Fitzgerald's View of the Rich in *The Great Gatsby*

          I think one of Fitzgerald's most revealing paragraphs into the minds of the rich comes early on in the novel.  On page three there is a paragraph in which Nick describes his decision to go into the bond business and go to the East.  This paragraph begins with Nicks explaining how much he looks like his great uncle, whom he has never seen except for a painting that hangs in his father's office.  He goes on to state that he graduated from "New Haven" just a quarter of a century after his father.  The most notable aspect of these statements  is how he establishes his blood-line and the relevance of ancestry.  Especially in the tradition of old money, carrying on ancestral values is very important.  It is only fitting that Nick would point out how alike he is in appearance to his uncle, and how he received the same education as his father from New Haven, which is actually Yale (but if you are a member of his class you would know that New Haven and Yale are apparently interchangeable terms).  This conveys a sense of entitlement which is further enhanced by his decision to go into the bond business.
          He informs the reader that everybody he knows is in the bond business so it could surely support one more single man.  In conferring with his family they all seem to agree after talking it over as if they were choosing a prep school.  It is apparent that this family believes if they think his career choice is a good idea than that is that and he will be successful.  However, their sense of entitlement is not what determines success in the real world.  Nick departs with unrealistic expectations that he will be out East permanently with his father's backing for the first year.  His initial seed out East is not planted by his own hand, but by his father's backing.  Already, he has began a career on somebody else's merit and he anticipates that his last name and breeding will guarantee him further success.
          This concept of entitlement based on breeding is also corroborated by Tom's dialogue on page thirteen.  He rants about the scientific studies about the Nordics (people like Tom and Nick) as the dominant race.  The dominant race's duty is to suppress other races or else control will be lost and civilization will go to hell.  Not only does their sense of entitlement stem from a family name and class standing, but also from racial backgrounds.  These are two attributes that they were born with, descended from, underscoring the preposterous concept that entitlement to success and power is inherent not earned.