The Great Gatsby Quotes Analysis
Social Status and Class
Quote
"Whenever you feel like
criticizing anyone," he
told me, "just remember
that all the people in this
world haven't had the
advantages that you've
had."
We were in the same
senior society.
"And I hope she'll be a
fool — that's the best
thing a girl can be in this
world, a beautiful little
fool."
This is a Valley of Ashes
—a fantastic farm where
ashes grow like wheat
into ridges and hills and
grotesque gardens;
where ashes take the
forms of houses and
chimneys and rising
smoke and, finally, with
a transcendent effort, of
men who move dimly
and already crumbling
through the powdery air.
"When are you going to
sell me that car?"
"No, he doesn't" said
Tom coldly. "And if you
feel that way about it,
maybe I'd better sell it
somewhere else after
all."
"Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!"
shouted Mrs Wilson. "I'll
say it whenever I want
to! Daisy! Dai-" Making
a short deft movement,
Tom Buchanan broke
her nose with his open
hand.
Pg. Context
# Device
7 Nick's father speaking to Nick.
13 Nick providing insight that both Tom and
he were situated in the same circles that
could be considered class privilege when
he visited the Buchanans
22 Daisy ushering to Nick and Jordan about
her daughter and her hopes for her daughter
once Tom Buchanan exits the room to
attend a phone call.
26 Nick Carraway, the narrator, describing the
Valley of Ashes for the first time and
alludes to the people who live there (the
forgotten poor underclass who enable the
lifestyle of the wealthy few).
Used later for its stark contrast in setting to
others like East Egg, West Egg, and
Manhattan.
28 Tom and Nick arrive in George Wilson's
garage to inform Myrtle to meet them later
for a trip to her apartment.
39 Tempers flares at the party in Myrtle's
apartment (bought by Tom) when Tom,
fuelled by bootleg booze, strikes his
mistress Myrtle for repeatedly chanting his
wife's name.
Meaning Aesthetic
Friendly reminder that he has not
come from nothing and is actually
quite privileged and should never
forget it or take advantage of it. He
was blessed and should always be
thankful while understanding how
others are not so fortunate at times.
Not everyone was as lucky as Nick.
There were six senior (which also
meant secret) societies at Yale.
Election to one of them was a
considerable social achievement.
She is saying there is no hope for
women to make a difference in early
society, as they are not seen as
intellectual figures in the early
1900s. Better for a woman to act
dumb and naive and allow men take
care of her, than trying to become
strong and opinionated.
The valley of ashes symbolizes the Symbolism
moral and social decay resulting Juxtaposition
from the unhindered pursuit of
wealth. It is where the rich indulge Represents
themselves in the total pursuit of death, poverty,
their own pleasure. It represents moral decay, and
absolute poverty, hopelessness, and unattainability
spiritual and moral barrenness – a of the American
place of grey desolation. Dream
Alludes to the reason for Wilson's Motif
desire for the blue coupe – a symbol
of wealth and would be expensive to Symbolising
own, Tom's old car that he promised wealth and
to sell. Tom, however, is actually status
using the car as a monetary unit as a historically
ruse to have an excuse to
communicate with his wife Myrtle. demonstrates
degree of
wealth. lack of
wealth,
carelessness
In a sense Tom's actions shows he is Irony
protecting his wife's reputation when
his mistress would not stop chanting
his wife's name.
Tom actually holds Daisy in much
higher regard than Myrtle, and he
refuses to let the lower class woman
'degrade' his high-class wife.