In the book ‘’ The Great Gatsby’’, one of the key themes is the presentation of class in the
American society. This is highlighted through the interactions that Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson,
George Wilson and the other characters form with one another. The events that occurred in the
extract, brings out the theme by highlighting on the love relationships that had occurred with Myrtle,
conveying the harsh critique of those who are born in wealthy families.
Firstly, George and Myrtle‘s relationship is extremely strained in nature. In the extract, Myrtle is
shown to be extremely dismissive on her husband due to George‘s lack of money. Myrtle bemoans
her sad situation when conversing with Catherine and Nick Carraway, as seen from ‘’ The only crazy I
was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody ‘s best suit to
get married in, and never even told me about it, and the man came after it one day when he was
out.’’ This speech highlights on how working classes in America were displayed at that time, as
symbols of disdain. Myrtle is so easy to regard her marriage a failure due to Tom borrowing his
friend‘s suit, which indicates he is not wealthy. This disdain for the working classes is echoed by
Myrtle‘s sister, Catherine who states that George really ought to get away from Myrtle, solely due to
the fact that George is a poor mechanic furthermore justifies the unfortunate and poor portrayal of
the working classes in The Great Gatsby, where money is valued before anything like moral
character.
However, George and Myrtle‘s relationship was not strained at the beginning. It is mentioned by
Catherine that’’ You were crazy about him for a while’’, showing that Myrtle once loved George as
she thought he was a gentleman. However all that was changed when Myrtle discovered George is
poor and she decided that he is’’ wasn’t fit to lick my shoe’’. This further shows that in the 1920s,
money is paramount to the society and no matter good qualities a person has, if he is poor, he is
looked down on society.
On the other hand, this extract also talks about the first meeting between Tom and Myrtle. In the
extract it is stated ‘’ It was on the two little seats facing each other that are always the last ones left
on the train. I was going up to New York to see my sister and spend the night. He had on a dress suit
and patent leather shoes and I couldn't keep my eyes off him but every time he looked at me I had
to pretend to be looking at the advertisement over his head. When we came into the station he was
next to me and his white shirt-front pressed against my arm—and so I told him I'd have to call a
policeman, but he knew I lied. I was so excited that when I got into a taxi with him I hardly knew I
wasn't getting into a subway train. All I kept thinking about, over and over, was 'You can't live
forever, you can't live forever.’’ This extract is very disturbing in a sense that Tom has the audacity to
approach any women he finds attractive on the train to ask for sexual favours. These further shows
the wealthy established class in a bad light as it reinforces those wealthy, established men can do
whatever things they want without repercussion as well as having unfair advantages. This reinforced
Scott Fitzgerald to sharply critique the world of the wealthy, old-money class in 1920s New York.
Furthermore, at the end of the extract, it is established that Myrtle is not allowed to mention Daisy‘s
name in front of Tom. When she shout out Daisy‘s name, Tom breaks Myrtle s’ nose. The fact that
Myrtle is unable to say daisy s’ name in front of Tom is due to the differing social classes of Daisy and
Myrtle, where Daisy is from an old established family and Myrtle is just an mistress. Also, the way
that Tom so easily breaks Myrtle nose with his hand also showed the brutality of Tom and the total
lack of respect Tom had for Myrtle. The brutal treatment of Myrtle also hints of a tragic ending, as
well as reinforces the idea that class is an enormous, insurmountable barrier, and that when people
try to circumvent the barrier by dating across classes, they end up endangering themselves.
Thirdly, this extract hints also on the marriage of Tom and Daisy. In the extract, it is very clear that
Tom is definitely having an affair with Myrtle as it is mentioned that Myrtle got into a cab with Tom.
In chapter 1, it is stated that Daisy knew about the affair during the dinner with Jordan were Tom
receives a phone call from Myrtle. It is odd that Daisy would still remain with Tom in a marriage
despite Tom‘s infidelities and Daisy‘s unhappiness in her marriage. As the story progresses, Daisy
herself embarks on an affair with Gatsby. Thus it is odd that by the end of the book after the
cheating, murdering and lying, Tom and Daisy‘s marriage is still intact and might even emerge
stronger after the book. The stubborn closeness of Tom and Daisy’s marriage reinforces the
dominance of the old money class over the world of Gatsby. Despite so many troubles, for Tom and
Daisy, their marriage guarantees their continued membership in the exclusive world of the old
money rich. In other words, class is a much stronger bond than love in The Great Gatsby.
In conclusion, this extract has shown how class is viewed and acted upon in the book, where the
rich is harshly critiqued due to their excesses. The human desire to maintain or achieve a high social
standing is portrayed effectively in the book, emphasising how class triumphs before all things.