Class Struggles in The Great Gatsby

As I read about Marxist theory, this week I immediately thought of the movie The Great Gatsby (2013) this modern adaptation of the story offers a unique perspective of class structures, wealth, and social behaviors that can be analyzed through a Marxist lens.  Here are some key elements that align well with Marxist theory.

There is a class struggle between the wealthy “The ruling class” and the working class. The characters of the story are divided into distinct social classes. Some characters are inherently wealthy, the main character of the story Gatsby is wealthy, but he is a different kind of wealthy he is a self-made wealthy man, and there are characters that are from the working class. The story contains Neo-Marxist materialism and economic metaphors such as the way the characters speak, the way the characters flaunt their possessions, behaviors, and the geographic locations of where the characters live. These are some of the representations that were mentioned in Sellnow (2010).

Jay Gatsby’s Home from the movie The Great Gatsby 2013 (Google Images)

The story takes place during the Roaring 1920s and shows a side of wealth and corruption. Jay Gatsby acquired wealth through the bootlegging business. This illustrates Marx’s concept of exploitation of labor which leads capitalist society into corruption by illegal means. Gatsby was the son of poor farmers who ran away in pursuit of greatness. The behavior suggests that achieving the American dream may come with heavy costs.

Hidden Bar Scene from the movie The Great Gatsby 2013 (Google Images)

The story also portrays a sad place called The Valley of Ashes. This is an industrial wasteland that separates East Egg and West Egg the fictional locations that separate the social classes. The Valley of Ashes is a place where the working class lives and serves as the contrast between the rich and the poor in the story.

                     The Valley of Ashes from the movie The Great Gatsby 2013 (Google Images)

In summary, the story exposes inequality and corruption in a capitalist society and this supports Marxist theory. The characters in the story have power dynamics, class struggles, and the illusions of upward mobility all evidence of Marxist theory.

What are your thoughts or examples of today's views on materialism or economic metaphors?