Henry Fielding, the English novelist said, "Make money your god and it will plague you like the devil." This quote holds true to the novel, The Great Gatsby, because the characters experience the despondency due to wealth. Afflicted by emptiness, they hurt themselves and each other. It is evident that the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, felt that materialistic values led to a purposeless and unfulfilling life. The corruption of materialism is shown through the characters, Tom and Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. All of these self-seeking characters possess no morals or values. They lie and cheat, and feel no remorse. They base their achievements solely on wealth and power. The novel emphasizes their unsatisfactory and tedious lifestyles.

For instance, Daisy Buchanan, born and married into wealth, has no purpose in life. Not even her own daughter, Pammy, brings her motivation. She sees Pammy as merely a possession or...