My essential question is "How can wealth be destructive?". This topic concerns the contrast between the rich and the poor, the different sources of wealth, and the negative impact of money,

In the article, "Why is the 'wealth gap' a bad thing?," John W. Schoen describes the unfair advantage that wealthy people have over impoverished people. Schoen states that the "wealthy generates access to those who make the rules," and "those rules can be written to further generate more wealth for the wealthy" (Schoen 10). These rules create an unequal labor force. With this said, wealthy companies choose higher class workers rather than lower class workers.

Wealth can come inheritance and family or hard work. Inherited wealth can come from generations of a family business. Although "unearned work is not a great work incentive, a legacy is usually created to gain wealth and power for the family. Unlike inherited wealth, wealth from hard work usually has several obstacles. Place of birth is one factor that also affects the work place. Another factor is education, which is dependent upon the families that can afford it.

The Valley of Ashes is a representation of the wealth gap because it differs from the lives of Daisy, Tom, Gatsby, and Nick. Between the East and West Egg, The Valley of Ashes is a "desolate area of land" that exemplifies the poor lifestyle of the lower class (Fitzgerald 23). Similar to Schoen's article, Fitzgerald uses The Valley of Ashes to represent the destruction of society caused by the rich's indulgence in a materialistic world.

One specific example of this aftermath is George Wilson. George Wilson, who lives in The Valley of Ashes, symbolizes the misfortune of the poor. His inability to satisfy his wife show how his hard work and determination cannot compare to the rich. Also, Myrtle's infidelity to her husband and her affair with Tom illustrate the advantage that the wealthy have over the poor.

Carolyn Gregoire's article, "How Money Changes The Way We Think And Behave," examines the impact of wealth and its negative effects. Although people seek out wealth and power and believe that the world "runs" on money, there are several elements that money cannot buy. Happiness and love are two priceless elements that cannot be achieved through wealth. Gregoire notes that "wealth makes hardly any difference to overall well-being and happiness" (Gregoire 19). Having "materialistic values" have also been connected to "lower relationship satisfaction" (Gregoire 19).

Jay Gatsby's ultimate goal was to 'win Daisy back,' but his plan to attract her only ended with his own demise. From Gregoire's information it is known that wealth cannot buy everything, especially love. Although Gatsby did achieve his goal of becoming wealthy and powerful, he did not achieve his dream of obtaining Daisy. Until his death, Gatsby was not able to achieve his dream with his wealth.

Unlike Gatsby's enormous amount of wealth, Myrtle Wilson is displeased with marriage and wants more from a relationship. Since she is a materialistic woman, Myrtle finds comfort in Tom because of his wealth and power. Her infidelity to her husband is from an unsatisfactory amount of money. To Myrtle, money does bring her happiness in a different way.

Wealth also affects a person's personality and studies have shown that the wealth show less empathy and compassion. Gregoire notes that a "lack of resources" creates "greater emotional intelligence," and an excessive amount of resources can lead to bad behavior. Exposure to money and other sources of wealth also causes people to lie more and behave immorally.

This immoral behavior and arrogant personality perfectly describes Tom Buchanan. As Gregoire explained, wealth deeply impacts character and behavior and Tom illustrates this effect in his actions. His affair with Myrtle represents his power and indifferent feeling toward his marriage. Fitzgerald also describes Tom having an "established dominance over his face" and having the "appearance of always leaning aggressively forward" (Fitzgerald 7). Overall, wealth is a major factor in personality and a person's lifestyle; however it can not buy everything.