Capitalism and Class Conflict in The Great Gatsby: A Marxist Perspective

Author : Wafa Y. Alkhatib

Abstract :This paper examines F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby via a Marxist critical perspective, focusing on how the novel represents class differences, materialism, and the illusion of the American Dream. Set in the Roaring Twenties, the novel highlights the dramatic difference between the wealthy elites of East and West Egg and the working-class inhabitants of the "valley of ashes." Fitzgerald uses characters like Jay Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, and George Wilson to criticize a capitalist society that perpetuates injustice and maintains rigid class inequalities. Gatsby's obsessive pursuit of wealth in order to attain social approval highlights the false promise of social mobility, while the fate of characters such as Myrtle and George Wilson symbolizes the exploitation and alienation of the working class.

Keywords :Marxism, class conflict, capitalism, poverty, American Dream, alienation.

Conference Name :International Conference on American Literature, Theatre and Drama (ICALTD -25)

Conference Place Florence, Italy

Conference Date 29th Oct 2025