F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby masterfully contrasts two distinct worlds through the eyes of its narrator, Nick Carraway: West Egg and East Egg. These fictional Long Island settings embody contrasting lifestyles and values, representing the newly rich and the established elite, respectively. Nick, positioned as an observer from the Midwest, provides a crucial lens through which we understand these societal divides. This exploration delves into how Nick compares East and West Egg, revealing Fitzgerald’s commentary on the American Dream, social class, and moral decay in the roaring twenties.
Nick’s initial descriptions clearly differentiate East Egg and West Egg. He establishes East Egg as the epitome of established wealth and aristocracy. Home to the Buchanans, East Egg exudes an aura of old money, privilege, and inherited status. Nick notes, “Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of the summer really begins on the evening I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans.” The term “white palaces” evokes images of grand, imposing estates, symbolizing generations of inherited wealth. In contrast, West Egg, where Nick and Gatsby reside, is portrayed as the domain of the “newly rich.” While also displaying opulence, West Egg lacks the historical pedigree and social assurance of East Egg. Nick describes West Egg as “less fashionable,” populated by those who have recently acquired their fortunes and are still striving for social acceptance. This distinction is crucial to understanding the social hierarchy Fitzgerald depicts.
Nick’s experiences in both Eggs further solidify his comparison. His visits to East Egg, particularly to the Buchanan mansion, expose him to a world of careless extravagance and moral bankruptcy masked by sophistication. Tom and Daisy Buchanan represent the entrenched elitism of East Egg, displaying a sense of entitlement and detachment from consequences. Their wealth insulates them from accountability, fostering a culture of superficiality and moral ambiguity. Nick witnesses their reckless behavior, infidelities, and casual cruelty, all within the opulent setting of their East Egg estate. For example, Tom’s blatant affair and Daisy’s shallow demeanor highlight the moral decay that Nick observes beneath the veneer of East Egg society.
Conversely, Nick’s life in West Egg, largely centered around Gatsby, presents a different facet of wealth and ambition. Gatsby’s extravagant parties, though seemingly mirroring East Egg’s lavishness, are imbued with a different purpose. Gatsby’s wealth is self-made, a testament to his relentless pursuit of the American Dream, albeit through questionable means. While West Egg may appear gaudy and less refined to East Egg’s inhabitants, it represents a more dynamic and aspirational world. Nick is initially drawn into Gatsby’s world, fascinated by his charisma and the spectacle of his parties. However, he also becomes aware of the underlying loneliness and desperation driving Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy and the past. Nick observes, “He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him.” This quote reveals Gatsby’s yearning and the ultimately futile nature of chasing an idealized past.
As the narrative progresses, Nick’s comparison of East and West Egg evolves from a simple observation of social differences to a moral judgment. He becomes increasingly disillusioned with the moral corruption he witnesses in East Egg, embodied by the Buchanans’ callous disregard for others. He recognizes the superficiality and emptiness at the heart of their privileged existence. In contrast, despite Gatsby’s flaws and illicit activities, Nick admires his capacity for dreaming and his unwavering devotion, however misguided. Nick reflects, “They’re a rotten crowd… You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.” This declaration to Gatsby underscores Nick’s ultimate moral distinction between the two Eggs. He finds a certain integrity in Gatsby’s flawed pursuit compared to the entrenched amorality of the East Egg elite.
In conclusion, Nick’s comparison of East and West Egg is not merely a geographical distinction but a profound commentary on American society in the 1920s. East Egg represents the entrenched, morally bankrupt aristocracy, while West Egg embodies the gaudy, striving, yet ultimately flawed pursuit of the American Dream. Through Nick’s evolving perspective, Fitzgerald critiques the social stratification and moral decay of the era, suggesting that true value lies not in inherited wealth or social status, but in genuine human connection and moral integrity, qualities he finds lacking in the glittering world of East Egg and ultimately present, in a tragically flawed way, in Gatsby of West Egg. Nick’s journey from observer to moral commentator is central to understanding Fitzgerald’s nuanced critique of the roaring twenties and the elusive nature of the American Dream.
