The Role of Class and Social Expectations in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1925)

Expanding the Roles:
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the life of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who is obsessed with reclaiming his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Set during the Roaring Twenties, the novel critiques the American Dream and examines themes of class, wealth, and social expectations. For literature students, The Great Gatsby provides a powerful critique of the illusion of social mobility and the hollow pursuit of wealth.

• Class and Social Mobility:
  Gatsby’s desire to break into the old-moneyed class is central to the novel’s critique of the American Dream. Students can analyze how Fitzgerald exposes the limitations of social mobility and the illusion that anyone can achieve success, regardless of their background.

• Social Expectations and Morality:
  The novel critiques the excesses and moral decay of the Jazz Age, particularly through Gatsby’s morally ambiguous activities. Literature students can explore how Fitzgerald portrays the tension between wealth and ethics, showing how the pursuit of material success often leads to moral compromise.

What We Learn:
The Great Gatsby offers literature students a critical examination of the American Dream, social class, and the pursuit of wealth. The novel highlights the moral consequences of striving for material success and the limitations of social mobility in a class-driven society.