“Money Cannot Buy You Happiness” - An Examination of Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart

Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart are two characters from different literary works that share a common struggle: the pursuit of happiness through wealth. In F.Scott Fitzgerald's “The Great Gatsby” and Edith Wharton's “The House of Mirth”, both characters are shown to be driven by their desire for material success, but ultimately find that money cannot buy happiness. This essay will explore the similarities and differences between Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart, and how their stories illustrate the idea that money cannot buy happiness.

Jay Gatsby is a self-made man who rose from humble beginnings to become a wealthy socialite in 1920s New York. He is the protagonist of “The Great Gatsby”, a novel that explores the excesses and moral decay of the Jazz Age. Gatsby's sole desire is to win back his former love, Daisy Buchanan, and he believes that his wealth and social status will help him achieve this goal. Gatsby throws lavish parties in the hopes of attracting Daisy's attention, and he spares no expense in his attempts to win her back.

Lily Bart, on the other hand, is a young socialite in turn-of-the-century New York. She is the protagonist of "The House of Mirth," a novel that explores the rigid social hierarchy and the constraints that women faced in the Gilded Age. Lily is beautiful and well-educated, but she lacks the financial means to maintain her social status. She is constantly searching for a wealthy husband to secure her future, but she also longs for true love and happiness.

Despite their different backgrounds and motivations, both Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart share a common belief that money can buy happiness. Gatsby believes that his wealth and status will win him the love of Daisy, while Lily believes that a wealthy husband will bring her security and happiness. However, both characters ultimately discover that their pursuit of wealth and status comes at a great cost, and they are left feeling empty and unfulfilled.

One of the key similarities between Gatsby and Lily is their obsession with appearances. Both characters place great importance on their social status and the way they are perceived by others. Gatsby throws extravagant parties to impress Daisy and other members of high society, while Lily spends her days shopping for expensive clothing and attending social events to maintain her image. However, despite their efforts to present themselves as successful and happy, both characters are plagued by a sense of loneliness and dissatisfaction.

In addition to their obsession with appearances, both Gatsby and Lily are also haunted by their pasts. Gatsby's entire persona is built around his desire to recreate a past relationship with Daisy that never really existed. He is obsessed with the idea of winning her back, and he believes that his wealth and status will allow him to do so. Similarly, Lily is haunted by the mistakes of her past, including a failed relationship with Lawrence Selden and a gambling debt that threatens to ruin her reputation. Both characters are unable to move on from their pasts, and they are trapped in a cycle of longing and regret.

Despite these similarities, there are also significant differences between Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart. One of the most notable differences is their social backgrounds. Gatsby is a self-made man who rose from poverty to become wealthy, while Lily is born into a privileged family but lacks the means to maintain her social status. Gatsby's wealth is a symbol of his success and his ability to achieve the American Dream, while Lily's lack of wealth is a source of shame and anxiety for her.

Another significant difference between Gatsby and Lily is their relationships with others. Gatsby is portrayed as a romantic hero who is willing to do anything for the woman he loves, even if it means sacrificing his own happiness.

Jay Gatsby and Lily Bart are two literary characters that exemplify the idea that money cannot buy happiness. Despite their immense wealth and status, both characters are ultimately unfulfilled and unhappy. They are consumed by their desire for wealth and status, which ultimately leads to their downfall. The tragic stories of Gatsby and Lily serve as a cautionary tale about the dangers of materialism and the importance of finding true happiness in life.