corruption and greed Flashcards
‘ i w - - a - - - to do t - - c - - - - - - - - - - - a f - - - - - o - - - ‘
“I was able to do the commissioner a favour once” (Gatsby - C4)
Gatsby is presented as above the law due to his wealth and influence, yet ironically he fails to break into the aristocracy. It indicates the corruption within American institutions.
(LINK: The exploitation of the officers by those in power to maintain order.)
‘h - - c - - - - of e - - - - - - - - o - - - - - - h - - d - - - - - - - - - by o - - ‘
“His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” (Gatsby - C5)
Now that Gatsby has Daisy, it is just “a green light”, no longer imbued with his longings, hopes and dreams, as they have been corrupted by Daisy.
(LINK: Use of symbolism could be compared to the false ideals of California.)
‘ he w - - a s - - of G - - … m - - - be a - - - - H - - F - - - - - - b - - - - - - - , t - - s - - - - - - of a v - - - , v - - - - - a - - m - - - - - - - - - - - b - - - - - ‘
“He was a son of God… must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar and meretricious beauty” (Gatsby - C6)
Nick understands that Gatsby is a man flawed with delusions of grandeur and self-importance. Similar to Eckleburg, it emphasises that the God in this America is corrupted.
(LINK: Both Casy’s religious character, and the spread of capitalism and democracy under the Manifest Destiny.)
‘s - - - - h - - ! i m - - - h - - … i c - - - g - - m - - - - up in it’
“Start him! I made him… I can’t get mixed up in it” (Wolfsheim - C9)
For James Gatz, the persona of Gatsby and his rise to wealth was built upon crime and illegality. It emphasises the role of crime in the ‘new money’ class, and the corruption of capitalism.
