Question

Read the following excerpt from The Great Gatsby:

"Who is this Gatsby anyhow?" demanded Tom suddenly. "Some big bootlegger?" "Where'd you hear that?" I inquired. "I didn't hear it. I imagined it. A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers, you know." "Not Gatsby," I said shortly.


Which two themes does this passage best convey?


A. Living a life of fantasy has its consequences; imagination is a poor substitute for reality

B. The American Dream cannot be corrupted; in America, social class trumps financial success.

C. Hard work can lead one from rags to riches; wealth is the solution to one's problems.

D. Old money is scornful of new money; in America, class rivalry can breed stereotypes.

Answer 1

The correct answer is D.

One of the subjects addressed in Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gasby" is the rivalry between "Old Money" and "New Money".

"Old Money" were people who had grown up with wealth. They believed they had manners and good taste.

On the other gand, the "New Money" were people that, thanks to the American dream, could amass wealth and climb the social ladder. However, having been low or middle class for most of their lives, they did not abide to the Old Money idea of taste and class.

Another subject touched is stereotypes. In America, class rivalry has always led to the creation of stereotypes. New and Old money is no exception. We can see this trough Tom's point of view that, for Old money, the people that has acquired wealth, must have done so by being "bootleggers".

Answer 2

D. Old money is scornful of new money; in America, class rivalry can breed stereotypes.

From what Tom says, we know that he is not a big fan of Gatsby. We also know that he is only speculating when he says "I imagined it." Tom does not trust Gatsby as a newly rich person of high society. He also uses stereotypes when talking about how Gatsby came into his riches. We see this when he says, "A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers". His generalization of the newly rich is considered stereotyping.