Assignment paper no 106 : Moral Decay of the 1920s: Wealth and Corruption in The Great Gatsby

Assignment - 1 : Moral Decay of the 1920s: Wealth and Corruption in The Great Gatsby

Table of Contents :

Personal Information

Assignment Details

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

The Pursuit of Wealth and Corruption

Gatsby’s Moral Decay and Social Hypocrisy

The Decline of the American Dream

Conclusion

Personal Information:-

Name:- Bhumi Mahida

Batch:-  M.A. Sem 2 (2024-2026)

Enrollment Number:- 5108230032

E-mail Address:- bhumimahida385@gmail.com

Roll Number:- 2

Assignment Details:-

Topic:-Moral Decay of the 1920s: Wealth and Corruption in The Great Gatsby

Paper & subject code:- 106 - The Twentieth Century Literature

Submitted to:- Smt. Sujata Binoy Gardi, Department of English, MKBU, Bhavnagar

Date of Submission:-

Abstract :

This paper examines moral decay, wealth, and corruption in The Great Gatsby, drawing from John H. Randall III and Kenneth Eble’s analyses. Set in the Roaring Twenties, the novel depicts Gatsby’s rise through bootlegging and possible financial scandals like Teapot Dome, highlighting the era’s moral hypocrisy. His downfall symbolizes the corruption of the American Dream, which shifted from hard work to materialism and deceit. Ultimately, The Great Gatsby critiques the Jazz Age, warning against unchecked ambition and social superficiality.

Keywords : Moral Decay, Materialism, Bootlegging

Introduction :

The 1920s in America, often called the "Roaring Twenties," was a period of immense social change, economic prosperity, and moral decline. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby captures the essence of this era through the lens of wealth, corruption, and disillusionment. John H. Randall III’s article, “Jay Gatsby’s Hidden Source of Wealth,” and Kenneth Eble’s analysis in The Great Gatsby offer critical perspectives on Gatsby’s financial dealings and the moral erosion of the time. This essay examines how Gatsby’s rise to wealth, his association with illegal activities, and his ultimate downfall illustrate the deep moral decay of the 1920s.

The Pursuit of Wealth and Corruption :

The novel portrays wealth as a driving force that corrupts individuals and society. Gatsby’s fortune is not inherited but rather amassed through illicit means, specifically bootlegging and possibly deeper financial crimes. Randall highlights Gatsby’s involvement in buying and operating side-street drugstores that sold illegal alcohol. This connection to Meyer Wolfsheim, a figure modeled after real-life crime bosses, underscores Gatsby’s engagement in organized crime.

Moreover, Randall suggests that Gatsby’s dealings might extend beyond bootlegging to the Teapot Dome scandal, one of the largest corruption cases of the decade. This scandal, involving the illegal leasing of government oil reserves for personal gain, mirrors Gatsby’s hidden and unethical rise to affluence. The Teapot Dome affair, as Randall argues, serves as a historical parallel to Gatsby’s corrupt sources of wealth, linking him to the broader moral failures of the 1920s.

Eble’s analysis further supports this notion by exploring the broader themes of moral decay and the illusion of success. He argues that Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth is emblematic of the American Dream’s corruption—an ideal once rooted in hard work but now synonymous with deception and greed. Gatsby’s mansion, extravagant parties, and obsession with Daisy all reflect a misguided belief that material wealth equates to fulfillment and legitimacy.

Gatsby’s Moral Decay and Social Hypocrisy :

Gatsby’s wealth does not bring him respect or social acceptance among the old-money elite. His parties, filled with the very people who later abandon him, symbolize the superficiality and hypocrisy of the era. Despite his riches, Gatsby remains an outsider, highlighting the rigid social barriers that money alone cannot break. Randall suggests that Gatsby’s biggest fear is exposure—not only as a bootlegger but as someone involved in something far worse. When Tom Buchanan confronts him in the Plaza Hotel, Gatsby is not shaken by the accusation of bootlegging but crumbles when Tom hints at something even more incriminating.

Eble’s work sheds light on how Gatsby’s story is not just a critique of the Jazz Age but a broader commentary on the failure of idealism. He emphasizes the novel’s ability to transcend its historical setting, arguing that Gatsby’s dream—though flawed—is a universal representation of humanity’s tendency to chase unattainable ideals. Gatsby’s downfall, then, is not just a personal tragedy but a reflection of the broader moral failures of the society that created him.

Daisy Buchanan, whom Gatsby idolizes, represents the ultimate illusion of the American Dream. However, her character also embodies moral decay. She is drawn to Gatsby’s wealth but ultimately chooses the security of her old-money status with Tom, despite his infidelity and arrogance. Her indifference after Gatsby’s death—choosing to retreat into her privileged world—reinforces the emptiness of wealth and the moral decline of the elite.

The Decline of the American Dream :

Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s rise and fall as a metaphor for the corruption of the American Dream. The dream, once rooted in hard work and success, had by the 1920s become associated with excess, materialism, and fraud. Gatsby’s downfall illustrates that no amount of wealth can buy legitimacy or true happiness. Randall’s article emphasizes that Gatsby’s wealth was not just a product of bootlegging but possibly of even greater financial corruption, aligning him with the major scandals of the era.

Eble expands on this idea by arguing that Gatsby’s dream, while corrupted, still holds a tragic beauty. He sees Gatsby as a character who embodies both the grandeur and the folly of the American Dream. His relentless pursuit of an idealized past ultimately leads to his destruction, illustrating how the dream itself has become a mirage, promising success but delivering disillusionment.

Fitzgerald’s portrayal of Gatsby’s death—lonely and ignored by those who once celebrated with him—reinforces the novel’s critique of a society obsessed with wealth but devoid of genuine morality. In the end, Gatsby’s dream dies with him, just as the idealistic version of the American Dream was eroded by greed and dishonesty in the 1920s.

Conclusion :

Through Gatsby’s story, Fitzgerald exposes the moral decline of the Jazz Age, where wealth was often acquired through corruption, and social status dictated one's fate. Randall’s analysis strengthens the argument that Gatsby’s financial dealings were not just criminal but emblematic of the larger corruption of the time, including scandals like Teapot Dome. Eble’s insights further contextualize Gatsby’s tragedy as part of a broader historical and philosophical critique of the American Dream. The Great Gatsby ultimately serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked ambition and the illusion of the American Dream in a morally decayed society.

Words  : 1247

Images : 03

References : 

Eble, Kenneth. “The Great Gatsby.” College Literature, vol. 1, no. 1, 1974, pp. 34–47. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25111007. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

Martinez, Julia. "The Great Gatsby". Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Feb. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Great-Gatsby. Accessed 15 March 2025.

Randall, John H. “JAY GATSBY’S HIDDEN SOURCE OF WEALTH.” Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 13, no. 2, 1967, pp. 247–57. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26278584. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.