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3. Our sense of self worth is directly effected by money and economic value because society has shown that the more you have, the better people will like you/accept you. Just like in The Great Gatsby, Myrtle wanted Tom Buchanan because coming from a lower class area it would raise her social status. It's a widely accepted materialism that creates a subconscious bias in people's minds. -Wanda Gibson

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Kyle Lee, Quentin 3 in this world money and economic value it what decides the importance of people and things.Money is needed in every aspect of our world. QuickType of your life and the ones around can be affected about the amount of money we have. Even the article states,”Children bender from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods and some are more likely to attended and complete college.” People who go to college are valued more in our society allowing them to make more money to have more values in society.

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Jordan Dudley, Question 3.    Our sense of self is affected by money or economic value because money is what makes the world work. In order to do anything, whether it be buying food or water, clothes, or going to the movies or anything we do for entertainment, you need money. Because of that, quality of life can be greatly affected by how much money we have. Since money affects quality of life, we tend to equate having more money with having a better quality of life and therefore being more successful, and by extension more happy. The articles mention this, as they mention that, “Children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods, and some are more likely to attend and complete college.” Our society tends to see people who attend and complete college as more successful, as college allows people to make more money and therefore have more economic value.

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3. Chase Hummel: Self worth is affected by money because we think money is the answer to happiness. However much money you make dictates how happy your are. This perception is not entirely correct as we see in the Great Gatsby. The idea has been driven into our society. You can be the wealthiest man in the world but that doesn't mean you have a group of loving people surrounding you. You can be the poorest person in the world but have people that care for you and support you.

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Ian Sanders Question 3: I feel as though people directly relate money and success, or self worth, because it is considered the most clear-cut tangible way of telling these things. Currency will always be something that people have varying amounts of, and because of this it is an easy medium to use to compare people. In the story, Tom has money, and thinks of himself as the best around. He goes to a different island to see his mistress, owns a huge house, and talks a big game all because he has money. In the articles, geographical locations are discussed as having varying levels of benefits. I think this is another reason that people have these perceptions, the more money you have, the nicer a place you will live, and the more benefits you will receive.

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question 2 - Myrtle and Daisy are both representative of where they live. Daisy is beautiful, elegant, and classy. She has a warm welcoming voice and personality and "a stirring warmth flowed from her (Fitzgerald, 18), much like the town she lives in. Where she lives, the houses are big and fancy, elegantly decorated to be classy but still welcoming. Myrtle on the other hand, is poor, crude, and simple like the town she lives in. Myrtle has "no facet or gleam of beauty" just like the valley of ashes, but she is hard working. This aligns with what the census says that there are similarities between people and the places that they live; surroundings impact personality traits because it affects their level of education and their many other opportunities in life.  - Anna Herndon

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Question 3) Our sense of self and our perception of others is heavily influenced by money.  We live in a society were a large emphasis is put on material wealth. A phenomenon that constitute a large part of The Great Gatsby and the era it is was based in. Gatsby feels he needs a large amount of wealth in order to impress Daisy (Fitzgerald, 97). Evidence that money was an important factor of a person’s worth. Those with a lot of money are regarded as successful. As just, just like in the novel, we tend to assign them a greater worth. Which also affects our sense of self when we inevitably compare ourselves to them. Often leading to a decrease in self-worth.  Money is used as a measurement for determining people’s worth.  Money affects the environment we grow up in, developing a person’s moral’s, their values, their characteristics, essentially their sense of self. The article from the United States Census Bureau, enumerates the positive benefits of gentrification including an increased chance of finishing college and the ameliorating of their physical and mental health (Brummet and Reed).  It also states, “A key concern is that the highly changes occurring in gentrifying neighborhoods are driven by the direct displacement of original residents, making them worse off and preventing them from sharing in the aforementioned benefits” (Brummet and Reed). Demonstrating how in addition to an excess of money, a lack of money can also have large impact on people’s sense of self.

- Catherine Vinel

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‘But how did it happen? Did you run into the wall?’ ‘Don’t ask me,’ said Owl Eyes, washing

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Question 3) Our sense of self and our perception of other's is always impacted by money, as wrong as that may seem. Money heavily influences the environment we grow up in as it says in the article,..........The conditions in which we grow up is a major factor in developing a person's characteristics, their values, their morals, essentially their sense of self. As the article says people living in gentrified neighborhoods have the benefits of finishing college..............

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Question 3

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Question 3

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Question 3

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3. Money and wealth are two of the biggest influences in most aspects of our life. Whether it dictates where you live, what kind of car you drive, or the people you socialize with, money controls most aspects of our everyday lives. Directly correlated to money is a gauge of worth and self-value, which tends to increase when the other does. A common conception of society is that the more money you have, the more things you have and are able to do, which in turn makes you more valuable and happier in the eyes of other people. Most of the time this is untrue, but the stigma remains steadfast today. Tom Buchanan embodies this concept, carrying himself with grandeur and confidence, most likely because of his wealth and the people he surrounds himself with, who are also wealthy like him. Matt Buffington

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Caroline Landis- Question 1:  Groups of people of a particular race, culture, economic class, etc., reside in certain geographical areas and neighborhoods for a variety of reasons; from historical segregation, economic pressure, or cultural comfort and familiarity. These factors may be through choice or force, but throughout history, people of the same culture, ethnicity, dialect, etc. have lived in geographical regions together and for many generations. More recently, with the increase of high-income and college-educated individuals choosing to live in central urban neighborhoods (Brummet, Reed 1), the demand of housing has increased, while the supply of land in cities to build these houses obviously has not. Therefore, the theoretical result is that the overall rent in low-income neighborhoods increases, and the original residents can no longer afford their rent and are displaced from their historic neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are places of cultural acceptance, understanding, and familiarity in a society where minorities are typically oppressed and ignored. Minority neighborhoods are most often low-income because our society throughout history has not uplifted or helped minority communities succeed, and the gentrification of their neighborhoods shows just a continuation of that.

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Luca Huff - Question 3: In our society, wealth has been equated with success and happiness. Our self-worth is often difficult to judge abstractly and so using economic merit as a definitive measurement of who we are doesn’t seem like a bad idea for those with low-functioning intellect. Take for example, Myrtle, who is intoxicated by the rush that she gets from Tom Buchannan’s company and material wealth. Tom, on the other hand, is generally unhappy with his life and tries to make up for that by filling it with a gaudy estate, a spoiled mistress, and parties. Both characters view wealth as their savior, pursuing it and seeking it as the means to fulfillment.

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Lucas Cantu, Question 3, `Money affects our self worth because our society circles around it, and people gain a powerful feeling with it.  Once you get into the real world you realize people with more wealth than someone else makes them feel better than another.  In the article you can see in DC that gentrification is happening, people with lower incomes are not being able to live in the inner city anymore because it’s too expensive, and people with the money come in and take over.  The people with more money can live in nicer areas, than people with low incomes.  This is an example of why people's sense of self-worth is affected by money because they see and the stats show that people with more money are living in better areas and are thriving compared to those working the minimum wage job.

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Hayley SHifflett Q3: Our society is centered around economic status and because of that we connect money to self-worth. Take Myrtle for example, part of her attraction to Tom is for his wealth;she has very little money so she feels Tom's money will make her status go up in society. In today's world, looks are also a huge reflection of wealth. For example, if you travel to one of the districts mentioned in D.C. you are going to perceive those people as lesser than the people that live in extravagant neighborhoods because their homes aren't as "clean and kept". As a society we also connect looks with education levels, we assume that the people living in those areas are less educated because their income level is lower. Which could not even be the case, some people fall on hard times even if they are well-educated, that's just how life plays out sometimes. Take farmers for example, they don't make a whole lot of money, but that doesn't mean they aren't educated and society wouldn't function without them because there wouldn't be enough food to eat. From the Washington post article, "This may reflect an intensification of racial and economic segregation within the city" (Lang). If a specific group is constantly being put down and shut out and relocated then it decreases their self-worth. Being relocated also makes it much more difficult to get yourself established economically, because you may have to find a new job and not only that but you have to start over in another community and meet new people. Humans connect wealth to worth, so if you're wealthy then that means you're worth more, even if that isn't true it's just how the human brain works.

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Q3: Our sense of self worth and economic value tends to rely heavily on those around us. In article 2 the subject of mental health in an affluent neighborhood is brought up.  The health of those living in these communities is generally higher than someone in a lesser so community. This health discrepancy impacts the futures of the children born in each respectively. Those born in higher wealth communities tend to achieve higher and gather more success. Our sense of wealth is dependent on our success and vice versa, creating a cyclical pattern. (Raygan Elsie)

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^^Grace B.

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Question 2: Myrtle and Daisy are very distinct and different in their physical appearances and personalities/attitudes, and these dissimilarities reflect where they live and their social and financial status'. Daisy lives in an expensive, elegant and stunning house. She is described as lean and dainty, her voice is light, and her appearance is delicate like she could float around the room. Her name perfectly fits her character. "...Daisy, made an attempt to rise--she leaned slightly forward with a. conscientious expression--then she laughed, an absurd, charming laugh...(Fitzgerald, 8). On the other hand, Myrtle is married to a working class man and does not live luxuriously. Myrtle lives in a very dull part of the city called the "Valley of Ashes." Myrtle is described to have a heavy build. Myrtle is crude and has an strong attitude longing for attention and a better lifestyle. Myrtle lacks elegance in her life. She wants to rise in her social status and has a loud personality. "Her face, above a spotted dress of dark blue crepe-de-chine, contained no facet gleam of beauty, but there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her..." (Fitzgerald, 25).This reflects her lower-class home and working lifestyle, opposite of Daisy's elegant and luxurious lifestyle. Both of these character's characteristics and traits represent their parts of NY and different lifestyles. In the Census, it is explained that "Moreover, a large neighborhood effects literature shows that exposure to
higher-income neighborhoods has important benefits for low-income residents, such as improving the mental and physical health of adults and increasing the long-term educational attainment and earnings of children." (Article by Brummet,1). This  is what is happening with Myrtle. She wants a better life for herself, and she has an affair with Tom, presumably to get exposure to people of a higher-class than herself and in search for a better quality of life.

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Question 3: We are a society built open success. We strive for it as individuals. By doing this we automatically view everyone els as opponents that we need to "beat". This  is why we are always comparing our social status and wealth to other people. We compare money/economic value over other aspects of an individual because it is easy. It is a factual value that can be easily compared. People also associate more money with more success and an over all better life. At this point we all no that this is not necessarily true, but it is how we are usually raised to intemperate the world. In the great Gatsby we can see this having a huge effect on the characters and how they are treated. The 1920's was stingily driven by this idea that you need to have more money and live a luxurious life style in order to be considered respectable by the upper class citizens. Myrtle is a good example of this because she is poorer than most of the other characters and people don't respect her as much. -Sophia

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Will Miller - Question 1: I feel that the connection of modern DC and the New York of the book are similar in the most obvious fact they are both cities. That's obvious but a more subtle and relevant relation is how both have dealt with gentrification. Gentrification is a difficult topic so I'm going to first state my definition of gentrification. Gentrification is when the upperclass imigrates to an area that was previously mostly inhabited by the lower class. This process is less obvious in Gatsby as it doesn't seem to want to outwrite that the neighborhood Nick lives in is gentrified, but I think that a combination of the state of the Valley of Ash and the distinction between West Egg and East Egg allow for a clearer picture of how the social atmosphere of the book was formed. First the Valley of Ash seems very much like the low income concentrated areas the Washington Post article references. It says that, "Areas experiencing 'low-income concentration' were experiencing an economic decline and an uptick in low-income residents."(Lang) I think that the Valley of Ash is one of these areas where low-income peoples have been concentrated and pushed into further economic decline. The 20's are nutorious for the stark differences between the rich and poor and I think that that would lead to the type of gentrification we see in the book. In addition from what I can gleam from the social structure of the book West Egg is inhabited by new money, like Gatsby, while East Egg is prodimnantly more old money. I think this lends credence to the idea that perhaps West Egg was gentrified recently leading to many of the prior residents to vacate to the Valley of Ash.

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Question 3- Katie Jordan: People's self-worth has become increasingly more focused on economic value than personal attributes over time. As societies become more materialistic, they will become more dependent on their financial status. The Great Gatsby illustrates how people's self-worth is heavily influenced by their socioeconomic status. In a time where money has become one of the only positive attributes, their moral compasses have shifted to focus on monetary value. For example, Myrtle is attracted to Tom more for his wealth than anything else. She thinks that being with Tom will makes her happier in life and that money will solve all of her problems. Myrtle was so unhappy with her marriage because her husband was unable to improve their socioeconomic status. "'I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick my shoe'" (Fitzgerald 35). This quote shows how she is primarily focused on her financial status and her main goals are to improve that status. This is due to an obsession with an invisible hierarchy that divides people. In chapter 3, Gatsby's outrageous party confirms that people base their self-worth off of their economic status. His parties, which are a display of his money, have a purpose in building up other people's opinions of Gatsby and improve his self-esteem. As shown by the Great Gatsby, and the separation of different types of wealth in Long Island, having money inflates people's pride and leads them to judge others that are of a lower status.

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Cooper Hauser: Q3 Our sense of self and perception of others worth is affected by economic value because people often compare themselves and what they have done to other people to see where they stand in the world. When your younger usually it is based on something like sports or grades, but when you grow up money is almost always what people think makes them better or worse than others. The article touches on how people who live in nicer areas also have more benefits in life. That is a great example of why people compare themselves to people in other locations.

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Question 3: The characters in the Great Gatsby, particularly Tom, are examples of how being wealthy gives you the perception of being important and successful. Being someone who comes from a wealthy family, according to Tom from the Great Gatsby, makes you even more influential. Our sense of self-worth is effected by our personal financial worth because society tells us that we need so many material things to be happy. We see others with more material things than we have and assume they are happy and have a better life, but I think this assumption is wrong, because people cam be happy and fulfilled without being wealthy. -Olivia Davis

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Question 3: (Drew Hall) I believe our sense of self and perception of others worth is affected by the advantages of wealth and how society views our economic worth. When we are able to make more money, we are able to take care of ourselves and people who have less money worry about paying bills and keeping a simple job. It is easy to tell someone's worth from their belongings and attitude In the Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, is a very rich and wealthy man who seems to do whatever he wants because of his economic value. To Nick Carraway, Tom is how he becomes aware of people with large sums of money.

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Lizzy Dixon- Q3: People's sense of self worth and the way other people perceive us is influenced by money and economic value because people who have money are seen as successful. Successful people are associated with happiness and are idolized, just like how Gatsby is idolized by the people at his party. The guests talk about absurd rumors they've heard about him because they don't view him as normal because of his wealth. Another example of wealth affecting peoples perception is Myrtle and her husband. She is cheating on her husband with a married man because he is poor. Her husband treats her well, and Tom with whom she's cheating on him with, physically abused her but she didn't care because he had money and her husband didn't.

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Question 3 (Hayden Peper): Our idea of self worth is greatly affected by monetary stature and overall economic value because of the societal pressure that comes with money and status. One of society's accepted ideals is that the more money a person has, the higher up they rank on the societal chain. This ideal isn't based on the personality or character of the person but simply on the amount of money they have, because money is the core contributor of our economy and therefore our society. Also, those with lots of money tend to use it to their advantage in buying materialistic things, as well as bribing those with less money to do tasks for them. For example, in The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan uses his financial success as a justification for his controlling and conceited nature over his wife and others. With his high economical stature, Tom takes on a heightened sense of authority that he finds justifiable simply for the fact that he has more money than most. As we see with many celebrities today, money and materialistic values are what bumps up the status of a person, increasing their view of themselves and so also, their self worth.

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Camryn Montoya-Cohn-Q3: Our sense of self worth is affected by money because of society. Society has made us believe that you're better and smarter if you have more money, which isn't always the case. For example, Daisy who grew up in rich family and didn't make her own money as she inherited it. People can say she's smart but her decisions say otherwise. Our self worth shouldn't be decided from how much money we have or make, but it is. If you don't make a lot of money you can be labeled as dirty or not a hard worker, when a lot of the time they could work harder than people making two times more money than them. The whole reason for this is society's fault as it always puts people into groups.

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Question 2: Both Daisy and Myrtle's characters are strong representations of their experiences. Daisy has a sweeter personality and is less superficial while Myrtle's character is very greedy and egotistic. Daisy represents a wealthier sense of life where she has less worry and care towards money and strives for simpler thing (such as love/family). In the articles it discusses how "children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods" (The Effects of Gentrification on the Well-Being and Opportunity of Original Resident Adults and Children" article) which is represented by Daisy. Myrtle, on the other hand, is from a low-income life where she is constantly in the search of money. In this comparison of the women, it now makes sense why Myrtle was so displeased with finding out that Wilson borrowed a suit, because she thought he was a "gentlemen" so wealthy (which is what she was truly after).

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(Question 1) Culture and geographic location are intertwined because of their common determinants. The most prominent of these determining factors are race and economic status, which often place people in certain separate areas of a city or town because of a combination of various monetary and societal restrictions. These restrictions are illustrated through gentrification in Washington D.C. as examined by Washington Post's Marissa Lang, who states that "neighborhoods have seen overall population growth of 19 percent, and white population growth of a staggering 202 percent...low-income populations have dropped by as much as 57 percent." In this example, the District neighborhood created monetary and societal restrictions upon their previous, impoverished residents, after the seen increase of white residents. This grouping of people based upon race and economic status is harmful to the lower class, however it creates interesting and unique cultural lifestyles inspired by struggle and hardship, which are illustrated in many works of literature created in the past couple of centuries. Race and economic status are pertinent factors when examining geographic location and culture, and are why where one lives and how one lives are related to each other. (Aoife Arras)

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Question 3: Our perception of worthiness is affected by money and economic value due to societal expectations. In society we perceive money as success and being financially successful leads to happiness. Many know this statement is not always true. For example, there are celebrities who have committed suicide but have been very wealthy. In addition, in the text, Tom Buchanan is very wealthy which is another reason he thinks he is superior to others. He thinks due to his financial status he is allowed to be arrogant and controlling over his wife and mistress. (Abbie Shaver)

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3)our sense of self worth and perception of others is affected by money because money is what controls the amount of things you have. Since the dawn of time humans have only attempted to gain more and more things it is evident when myrtle wanted the dog and had tom by it for her. Because people only try to get more things it has rooted itself into culture that having more this means that you are better which makes having more money mean you are better. - Jason

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Shelby Anderson (Question 2): Myrtle and Daisy are both easily representative of where they live based on their personality, physical descriptions, and how they are perceived by other characters. Myrtle seems to be the near opposite of Daisy in her appearance and the places that they live shadow that idea as well. "She was in the middle thirties, and faintly stout, but she carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can."(Fitzgerald 28) Daisy, on the other hand, is described as light and kind. Myrtle is also perceived as somewhat trashy, less thoughtful, and not nearly as put together as a woman like Daisy. This directly correlates to where they live in that East Egg is far more put together and people are more attracted to this area. As stated by Quentin Brummet and Davin Reed, "Children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods, and some are more likely to attend and complete college." This could relate to Daisy in that she comes off more educated and she lives in a nicer area. Myrtle may be somewhat smart, but it was likely not from a formal education.

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Serena Loomba, question 2:

Daisy and Myrtle’s characters represent where they live based on their character descriptions, appearances, and social statuses. Daisy Buchanan was raised in a wealthy family and is described as a beautiful young woman. She is known to have a hypnotizing effect on men

Nick describes Daisy as the following, “I looked back at my cousin who began to ask me questions in her low, thrilling voice. It was the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down as if each speech is an arrangement of notes that will never be played again. Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth—but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget: a singing compulsion, a whispered ‘Listen,’ a promise that she had done gay, exciting things just a while since and that there were gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour,” (Fitzgerald 12). Daisy represents her area, East Egg because she symbolizes wealth, “old money”, beauty, excellence, and riches.

Myrtle provides a contrast to Daisy because she is unconventional, wild, vibrant, and brash. She is described as, “She was in the middle thirties, and faintly stout, but she carried her surplus flesh sensuously as some women can. Her face, above a spotted dress of dark blue crepe-de-chine, contained no facet or gleam of beauty but there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smoldering, “ (Fitzgerald 28). Myrtle represents the Valley of Ashes because she comes from poverty and has remained in it, due to the low status of who she married, she is working-class, and she is unrefined.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, gentrification can have an impact on how people are raised; the opportunities they receive impact their education and ultimately their income and well being (Brummet and Reed).

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Question 2 - CeCe Cannell - Daisy lives in am extremely wealthy area and has had everything in her life handed to her. She did not have to work hard for her money because it came from her husband. She experiences the high life without having to work for it. Myrtle lives in the Valley of Ashes where everybody is struggling to make enough money to feed their family. She is even abused by her overworking husband and she seeks a more exciting and rich life. This explains why Myrtle is more wild than Daisy; she doesn't have anything to lose and she will do anything to have the life that Daisy lives. Daisy is conflicted because she adores the lifestyle she experiences with her husband, but she knows deep down that she isn't truly happy being with him. Regardless, she does as he says and acts passive towards him. They are representative of where they live because Myrtle wants more in life and will do anything to have a rich lifestyle, much like many of the people living in her area. Daisy is proper and quiet, because that is the way she was raised in her rich area. Nick describes Daisy as though she yearns for more in life. "Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth—but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget: a singing compulsion," (Fitzgerald, 11). This connects to the article because Daisy is privileged coming from a rich background whereas Myrtle came from a poor background.

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- Claire Gillaspie When people grow up in one cultural environment, that environment subconsciously and intentionally makes up a large part of their identity. It's hard to live in one place for a long time and not be influenced at all by the culture. This, I think, in part explains why certain ethnicities, religions, etc. can be found in concentrated groups throughout the US, causing certain locations to be associated with specific cultures (ie. Mormons concentrated in Utah). In the Great Gatsby, a clear connection can be drawn between the valley of ashes and the people living there. Nick describes the scene as, "A valley of ashes- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat...the ash-grey men swarm up...and stir up an impenetrable cloud" (Fitzgerald 29) Clearly the people who moved here to work in factories have been severely impacted by the environment.

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Question #3 by Esteban Vizcaino: The reason why our self-worth and perception of others is affected by economic value is that every human on the most basic level has a desire to feel important. This importance is derived from the fact that human societies will always culminate in a hierarchy. Now in western society, the hierarchy has been established on the basis of wealth. One's position in the hierarchy can determine both their own self-worth and more importantly their perceived worth. Furthermore, the connection between wealth and stats in the hierarchy and position in the hierarchy to perceived worth, one can conclude there is a relationship between wealth and perceived-worth. In the case of the novel, Myrtle ties her self-worth to the economic power of her partners. She feels worthless when she is with her poor husband because her position in the wealth-based hierarchy is so low. This dramatically changes when she is with Tom because she feels higher up on the social-economic latter. This new position changes her views over herself and on others which she now considers below herself. This change is perception then has ramifications in her actions and personality. The vanity and longing for a sense of importance is a fundamental aspect of human character. This basic desire is so important that it is one of the most basic principles outlined in the award-winning book, "How to with friends and Influence people".

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Question 2-Marya Brice: Myrtle is more of a simple woman, bred to be tough, not to be pretty, but to work. She speaks her mind and is honest, much like the harsh land of The Valley of Ashes. “This is a valley of ashes a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat…” (26). While the valley is desolate, it is more of an honest representation of the United States, as well as most working-class people in it at that time. Meanwhile, Daisy is an upper-class woman who has been brought up t obe a lady, have manners. However, she is living a lie, mostly that she knows that her husband is cheating on her, but continues to act as if they are a happy couple. This is much more like the West Egg, where there are lavish parties and the upper-class live. However, this idea of wealth and power is a lie and derives from places such as The Valley of Ashes, just as Myrtle does.

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Treidan Reardon - Question 3: Many economies today are competitive, pitting companies against each other in an attempt to stay in business and for many higher-ups in companies, become a part of the 1%. Lots of people try to make money and become rich because having a hefty amount of money is seen as a success in society. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick is a bondman from Minnesota that lives in a small affordable house. He interacts with some of the 1% as he is neighbors with Gatsby and his second cousin is married to Tom Buchanan, a respected man of wealth. While talking with Tom, Gatsby observes him and in his inner monologue, determines his worth based on his character instead of on his money. Most peoples' self-worth is determined by the amount of money they've acquired or the lavish objects that they've bought with it and this is due to a change in our capitalist society where acquiring money and things of value is the main way to determine ones' worth.

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3. I think that people's self-worth and perception of others' worth is changed by the amount of money someone may have because it is common to think of money as a way to create happiness due to the fact that money can buy objects and give opportunities. I also think that when it comes to others' worth, when you have more than that person, you may feel like you're better than that person in a way. In the articles it says how people who live in nicer, more wealthy places have more opportunities which could make them in better situations than people with less money. This could make them feel like they are worth more than others. (Kelby Wood)

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3. Having a higher social status and being wealthy has been associated with having more worth and a better sense if self in the past. People have always competed to be the best and richest, but in reality the pay off of those labels don't increase the worth of someone. Social status and money has no effect on whether a person is good, bad, or worthy and unworthy. The articles describe how people with less money in low-income residence areas struggle with being removed from their homes due to gentrification, but this doesn't change how worthy the person is. Someone in a low-income neighborhood that is facing removal from their homes could feel less worthy of things than wealthier people do because they aren't facing the same problem. Gentrification should not have the ability to remove people from their homes and neighborhoods, and people should not degrade others or personally feel less worthy because of it. -Sophie Davis

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3. Wealth often can often lead those with it to feel mighty, powerful, and regard themselves extremely highly. This has a tremendous impact on those who do not have the same financial means, and often creates toxicity and a social preference towards those with money. However, the effects that this has on the less fortunate is not to be disregarded. Seeing very wealthy individuals flaunting their earnings unnecessarily can truly be demeaning and create feelings of hopelessness and lack of self-worth. Additionally, the low-earning population can be deemed not worthy of being a member of society or simply less of a human than those who are better off, leading to violence and turmoil in low-income areas. Those poorer individuals then feel less motivated to strive for what seems to be an unachievable goal, and end up stuck in the same economic situation. -Will Trout

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3.) Sense of self and self-worth is warped when looking at it from the angle of economic value. People compare themselves to others by their 'things.' When owning expensive objects in great supply, we equate money to happiness. The more money I have, the more things I can buy and fill my life up with and therefore I will be happy. The perception that being successful to gain much money is what everyone should want out of life has been taught and ingrained into society for centuries. In the Great Gatsby, Tom sees himself as being superior to everyone else because of his wealth; he can hit a woman, cheat on his wife, and disrespect a poor nice man just because he doesn't live the same life as he. -Nathalie

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Question 1- Who you grow up with and who you're surrounded by can shape you, it can define who you're and what kind of person you become. Daisy Buchanan grew up with what could be defined as the 1% of the early 1900s, she has all the advantages in life due to her high position on the social hierarchy. Buchanan grew up around rich in New York and lived in the neighborhoods that were clean and safe, this, in turn, gave her a leg up in life. Myrtle Wilson is almost the polar opposite of Daisy, shes poor and lives on the wrong side of the tracks. Ms.Wilson was also influenced by her upbringing and where she was raised, this shows within her character greatly. In the novel on page 30, Fitsgerald writes of the way the poor are viewed upon by the rich "Tom deferred that much to the sensibilities of those East Eggers who might be on the train". This quote, while subtle, shows how the class system really works. It show's the bias one could have if they see two people, a man, and a woman, in this case, comes from different backgrounds and neighborhoods and make judgments about said person. Andrew Vasiloff

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Question 3. Many people believe their value of life depends on their overall financial success and stability. Money and wealth is equated with power in today's day and age. In our society, money is the foundation of growth and without it, having access to basic needs such as a college education, housing, clothing, and overall status. Being wealthy for some means happiness for other. They say money can buy happiness, and people work towards that goal hoping to find something that can't be bought. In the Great Gatsby, we see this with Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle came from a low class life and hoped for more. She wanted more and cheated on her husband who at once was her happiness to get it. She hoped that Tom could give her access to wealth and power which she equated with her happiness. However, we see through Daisy Buchanan who had the complete opposite upbringing felt like money couldn't buy her happiness and it filled a void for love. Economic value can completely change the perspective people have towards others. My first impression of Myrtle was that she was a gold digger, however, in reality she just wanted something that others around her considered a necessity for self-worth. -Amiyah Davis

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Our sense of self-worth and the worth of others is based on economic wellbeing, as if you have elevated wealth it, therefore, increases your status and influence you are capable of having on the world. In the novel Daisy is very insecure with herself and rather than understanding her self worth as a human being, she undergoes Tom's abuse. Gentrification is also an example of how wealth can affect how people look at you and how you look at yourself. The gentrification of Washington D.C. pushed low-income families out of neighborhoods in which they were previously predominant. The fact that those with more money can completely change others lives, contributes to the fact that many rich individuals look at themselves above those less fortunate. Article 2 mentions the health benefits of growing up in richer neighborhoods. This makes it so some look down upon those with less money, as certain health issues and violence are more frequent in their neighborhoods. When lots of others are putting themselves above poorer individuals it must be hard for them to think otherwise - That in fact they are equal-.-Aaron Stackpole

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Question 3 - Macy Drumheller - Our sense of self-worth is affected by economic value because, generally, wealth is associated with success and power. Additionally, wealth often leads to more opportunities in life, including a higher education. Quentin Brummet states, "Children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods, and some are more likely to attend and complete college." As a result, others perceive those with money as more successful. The wealthy often think highly of themselves. This is represented by Tom in the Great Gatsby. Because he is rich, he has high-self worth. Thus,  he feels he can do anything he desires, including having an affair with Myrtle, while he is married to Daisy.

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Q3, Samantha Lange- Our sense of self worth is majorly affected by money, due to the fact our society circulates around money. If one has more money than another it's thought they are more put together, and can better fend for themselves. If one is making more money than another, most of the time that person has a college education, so then opinion that if one makes more money they are more successful and educated comes into play. " Children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity neighborhoods, and some are more likely to attend and complete college" (Brummet and Reed). In our society one is perceived based on their economic value because people believe the amount of money one makes/has shows the level of education and success in ones life.

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Errett Adams continued - If we have a lot of money, we see ourselves in a better light than if we do not have money. In the Great Gatsby, there are several economic statuses and self images we see. With Myrtle, we see her working day and night barely scrapping by living in their valley of the ashes, while the eggs particularly Gastby are thriving on their funds and appear to be living it up in high society. No doubt Gatsby's self worth is higher then Myrtles based on the amount of money he has.

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Errett Adams - Our sense of self worth is invaluable. Its our image of ourselves and we often limit ourselves or unleash ourselves based on our own sense of self worth. Money does appear to have a role in self worth both in the Great Gastby and in our own lives. I find this quite simple to explain, the size of your budget can determine the things you can or cannot afford to do. Having more money means having more you can afford to have or do like golf and vacations. Not having money means you are limited in the things you can afford to do.

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1: Adaire Burnsed I think where you come from and how you grow up has a big influence on the culture that sticks with you during your lifetime. Geographically speaking, there are broad associations that I make between regions and culture. This being said, where a person grows up does not completely determine what culture they portray, there are many more factors such as family, religion and personal beliefs. Location has a big impact on culture because to a certain extent, similar people group together and are able to share their culture with those around them. The Shaw neighborhood in DC is facing gentrification and struggling to hold on to its culture as the fabric of the community shifts around it. "Earlier this month, two neighborhood disputes revealed deep divisions in areas undergoing rapid demographic change. In one incident, a noise complaint briefly silenced the hallmark go-go music of an electronics store in Shaw" the community rallied around it and got the music turned back on, preserving the tradition (Lang). In The Great Gatsby, we see a similar correlation between culture and location. The Eggs are luxuriously fully of mansions and money, reflecting the party culture and extravagance of their residents and visitors. This is a stark contrast between the people stuck in the valley of ashes who are barely getting by in their gray world.

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Question 3- Charlotte Dagli: Our sense of self, self worth and perception of others' worth is affected by money because people often want to have opportunity and success for their future and their family's. Those who have a higher income are considered successful. Since wealth influences success of families, parents who are wealthy are more likely to influence there children and lead them to having success in their future. Living in a high-income neighborhood gives "children benefit from increased exposure to higher-opportunity..." (Brummet, Reed, US Census). As children in high-income neighborhoods grow up, the people who they see and are around influence their present and future actions as well as attitude towards their way of living.

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3- Rachel Field: The worth we give to ourselves and to others is influenced by monetary value because of a web of associations which has developed over the course of human society. When society first industrialized and people began taking jobs outside the home, those who moved to higher positions with higher wages were the most efficient workers- those with the most skill. As such, people began to associate talent and value with having more wealth, since wealth meant that one had the skills to make it in a tough world. As society has evolved from predominantly manufacturing jobs to more careers in fields like teaching, law, medicine, and business, this "more money=more talent" and "less money=less/no talent" mindset has remained. However, as these types of jobs' contributions are often not reflected by income, as their products are less tangible (such as education), those with value to society but little money to show for it are often wrongfully perceived as "unsuccessful" and of less worth to society. For example, teachers are often viewed as less "successful" than someone with a job that contributes less to society like a reality TV star simply because they are paid little while reality stars make millions. The term "net worth" reflects this flawed view of what determines success. This is observed in The Great Gatsby as well when observing Myrtle's attitudes towards her husband and Tom. Even though Myrtle's husband  likely contributes more to society than Tom, as he helps people by fixing cars and seems to be a kinder and more loyal person than Tom, Myrtle places little value on him due to his poverty and places high value on Tom due to his wealth.

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Q2: Samantha Strain - Myrtle and Daisy are both names after flowers, Daisy representing motherhood, purity, and innocence.Myrtle representing gods and love. When looking at their characters, we can see similarities between the characters and the flowers' meanings."The lawn started at the beach and ran toward the front door for a quarter of a mile, jumping over sun-dials and brick walks and burning gardens—finally when it reached the house drifting up the side in bright vines as though from the momentum of its run" (pg 9). Daisy's house is of innocence and purity because it is a house covered with plants and greenery with kids running around. In Myrtle's house, she has a godly approach caring more about the expensive furniture more than simplicity The living room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles" (pg 32).

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Question 3, Jack Giese: The value that we place on ourselves and others is affected by money because wealth allows for people to live in greater comfort, with greater luxury. As humans, we often conflate this increased standard of living with other virtues, such as success and happiness, even if that is not always the case. This can be seen in The Great Gatsby, as Myrtle is drawn to Tom and his wealth, perhaps seeing his wealth as a reflection of other virtues, even if her own, less-wealthy husband is arguably a much better person than Tom, as he is not cheating on his wife.

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Jillian Steinmetz, Question 3. Our sense of self worth is affected by economic value because it had been established in our lives that those with a greater amount of money have more status, happiness, and power than others. In The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan is a very rich and wealthy man who seems to do whatever he pleases because of his economic value. To Nick Carraway, Tom is how he perceives individuals with large sums of money which is stereotypical, but that is what Nick has established in his life. Rich people have more power therefore have more status.

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QUESTION 3 RESPONSE- Caley Hall: Our sense of self is defined by our economic status. When we are able to acquire more money, we are able to take care of ourselves and people who have less money worry about paying bills and keeping a simple job. They are not able to focus on their well-being. Someone who has high income can pass that down to their children to help them become more successful, having more opportunities come their way, and not have to worry as much. Gentrification is not good for people with low income. They are forced out of their home and condensed into one area. They do not have many choices of homes to live or areas to live in as much as someone with a high income. In the article by the Washington Post, they stated that "Several of these zones are east of the Anacostia River, in Wards 7 and 8, where poor areas appear to be getting poorer, researchers said. In neighborhoods such as Good Hope and parts of Greenway, low-income populations have grown by about 60 percent" (Washington Post). Eventually, these poor areas will not exist anymore, they will be forced out of their homes, leaving them wondering what they did wrong.

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Question 3 by Charlotte B.- Our sense self worth comes from how society views our economic worth. Society views people with less money as less valuable because they have less money to spend and stimulate the economy and therefore less worth-while. Self worth goes off of that because if society views us as trash why not view ourselves as that as well. Like the Washington Post states, "Most of the people pushed out of these economic hot spots are black and low income, according to the data. The number of District families headed by single mothers or those without a college degree also has declined." (Washington Post). Most people involved in Gentrification have no problem with these people being relocated because with them gone it might increase their property value and therefore their self worth as well.

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QUESTION 3 RESPONSE- Reanna Slater: I believe that economic status influences the way we view people because of the advantages of wealth. While there are many, having money generally means that one can have a high-scale education, as well as opportunities later in life. For example, in both articles an introduction of wealth to a population was beneficial because it allowed for a shift toward higher level education. This all leads to more opportunities in life, and potential for wealth later. Being wealthy usually leads to nice clothes and status. In the Great Gatsby, Gatsby's of leisure leaves many jealous. They view him as a high-roller, and cannot help but envy his possessions. They judge him based off of economic status. The biggest thing that wealth influences in my mind, is the level of immediate respect one is given.

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Asia Robinson 2: Daisy and Myrtle represent where they live by their personalities and how they live. Myrtle is an undeniably poor woman, or close to it. She represents the Valley of Ashes perfectly, wanting to be something that she probably will never be able to become. Myrtle believes that she’ll either become wealthy by some weird tinge of luck or by using someone, possibly Tom Buchanan, to aid in her rise to extreme wealth. Myrtle’s actions give her fake superiority, from buying things to how she treats people once she’s in a place she thinks she deserves because she’s too concerned with an appearance she really doesn’t have,  “She had changed...with grey upholstery,” (Fitzgerald, 30). She gets those magazines to look at the women believing that one day, it’ll be her face on there. Myrtle treats people differently once she gets the lavish lifestyle she wants even if it’s for just a couple of hours, “With the influence...into impressive hauteur” (Fitzgerald, 34). She’s so blinded by the want of wealth that she doesn’t realize that majority of the rich people that live in her state would treat her the way she would treat others. Myrtle was blinded by a future that won’t become hers she forgot what it was like to live in the real world. Daisy is egotistical, blinded by wealth, naive she represents where she lives exactly. She basically lives in the brighter, “happier place as compared to myrtle’s home, the Valley of Ashes where everything is gloomy and covered in ash from factories. Daisy’s egotistic way of speaking puts all eyes on her so that she stays the center of attention and never giving people room to talk unless it was her bulky husband, Tom Buchanan, interrupting her “We ought to plan...I hurt it’”(Fitzgerald, 14-15). Further aiding to the “all about me” complex she has.

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Q3: Our sense of self and perception of others is affected by how much money we have because people view themselves as above others when they have more money. Both articles, article 2 specifically, talk about how living in a high-income neighborhood can support mental and physical health in general and increase the success of the children that were raised there. This evidence supports the statement by suggesting that these wealthy people have more opportunities, therefore would view themselves as better than those without said opportunities. An example in The Great Gatsby is Tom Buchanan, who clearly views himself as above others in his life. He uses his physical and economic strength to intimidate and dominate Daisy and Myrtle. His view of himself is because of his wealth; he believes he is superior to his peers because of his lifestyle. Our perception of ourselves and others based on wealth is because of the fact that rich people have more opportunities and become more successful because of that. Therefore, they believe they are superior. -Allison Shuren

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Question 3: Marra Raichel Our sense of self and perception of others' worth is affected by economic value because people tend to compare themselves and what they have to other people. It is sad how often people base their own self-worth on how much money they have. The articles talk about how people who live in better areas also have an increase in benefits when it comes to life, so this piece of information may also contribute to why a person would compare themselves to their perception of someone else's life.

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3. I think our sense of self-worth is affected by money because we perceive money as equating to level of success and happiness. In our minds, those who have more money are more successful and happy. This perception may not necessarily be correct, but it's an idea that has been ingrained into society. In the novel, Tom Buchanan clearly thinks very highly of himself. He is arrogant and aggressive, and exerts domination over his wife and his mistress, Myrtle. His view of himself as superior is likely highly influenced by the fact that he is very wealthy. (Ruby Calhoun)

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Question 2: Daisy and Myrtle both have personalities directly effected by where they grew up. Daisy lives in a rich area full of millionaires and opportunity, while myrtle lives in an impoverished area.  QUENTIN BRUMMET's study speaks on how the wealth of an area that someone lives in can contribute to success. -- ZAC

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Myrtle and Daisy are both representative of their homes and the respective socioeconomic statuses associated with them through their demeanors and physical traits. Daisy is described as a dainty figure, both in physique and personality. Her voice was flattering and elegant, just like the grandiose town she lived in, it was like "a stirring warmth flowed from her, as if her heart was trying to come out to you concealed in one of those breathless, thrilling words," (Fitzgerald, 18). Just like her voice, her surroudings were elegant and breathtaking. They were beautiful in an untouchable and delicate way. However, Myrtle is beautiful in another way, non-conventional. She is hardworking and crude, like the working class and the city she lives in. Her life is more a dull murmur, nothing extravagant, which also reflects her abode. The "Valley of Ashes" where Myrtle resides "contained no facet or gleam of beauty, but there was an immediate perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smouldering," just like her (Fitzgerald, 27).  Both of these ladies are the physical representations of their towns, their homes. This is because, as the Census says, there are similarities between people who live in a certain area that impact to their personal characteristics and govern their choice of inhabitance. People in certain areas have similar education levels and financial backgrounds, and thus lead similar lives (Brummet, 9). Certain aspects of their personalities develop from such socioeconomic restrictions: their attitudes towards work and superficial indulgence, for example. While the Census focuses on how such concentrations of similar status people can make a neighborhood gentrifiable, it is important to recognize how the area reflects on the people and how the people reflect on the area, as well. West Egg and towns like it contain people like Daisy because people like Daisy live in West Egg and towns like it, and same for Myrtle in her respective city of Queens.

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3. Why is our sense of self, self-worth, and perception of others' worth affected by money or economic value? Use the texts (article(s) or novel) to support your answer.

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2. In looking at the comparison between Myrtle and Daisy, how are their characters representative of where they live? Fully explain and tie the text of Fitzgerald to the article by the Census (use MLA formatted in-text citations).

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1. What kinds of connection(s) can you draw between culture and geographical area(s)? Back up your answer with text from either article or novel, citing in MLA format (author's last name and page number, if appropriate).