Final answer:
Gatsby's parties in Fitzgerald's novel symbolize the extravagance of the 1920s, compared to Tom's, which reflect old money's arrogance, with both revealing themes of decadence and moral decay.
Step-by-step explanation:
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Gatsby's parties are depicted as opulent and extravagant, epitomizing the excess of the Roaring Twenties. Gatsby throws these grandiose soirées in hopes of attracting Daisy Buchanan's attention, showcasing his newfound wealth and status. In stark contrast, Tom Buchanan's gatherings are more intimate and bear the hallmarks of old money's arrogance and carelessness.
Fitzgerald uses these gatherings as a vehicle to compare and contrast the characters' values and lifestyles, highlighting themes of decadence, class distinction, and the corrupted American Dream. The parties also reflect the characters themselves: Gatsby's larger-than-life grandeur and Tom's more brutal and direct assertion of power. The juxtaposition of how these characters socialize reveals their deepest ambitions and exposes the moral decay underneath the glittering surface of high society.