Old Money Vs. New Money

Old money and new money in the Great Gatsby represents the two different types of wealth that each person has. In the story, the two main settings are East Egg and West Egg. Mostly all the people that live in these neighborhoods are wealthy and can afford many luxurious things. The american dream is described in the Great Gatsby through the attitudes and personalities of the people. Basically, money is the basis of the lives of everyone who lives in West Egg and East Egg, Long Island. Money also shows off the true colors of each and every character in the story as well. F. Scott Fitzgerald writes and compares the morals of each character through the symbols of old money and new money. Indifferences and disagreements between the old money and new money are clear in the Great Gatsby.

Old money represents the aristocrats in the Great Gatsby who live in East Egg. They had their wealth passed down from generation to generation, meaning that they have been in a family line of the wealthy. The old money dislike the new money because they feel that they are the ones that will bring down and ruin the society when it comes to wealth and money. Also, they felt more superior to the new money because old money people didn't have to earn their fortune and wealth, while as the new money had to work to get to where they were. An example of old money would be Tom Buchanan. He inherited his wealth and riches from his family name and is now living in East Egg, a luxurious living.

New money represents the people who live in West Egg and those who have earned all their riches. They didn't inherit their money but have worked for it or had gotten it some other way. It did not matter to them how they achieved their hopes and dreams as long as they got it. Some of them were lower class and middle class people who obtained huge amounts of money and now are using it to its full extent by buying themselves whatever they want. Jay Gatsby, the main character in the story symbolizes new money. He earned all his money by selling alcohol illegally. This was not unusual during the 1920's because of prohibition when alcohol was banned. With that money, Gatsby throws grand and luxurious parties at his mansion in the West Egg.