nela SljokaCasperson 5AP English 3 January 28, 2015Reflection on the Roaring Twenties in The Great Gatsby The Roaring Twenties or the Jazz Age are memorable for many Americans in terms of great results in many aspects of people's lives and their American dreams. However, there are many points that reveal shades of roughness and superficiality, which ultimately led to disillusionment. The Great Gatsby echoes depictions of the 1920s era and portrays the contrast between traditional and corrupt values ​​that are made prevalent through the character relationships and descriptions, the novel's theme, and the setting as a whole. Fitzgerald lived in the post-World War I period in which the novel is set; American life mattered. This point becomes clear to the reader when she tells Nick about her daughter: “I'm happy it's a girl. And I hope she's a fool: that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool. (Fitzgerald, "The Great" 3). Ferrysmawan says that "this shows how Daisy thinks about life and how happiness can be purchased by not being aware of it and supposedly having money and being fooled." (Ferrysmawan). Daisy always chose wealth over love, she wanted to be happy with money, if she really loved Gatsby she would have waited for him but instead she married Tom because of his money. Daisy also portrays the lightheartedness of the American dream in the situation of Myrtle's killing and Gatsby's abandonment shortly before and after his death. The fact that she ran over Myrtle without stopping and didn't have the courage to tell Tom shows how Daisy always thought about herself and her own comfort rather than the safety, well-being and feelings of others. Myrtle is another representation of materialism in the novel. The only reason Myrtle had relationships with Tom was because of his money and wealth, this allows her to escape the reality of her current status and gives her hope that one day she can be with Tom, he is the his chance to realize the American dream. and will do anything to get it. Myrtle was so focused on her dream of wealth that she was. The West Egg, where Gatsby and Nick lived, was seen as "the less fashionable" (Fitzgerald) of the two eggs. Although the West Egg still contained multi-million dollar mansions as the residents were considered "new money", they did not have the same respectability as those who lived in the East Egg, which was seen as the "old money". Both belong to the same class but they came to money in different ways, the “new money” is new to wealth and got it recently, while the “old money” were those who had it in family for a long time. This leads them to manage their money and relationships differently. The nouveau riche are described as “vulgar, showy, ostentatious and lacking social grace and taste”. (Avery) Gatsby tries to impress others with his money, which lacks class. He drives a fancy car, a Rolls-Royce, has a monstrous mansion all to himself and throws non-stop parties to impress people and to try to win Daisy back. The old rich people of East Egg handle their wealth with more maturity, but then they are so used to easing people into the value of their money that they lack consideration for the feelings of others. Daisy and Tom describe this selfishness. Neither of them is ever satisfied and as a result they cheat on each other and lack consideration for anyone else, they simply leave messes for others to clean up. Although the new money is less