While both East and West Egg are wealthy communities, families with inherited wealth, or “old money,” live in the more fashionable East Egg. In West Egg, by contrast, residents whose wealth is new, like Gatsby, conspicuously mimic European aristocracy to appear established.
The Great Gatsby portrays three different social classes: "old money" (Tom and Daisy Buchanan); "new money" (Gatsby); and a class that might be called "no money" (George and Myrtle Wilson).
The homes in East Egg had been established for some time and thus older than those in West Egg. Therefore East Egg was known as "old money," where people had established wealth, while West Egg was "new money."
Gatsby's house is in West Egg, which Nick, aware he is oversimplifying, describes as 'the less fashionable' of the two, although he adds that the differences between the areas are 'bizarre and not a little sinister'.
The West Egg is the “new money”. It is where the people who are newly rich live. They are more flashy with their money since they haven't had money in their family background. Gatsby himself is self-made, which makes him unaccepted by the East Egg.
The Great Gatsby's East Egg and West Egg: A Look into the Real-Life Inspiration
Who is richer, Tom or Gatsby?
Tom is magnitudes of order wealthier than Gatsby. Note, in the initial party scene we discover that Gatsby's library is full of “blank” books: nice spines no substance (metaphor anyone). Gatsby does have…. shirts—so many shirts.
What does Gatsby not have that those of old money have?
Explanation: The character of Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a rich man, but his wealth, known as 'new money', lacks the cultural and social refinement associated with those born into 'old money'.
While both East and West Egg are wealthy communities, families with inherited wealth, or “old money,” live in the more fashionable East Egg. In West Egg, by contrast, residents whose wealth is new, like Gatsby, conspicuously mimic European aristocracy to appear established.
West Egg is characterized by lavish displays of wealth and garish poor taste. Nick's comparatively modest West Egg house is next door to Gatsby's mansion, a sprawling Gothic monstrosity.
Nick explains that West Egg is “the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them.” While readers know that Gatsby's house is huge and opulent, West Egg is considered less fancy because the people who live there, including ...
Families with "old money" use accumulated assets or savings to bridge interruptions in income, thus guarding against downward social mobility. "Old money" applies to those of the upper class whose wealth separates them from lower social classes.
Old money refers to generational wealth passed down through families, while new money refers to self-made wealth. Old money is often associated with traditional investments and long-standing traditions, while new money may spend more lavishly and take riskier investment decisions.
That West Egg is new money and East Egg is old money is clear early in the first chapter of The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald). As Nick is explaining his new residence, he takes the time to explain the difference.
What does Gatsby not have that Those of old money have in chapter 6?
Even though Gatsby seems to have as much money as they do, he lacks their sense of social nuance and easy, aristocratic grace. As a result, they mock and despise him for being “new money.”
Though Cody left $25,000 to Gatsby in his will, he never received it, suspecting that Ella Kaye absconded with it along with the rest of Cody's immense fortune.
Here Nick describes West Egg, the “less fashionable” of the two Long Island peninsulas, as a place where small, modest houses like his own are wedged between grandiose mansions with sprawling estates.
What is the difference between East Egg and West Egg Chapter 1?
What is the difference between West Egg and East Egg ? West egg is new money, people who have worked hard for their money and earned their own money. East egg is old money and they have inherited their money and they haven't worked for their money.
The people of West Egg, also known as 'new money' were born into the middle-class or a poor family and worked their way up to being wealthy by working hard to achieve the American Dream.
Fitzgerald's use of setting highlights that in East Egg live the wealthy people within the elite society, they were born into riches "Old money", while West Egg is home to those that have recently acquired wealth "New money" and is described as ostentatious and flashy.
What is the difference between old money and new money in Great Gatsby?
In his novel, money is divided into two types: new money and old money. New money is the fortune that self-made characters like Gatsby have. Old money encompasses the inherited money owned by Daisy and Tom. Furthermore, talking about money inevitably can be developed into talking about social classes.
From Gatsby's opulent mansion to the lavish parties, material possessions become symbols of status and success. Yet beneath the surface, this materialism masks a profound emptiness and moral vacuum: despite their wealth, the characters in the novel exhibit a lack of genuine connection and happiness.
Who is considered part of old money in the novel The Great Gatsby?
Examples of “old money” include Tom, Daisy and Jordan. They do not flaunt their wealth as much as the people of “new money” and tend to be respected by others making many social connections with other respected members of society.
In the narrative, East Egg represents sophistication and old money, embodying traditional wealth and social standing. Contrastingly, West Egg is symbolic of new money, representing those who have recently acquired their wealth and lack the social pedigree of East Egg inhabitants.
Scott Fitzgerald's imagination, if he were a real man in the '20s, how did he become so great and how could he afford to throw such extravagant parties? Apparently, he started off penniless and made his money selling illegal, over-the-counter liquor in his drug-store empire during the first two years of prohibition.
