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The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald chronicles the vapid, materialistic lives of the upper class of Long Island during the booming times of the Jazz Age. The characters in the novel do not work, and live solely for the purpose of amassing their wealth, recklessly indulging themselves, and displaying their affluence. The excess of their lifestyle is shown through their enormous houses, their extravagant parties, and their indulgence in alcohol. Nothing in their daily …

…during the 1920?s. Almost a century later, America?s materialistic fascination with the automobile continues today. From urban high schools, to upper class suburbs, the type of car that people drive is thought to directly show their wealth and status. People may think that an expensive car demonstrates the success of the American Dream, but as we have seen in the novel, and in our culture today, the pursuit of material possessions cannot guarantee happiness.