Great Gatsby the old rich and the new rich. The power play between these two sectors at the East Egg and the West Egg is one of the most immediate themes of the novel. The old rich or traditional aristocracy is represented by Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jordan Baker who behave with ingrained grace, simple taste, subtlety and elegance. They are suspicious about, and discriminating against, the new rich, who are represented by Jay Gatsby (Fitzgerald 1925). In contrast with the aristocratic rich, he is ornate, exaggerated, outlandishly clothed, ill-mannered and an absolute wastrel. Both the old and the new rich measure themselves and others with materialistic standards as to their existence and excellence and use these standards in achieving non-materialistic objectives, such as relationships and loyalty.

A the rise of national wealth and material prosperity in the 20s. Fitzgerald uses the material and social conditions of the 1920s...
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