautiful little fools nibble at the edge of stale ideas
With the secure position of egotism.
The language for this poem comes from Fitzgerald's words in Ch. 1 and seeks to illustrate the differences between "old money" East Egg and "new money" West Egg. I ended the stanza about West Egg with the idea of "heightened sensitivity to the promises of life" because Gatsby himself embodies this but also because those making money in the get-rick-quick era of the 1920s who could afford to live in West Egg hoped in and believed in the possibility of belonging among the rich and famous, and thus a new "promise" for life. My descriptions of East Egg seek to show its attitude of superiority, which is why I ended by addressing the "egotism" seen here. This clearly ties into the theme of poverty and riches by focusing on the elite members of society - found on West and East Egg - while also looking at discrepancies between those with money (old v. new).
Ch. 2 - Recipe for a Despairing George Wilson
- 3 heaps of ash
- 2 shovels of impenetrable clouds of dust
- 2 dimmed and unpainted eyes above
- 1 broken down garage
- 2 grime-covered hands
- 1 unfaithful wife
- 1/2 a wrecked Ford in the corner
- a dash of hope
In order to create the perfect despairing George Wilson, first begin with 3 heaps of ash, coating any gleam of beauty that once existed with these heaps, then accompanied by the 2 shovels of impenetrable clouds of dust. These help to block out the sunlight and brightness that might otherwise abound. Add 2 dimmed and unpainted eyes high on billboard to watch over your Despairing George and make sure he doesn't get any ideas about leaving the valley. Next, fold in the broken down garage and 1/2 a wrecked Ford to keep him occupied and always busy (we don't want him having too much fun; this will decrease the despair you're looking for). Whisk in 2 grime-covered hands so that no one from high-society will want to shake these, further increasing the necessary despair. Stir in an unfaithful wife so that love will become only an illusion for him (we want despair, not dreams-come-true!). Finally, throw in a dash of hope so that we can keep him living (with total despair, he may find that life is not worth living...).
In this "recipe" for a despairing George Wilson, I wanted to capture the hopelessness that fills many of the people who live in the poverty of the Valley of Ashes. Fitzgerald provides quite the contrast to the high-society presented in Ch. 1 when he opens Ch. 2 with the grey and dust-filled imagery of the Valley of Ashes. George Wilson epitomizes the struggles of the impoverished working class citizen who, unlike the Buchanans, Jordan Baker, and Gatsby, doesn't have time for fun, affairs, and parties; he is too busy trying to earn a living. The ingredients I included are elements that Fitzgerald actually mentions in Ch. 2, and I used his ideas to image what qualities have affected George's condition and outlook on life.
Ch. 3 - The Roaring 20s Come Alive at Gatsby's
It is with deepest pleasure that I, Jay Gatsby of West Egg, extend a cordial invitation to you to come attend my little party on the 8th of June. I can promise you a good time, filled with a host of interesting personalities, music, dancing, and a smorgasbord of sumptuous treats. Last week, the party included multiple distinguished guests, including several movie stars and politicians, so you'll have an array of colorful companions. I also hired a full orchestra to play "The Charleston," so please be sure to bring your dancing shoes. I can promise the freshest orange juice and lemonade, glistening hors d'oeuvres, and an array of various meats to keep you from starving. No need to RSVP - simply show up, if you're available, old sport.
Finest Regards,
Jay Gatsby
Because Nick lives in the "eyesore" next to Gatsby's great mansion, he may not find himself worthy of the company Gatsby keeps, which is why I imagine Gatsby might have the cordiality to extend an actual invitation to him, whereas most guests are never invited - they just show up. Here, I've created the kind of invitation I think Gatsby would send to Nick, filled with the kind of florid language that he would try to embrace to pass himself off as refined and gentlemanly. This invitation also indicates more about Gatsby's wealth by showing that his "little party" is actually a colossal affair, something he can afford to host every other weekend.
Thursday, Jun 8, 1922, 08:00 PM
661 Middle Neck Rd Great Neck NY 11023
Ch. 4 - Daisy's Breakup Letter to Gatsby
I know I promised to wait for you and keep my kisser away from all the other cake-eaters who came to call upon me, but with your extended absence of almost two years now, I've grown so lonely without you to gaze into my eyes. You know I'm a hoofer who likes to stretch her gams on the dance floor, and when a ritzy bimbo sweeps me off my feet and twirls me around, it's hard to dismiss his attentions. I must admit to you that just such a man made his way down from Chicago here to Louisville and showed me his devotion with a string of pearls worth 350,000 clams. Dearest Jay, you can't ask a live wire like myself to wait forever for you to come back from war and win my hand in marriage, and so I've offered it to Mr. Tom Buchanan instead. I will miss necking with you and having a swell time in general, and I'll always treasure those summer evenings we spent under the Kentucky stars, but I'm off to the South Seas with Tom and I won't be sailing back to you.
Affectionate always,
Daisy
Here, I've imagined what Daisy might say in response to the letter Gatsby sent her that almost causes her to call off her wedding to Tom. I thought it was important to note that Tom has the financial security to offer Daisy - with the string of $350,000 pearls - that Gatsby lacks. Also, the fact that he can take her on a honeymoon to the South Seas shows how Tom can spoil Daisy with all the finer things in life. I wanted to show her impatience and her desire to live the fast-paced glamorous life, which is why I focused on her dancing the night away, which seems to embody this kind of attitude. Unfortunately for Gatsby, as a poor man, he can't provide this lavish life but instead must serve his country as a soldier rather than serving Daisy's selfishness and sweeping her off her feet immediately.
Ch. 5 - Gatsby and His Understanding Smile: Mona Lisa and Her Understanding Smile
One might wonder how something like a smile connects to the theme of poverty and riches. However, I see Gatsby's smile - a symbol of his optimism - as something that has kept him afloat even during his lowest points, such as learning that he wouldn't inherit Dan Cody's money and wouldn't be the one to first win Daisy's hand in marriage. This smile of his shows that he will continue to hurdle the obstacles of his socio-economic status (his humble beginnings and poverty). It is also what helps him to gain access to elite society, for when he shines this smile, even the richest and snobbiest of individuals must recognize its hope and beauty. With this smile, Gatsby believes he can wipe out the past five years ("Five years, next November") and reclaim Daisy's heart.
Ch. 7 - Quality Personified: Jealousy
Jealousy always fears someone else is receiving the attention she thinks she deserves. She likes to hold only intimate parties, afraid that if she invites more people, they’ll only steal the limelight away from her. Jealousy wants another woman’s husband and tries to win him over by doing whatever he asks. Her greatest enemy is Beauty who carries herself with a dignity and grace that Jealousy has never known. Beauty sits in the shiny car where Jealousy wishes she could be if she could only leave behind her dusty and disillusioned life with Despair. Jealousy resents Despair because he doesn't have nicer things to offer her. She is stingy and ungrateful toward the efforts Despair makes. When he wants to create a better life for her away from the dirty city, she accuses him of selfishness. Jealousy forgets that she holds her own self-interest as more important than anything else. She likes to wear tight dresses to catch passers-by's eyes but hates to see a friend in a new smart outfit. She likes to flaunt the "Love Nest" apartment where she meets Beauty's husband once a week but hates to see houses bigger than her own. Jealousy never shares compliments but always hopes to receive them herself.
Myrtle proves a central character to Ch. 7 (especially with her death in the second half of the chapter), and so I wanted to focus on her character, which I've personified as Jealousy here. Myrtle resides in the Valley of Ashes and wants nothing more than to escape the poverty she shares with her husband, George. She sees Tom as her escape, although she's disillusioned in believing that he would ever leave Daisy for someone as low-class as herself. I personified her as Jealousy because she wishes that she could obtain the luxurious lifestyle that Jordan (who she mistakenly believes is Tom's wife) and Daisy have.