English project by Kaitlin MacAllister

The Great Gatsby

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-14 15:25:17 UTC

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby, There are clear themes of wealth and the American Dream being depicted. Throughout the text we see how the time period of 1922 plays a role in daily life styles in society. Both main characters are very caught up in their social status. Gatsby was a millionaire who used his wealth to his advantage, often throwing large parties. The narrator, Nick Carraway, becomes obsessed with Gatsby and his lavish way of living.

Driving Question

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-14 15:25:42 UTC

How does a time period influence wealth and how it’s shown within individuals and a society?

Rich and Poor or, Saint and Sinner

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-14 15:29:58 UTC

While reading this poem I have learned about how Victorian styles of poetry, specifically in the nineteenth century, discuss wealth and how important it is. In the poem, Rich and Poor or, Saint and Sinner, the time period explains and criticises the moral suggestions of wealth and poverty and the significance it has onto a person. This poem is important to my project because it shows parallels between the idea that rich individuals are “saints” and the poor are viewed as a “sinner”. This is then further explained into how this can affect one’s social status in general places.

1930s High Society

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-14 15:34:42 UTC

While reading this article I learned about the Great Depression and how people of celebrity wealth status were unaffected and a lot did not care about the current economic situations around them. A lot of them were throwing parties while the higher wealth status was basically learning how to re-live due to loss of money and those of lower status were struggling even more. This article adds to my overall project because it gives insight to how wealth was affecting people’s ego and their moral understanding of a struggle for the community. It also added to the background for the Great Depression.

The Pursuit of Happiness

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-14 15:38:11 UTC

Although I did not watch the movie, The Pursuit of Happiness, from watching the trailer and reading summaries of the movie I have learned about how being homeless in the time period of 1981 was not very common, however individuals in that group often struggled. Some jobs were hiring which was a good thing for the main character, however these jobs did not give any pay or gave very little. This source is important for my overall work because it shows an individual’s struggles and life in a video format. Having this viewpoint is important because it sheds light on one’s story and how their lifestyle being less wealthy is different from one who is of middle or upper class.

For the Love of Money by The O'Jays

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 12:20:11 UTC

By listening to the song, For the Love of Money by The O'Jays, I have learned about how messages can be presented into songs very well with many connections. This poem exemplified the way that greed, specifically for wealth and money, can be very destructive to one’s life. The artist connected this message to a bible verse, creating a stronger meaning to the message about greed. This piece of information is important to my research because it was written in the 1970’s and in this time period wealth was a heavy status that many paid attention to. Having a popular song that counters the overwhelming want for money could have influenced individuals to realise that wealth could be negative at times.

Quotes

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 12:38:36 UTC

“The rich man’s sins are hidden, In the pomp of wealth and station”
“The rich man is invisible, In the crowd of his gay society; But the poor man’s delight, Is a sore in the sight”

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 12:40:15 UTC

“As the economy worsened many lost their fortunes, and some members of high society were forced to curb their extravagant lifestyles."

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 12:40:57 UTC

“The Ritz was another favored venue for extravagant celebrations. It hosted two of High Society’s most memorable coming out parties during the Great Depression … It was on the West Coast that even greater excesses were witnessed, at a time when most Americans could not afford to feed their family.”

Message

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 12:43:33 UTC

The main message is “If you believe you can do something and have a goal, stick to it and follow it through” - This connects to the American dream in the Great Gasby

Lyric

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 13:03:05 UTC

"Money is the root of all evil. Do funny things to some people. Give me a nickel, brother can you spare a dime? Money can drive some people out of their minds, got to have it, I really need it”

The Rich During the Great Depression

kmacallister2025_1 — 2025-05-15 18:10:03 UTC

This image taken during the time period of the Great Depression has taught me about how social status in different time periods was signified. This image is of a woman getting the door held open for her during the Great Depression. This image is essential to answering my rising question because the woman having the door held open signified higher status throughout the town during a hard time for the economy and was meant for individuals to look up to them or have a want to be like the wealthy. This is a positive for the wealthy because they are socially befitting and a negative for the non-wealthy because they are being held up to higher standards by those around them.