Hugo Hennesy

Mr. Smith

Honors ELA

4/23/2024

Material Greed vs. True Love

The Great Gatsby, when analyzed through a marxist lens, shows how something like true

love can be tainted by capitalist greed; Luhrmann’s film emphasizes this idea by removing

details about Gatsby’s personal life and focusing on negative aspects of his business, making him

into a figure of greed.

As both the novel and film introduce Gatsby in an ambiguous way, the film purposefully

hides facts about Gatsby to make him feel less human and more like a shady figure. A

mysterious aura is kept around Gatsby before his introduction, with rumors being old of his

background and wealth. At the first party Nick went to, Jordan and her friends said that

“‘Somebody told me they thought [Gatsby] killed a man once.’ A thrill passed over all of us. The

three Mr. Mumbles bent forward and listened eagerly. ‘I don’t think it’s so much THAT,’ argued

Lucille skeptically; ‘it’s more that he was a German spy during the war.’” (Fitzgerald 33) The

same rumors are talked about in the movie as Nick, and Gatsby is introduced in the same way.

Nick is recognized as a fellow veteran by another person at the party unknown to him, and as

they continue talking, Nick finds out that the person he was talking to was the Great Gatsby.

However, Gatsby is introduced in a much more spectacular way in the movie. Gatsby is framed

in a close up at the top of a balcony, looking down upon the entire party, holding a drink up to

the camera while fireworks go off behind him. These elements portray Gatsby in an almost
angelic light, and make him feel more like the legendary, ambiguous figure the rumors were

about rather than a normal person. The film adaptation of Gatsby’s introduction paints him in

such an unrealistic fashion that when looked through a Marxist lens, reveals how unrealistic a

good person that amassed wealth in an illegal way is. Gatsby’s drug stores were also first alluded

to during his introduction in the form of a phone call from Chicago.

Gatsby’s illegal business is another element accentuated in Luhrmann’s adaptation to

better picture the dangers of capitalist desire in Gatsby’s character. His dealings are alluded to at

many points throughout the story in the form of phone calls, but one of most prominent scenes

involving it is the meeting with Meyer Wolfsheim. Before meeting Tom at the speakeasy, Gatsby

was meeting with Meyer Wolfsheim. In both the film and novel, Gatsby leaves Nick and

Wolfsheim alone. As the two converse, Nick finds out more about their illegal business ventures

and Wolfsheim intimidates Nick. However, there is a stark contrast between how Wolfsheim acts

in the novel and in the film. Fitzgerald’s version of the character has less of an edge and keeps

some manners. When Wolfsheim leaves, he excuses himself by saying “‘I have enjoyed my

lunch,’ he said, ‘and I’m going to run off from you two young men before I outstay my

welcome.’” (Fitzgerald 57) While he is still not portrayed as a good person in the novel, he is

much less intimidating than in the film. In Luhrmann’s adaptation of Wolfsheim, there is much

more tension between him and Nick. There were no formalities to end their discussion like in the

novel, and there is a greater mood shift in the music and tone. Added detail leading up to their

discussion such as politicians and the police commissioner being present at the illegal gathering

added to the shady feeling of the scene. The human molar on Wolfsheim’s suit drew much more

attention in the film and created an unnerving feeling surrounding Gatsby, his illegal

connections, and his business. Luhrmann’s decision to add another layer of danger and
corruption to scenes regarding Gatby’s business showed the dangerous lengths people will go to

for greed. All of Gatsby’s greed eventually comes back to him as he confronts Tom to try and

win Daisy back.

Both Tom and Gatsby’s desire to have Daisy that climaxed with their argument at the

hotel is a form of capitalist greed that is accentuated through Luhrmann’s added tension to the

scene. Throughout the story, both Tom and Gatsby have been greedy and had a need for more

possessions. Tom had multiple affairs, including the one with Myrtle. He treated the women like

his objects and wanted to have more than one. Gatsby was also greedy, thinking that he could

leave somebody for many years and return to them when they had already moved on with their

life. He even claimed to Tom that Daisy had “‘never loved you [Tom], do you hear?’ he cried.

‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible

mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me!”’ (Fitzgerald 100). Tom used

information about Gatsby’s illegal business in the argument as well. He argued that everything

Gatsby had built up was immoral and he was a front for a gangster, and that made him different

from everyone else in the room. The film version of Gatsby captured the anger and tension from

this scene and added to it greatly. After Tom insults Gatsby’s business, he has an outburst of

rage, telling Tom to shut up and grabs him by the collar, ready to punch. While Gatsby is

described by Nick as one of the few genuine and good people of New York, this scene shows

what the influence of greed has on good people. Through Luhrmann’s addition of Gatsby’s

outburst of rage, it shows how his pride over aspirations to get money and Daisy led to an

uncontrollable anger. From a marxist lens, Gatsby’s good intentions were corrupted through his

greed.
 In both novel and film, Gatsby’s tragic tale can be interpreted through a marxist lens as a

man tainted by capitalist greed in an effort to get the one he loves. Both Tom and Gatsby wanted

Daisy, wealth, and status, which led them to crime, murder, and lies. The film takes specific

elements of Gatsby’s business and character to paint a better picture of the dangers and

corruption of capitalism. While Tom and Gatsby did evil, it was the one born at the top that made

it out in the end. People with good morals do not survive in a cut-throat, capitalist business.