Money Can't Buy Me Love: Contrasting Extravagance and Happiness
The key to eternal youth is simple: money. Whether inherited or earned, wealth can effectively extend one's longevity like nothing else. With money, one can live larger (have bigger homes, more expensive "toys"), party harder (ability to afford vast amounts of narcotics), and even extend one's lifetime (access to medical care and cosmetic surgery). The carefree superficiality of youth is also extended. With endless resources and no rules, nothing needs to be taken seriously. However, if everything is a joke, then nothing is funny. Happiness can be hard to find amongst all of the material possessions wealth brings. R&B artist Frank Ocean poignantly points out this hard truth with his song "Super Rich Kids." It is a powerful story of affluent young adults struggling to find real connections in an artificial world, much like the lives of those at the top of the social pyramid in The Great Gatsby.
Are these well dressed girls truly enjoying themselves?
Our story begins with the opening line of the first verse, with Frank as our narrator:
"Start my day up on the roof,
There's nothing like this type of view"
The "roof" in this scenario is Frank's penthouse apartment, the first of many images of his well-to-do lifestyle. In this context, the roof does not only embody his economic prosperity, but also his status at the top of the social hierarchy. By being born into a wealthy family, he has obtained a name to go with his riches, solidifying his ability to live freely. His "view" from his apartment lets him look on at those less fortunate than him if he wishes, all while residing safely above any real hardship. This elevated imagery parallels the introduction of Daisy and Jordan, in which they appear to be "buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon" (8). These women too are floating through life, "rippling and fluttering" about the social pyramid yet always safely secured at the top (8).
Nice clothes and nice cars: the epitome of the high social class.
Ocean also comments profusely on the superficiality of the wealthy, something the Roaring '20s is notoriously known for. F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby, describes America during this era as a time when "the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser and the liquor was cheaper." Though set in the present day, Ocean's lyrics echo this period, particularly in the hook:
"Too many bottles of this wine we can't pronounce"
Here the lack of sophistication parallels that of the wealthy guests commonly featured at Gatsby's parties. Ocean's inability to pronounce the name of the wine shows a lack of sophistication as well as extreme intoxication. He has more than he needs of something he mentally can't comprehend. This too rings true of those at the party, where the atmosphere is full of "casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot, and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other's names" (40). All of this frivolousness is expected among the demographic that Ocean describes: the young, high-school/college crowd. In Gatsby's world, though, this shallow lifestyle is one that every adult pines for and only an elite few achieve, signifying this sort of eternal youth money brings about.
An extravagant scene of a superficial Gatsby party.
However, there is a major drawback to this seemingly perfect lifestyle. Ocean first hints at it in the hook with the statement, "parents ain't around enough," implying a lack of stable love and care. The idea is outrightly stated by the bridge, which repeats the same line over and over as if it were a mantra:
"Real love, I'm searching for a real love
Real love, I'm searching for a real love"
His world has become so fake that he longs for a real human connection, one of the few things money can't buy. The Gatsby equivalent of this search is embodied in the character of Daisy, for her many searches for love have left her "pretty cynical," in her own words (16). Her old wealth upbringing has given her a carefree existence in which she's never had to work a day in her life, but it has left her empty of feeling anything fully. She has had many love affairs throughout her life, including two with Gatsby, but she is still never satisfied. Perhaps the most vivid image of her instability is the scene in which Jordan finds her before her bridal dinner to Tom in bed, drunk, rejecting the three hundred and fifty thousand dollar pearls he had given her. She sits there and talks to Jordan like a child:
"'Here, deares,' She groped around in the waste-basket she had with her on the bed and pulled out a string of pearls. 'Take em downstairs and give 'em back to whoever they belong to. Tell 'em Daisy's change' her mine'"(76).
This moment marks the only time in the novel when Daisy acts in a non-collected manner. Her rejection of the pearls is a rejection of the wealthy lifestyle that has trapped her. She eventually returns to it, but her drunken act of rebellion is a tell-tale sign. Her true emotional turmoil finally comes to the surface, and her juvenile behavior signifies that beneath the wealth, the upbringing, the name, and the status, Daisy is still a scared little girl. As Ocean so expertly phrases, she's a "super rich kid with nothing but loose ends, super rich kid with nothing but fake friends."
Our story ends with a return to the beginning:
"We end our day up on the roof
I say I'll jump, I never do"
No matter what troubles were faced, by the end of the day, Ocean and his friends are still at the top of the social/economic hierarchy. He says he'll "jump," meaning he'll leave his pedestal of wealth and search for something meaningful, but he knows he'll never leave the security his superficiality provides him. This rings true of Daisy at the end of the novel, and how she is capable of just moving on after the deaths of Myrtle and Gatsby. She can afford to be careless, and nothing truly painful can ever reach her. However, she can never be truly happy. It is a sad existence at the top, having everything you can imagine except what really matters. As the song fades out, Ocean repeats his mantra from before, signifying a dying dream:
"Real love, ain't that something rare
I'm searching for a real love, talkin bout real love
Real love, yeah."
Sources Not Linked:
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.
Pride and Prejudice is a book that obviously reflects the Old World that Gatsby pursued. The story was based on 19th century Britain when traditional aristocracy was greatly celebrated. The social milieu was class divisions between nobility and commoners, which one’s family connections and career affected one’s status. P&P talks about the middle-class Bennet family which have five unmarried daughters. Mrs. Bennet is anxious on their marriages and urges them to marry rich men. Her wish comes true when two of the main characters, her daughters Jane and Elizabeth marry two young gentlemen, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, although people around，especially their powerful relatives strongly protest on breaking the underlying social rules：nobles shouldn’t degrade themselves, which means they need to marry people from the same class.
The Bennet family
The Great Gatsby and P&P have some common themes, which most significant are the role of class and materialism. Meanwhile, these two elements are also factors that affect the main characters’ consideration for their marriages. For example, Elizabeth in P&P afraid of being gossiped by others of marrying a higher class; Daisy in the Great Gatsby married Tom just because he is relatively affluent. This shows the importance of keeping sublime status of nobility by avoiding intermarriage with commoners and having a comfortable life with abundant wealth in the past.
Under the feudal hierarchy, the British society was ruled by wealth and power. People strived to attach to the dignitaries to gain more benefits. Mrs Bennet is interested in letting one of her daughters to marry Mr. Bingley just because she heard he is wealthy. She knows nothing about his characters.
``What is his name?''
``Bingley.''
Mr Bingley in the movie(Simon Woods as Mr Bingley)
``Is he married or single?''
``Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!''
``How so? how can it affect them?''``My dear Mr. Bennet,'' replied his wife, ``how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.'' (p.6,P&P)This shows Mrs.Bennet is actually wanting her girls to marry to money. Mrs.Bennet wants her children to improve their social status or just to give others the impressive that they are from the high society. Also, the Bennet’s estate is entailed, which means her daughters will have nothing when Mr.Bennet dies.
In order to meet Mr. Bingley, they went to the Netherfield Ball. It is a social event that both nobilities and middle class participated. Mrs.Bennet forced her daughters to participate to meet gentlemen. It is an only way for women to speak to men they want to know in the conservative society.
the Netherfield Ball
“The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, and she had been distinguished by his sisters. Jane was as much gratified by this as her mother could be, though in a quieter way. Elizabeth felt Jane's pleasure.“(p.13,P&P) Mrs. Bennet is happy that Jane is admired by Mr.Bingley who is well-off because she thinks Mr.Bingley is possibly going to marry Jane such that Mrs.Bennet relieves on Jane’s life. A good marriage can decide a woman‘s life. Whether it will be prosperous or suffering depends on their husbands as women rarely work at that time.
In the Great Gatsby, the vogue of marrying to the wealth exists too. Daisy’s marriage is a perfect example. She is reluctant to marry Tom. Tom acts as her safe path to keep her honor and quality of life because he is rich.
“She began to cry – she cried and cried. I rushed out and found her mother’s maid, and we locked the door and got her into a cold bath. She wouldn’t let go of the letter. She took it into the tub with her and squeezed it up into a wet ball, and only let me leave it in the soap-dish when she saw that it was coming to pieces like snow. “(p.76 GB) She is drunk because she is unhappy and confused. She reveals herself on indecision on the wedding day when she sees the letter from poor Gatsby. She is still in love with Gatsby. Her heart is separated into two parts: a part tempting her to follow her strong feeling to Gatsby, another part urging her to be realistic by marrying Tom to keep superior social and financial status. At last she chose the later action. This reflects that Daisy is in love with money more than Gatsby.
Gatsby and Daisy in the movie(obert Redford as Jay Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan.)
While Daisy gives up Gatsby due to his poverty, even when Gatsby becomes very wealthy, he is still being disdained.
"I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out […] Nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next they’ll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.”(p.130 GB) It is so sarcastic when Tom looks down upon Gatsby because of his impoverishment and class, not of having a relationship with his wife. This indicates that he cares more his high status than his wife. Daisy is just a complement and a performance tool in his rich life. Wealthy people get the most beautiful and ascendent women. He also describes discriminately the difference of classes as the difference between races, which demonstrates the solid concept of aristocracy dominance in the wealthy world. Gatsby’s new money earned from the New World is regarded as nothing. He gains no reputation or power, such that he is called Mr.Nobody.
While GB and P&P have common themes, their settings were completely different. GB is based on the US just after the Progressive Era and post WWI. There was a crash between conventional feudalism and the rising of newly rich people who are motivated by the American dream. People strived to improve their lives by creating possibilities through hardship and fortune. They had more financial freedom, i.e. earning money from the stock market and buying on credit. Pre-war values like hypocrisy and utilitarianism were overlooked. On the other hand, P&P is based on the old feudal society. There was clear class gradation. People from the lower class could hardly climb the social ladder. This formed a vicious cycle of poverty for the large population of the poor. One’s Social status depended on the number of lands one had. The King granted lands to the nobles and then the nobles hired the serfs to plant on the lands.
Over time the stereotypical "American Dream" has morphed, taking various forms through out the course of American history. Today the Dream has taken the shape of the various Hollywood actors and actresses, the multi-millionaire sports stars, and billionaire business tycoons, all following the motto that "bigger is better" in America. (This is especially evident in Texas, as EVERYTHING has to be bigger in Texas). Is this the real American Dream though? Kids idolize these "rockstars" in every sense of the word, and people will do anything to garner even a miniscule chance at attaining this exclusive lifestyle. Ironically, this is not the "American Dream" of some of the biggest rock stars of the 1990's and 2000's: Nickelback.
Perhaps Nickelback's most famous song, Rockstar, describes the yearning of someone who is desperate to become a stereotypical "rockstar," or what Chad Kroeger, Nickelback's lead singer, considers to be the present American Dream. The song begins with the verse:
"I'm through with standing in line To clubs we'll never get in It's like the bottom of the ninth And I'm never gonna win This life hasn't turned out Quite the way I want it to be"
The first two lines suggest that being a "rockstar" includes access to a private social class, much like "old wealth" in The Great Gatsby. These lines establish a sense of exclusiveness, something that makes being a rockstar much more appealing, similarly to Gatsby's excitement that Daisy has been with other men. By suggesting that the typical American has given up on the dream through the lines "it's like the bottom of the ninth and I'm never gonna win, life hasnt turned out quite the way I want it to be," Kroeger is intimating that the general population has lost the drive to work for greatness, and now the American Dream is for celebrity status to be handed out as if on a gilded platter. The lack of work to attain the American Dream could be compared to the Buchanans in The Great Gatsby, who have never worked a day in their life, but lived off of family money, as both pieces criticize this common misconception of the American Dream.
The second verse begins with Billy Gibbons speaking the words "Tell me what you want," after which the song goes on to describe what the stereotypical life of a Rockstar has become: an infatuation with physical goods that ostentatiously display one's wealth.
"I want a brand new house On an episode of Cribs And a bathroom I can play baseball in And a king size tub big enough For ten plus me"
Kroeger soon begins singing about what the typical American Dream has become, describing it as infatuation with showy, unnecessary material goods. The line "I want a brand new house on an episode of Cribs." suggests that wealth is now represented through the size or splendor of one's house, similar to Gatsby's house in The Great Gatsby.In both Rockstar and The Great Gatsby, the supercilious, strident houses appear to be conspicuous on purpose, in a blatant attempt to make the owners feel that they are living the "American Dream."
"The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard — it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool." (Fitzgerald, 5)
Even the Buchanan's house, in a much more natural and subtle manner, draws attention to itself, through its stunning shrubbery, and colonial facade.
Gibbons then continues to speak "tell me what you need," suggesting once again that the American Dream is now simply being given out, instead of achieved through hard work and talent, a direct contradiction of the original American Dream. Later in the hit, Kroeger answers:
"I want a new tour bus full of old guitars My own star on Hollywood Boulevard Somewhere between Cher and James Dean is fine for me"
The verse answering Gibbons' question claims that Hollywood is the American Dream, something that we see paralleled in The Great Gatsby. The "new tour bus" suggests that the aspiring rockstar needs the newest and best car, which represents not only one's wealth but their social mobility as well. The irony of having the bus filled with "old guitars" suggests that the rising generation of rockstars, very much the same as the "new wealth" in the Gatsby, is attempting to immitate the great rockstars of history, or the "old wealth." The reference to Hollywood creates the illusion that the American Dream culminates in Hollywood stardom, between two legends. (I think they may have the wrong Dean, but i'm not sure...)
Perhaps one of the most telling verses of the rock ballad is after Billy Gibbons asks how the rising rockstar intends to achieve this stardom, the American Dream.
"I'm gonna trade this life for fortune and fame I'd even cut my hair and change my name"
These lines epitomize Kroeger's opinion of the mutated American Dream, in which he suggests a desperation has become prevalent. Kroeger feels that the willingness to trade ones life is a sign of laziness, and a signal that the American Dream is no longer viewed as a product of hard work, a direct contradiction to the original American Dream. By cutting their hair and changing their name, the rising artists are not achieving the American Dream, but simply creating a facade that they have fallen in love with. The wan effort, peaking in the willingness to cut hair and change names, as opposed to the hours of practice that created the original rockstars, is distasteful to Kroeger, as he feels this is the polar opposite of what the American Dream should be.
During the chorus, Chad Kroeger returns to mocking the concept that has been conjured, suggesting that those trying to achieve stardom believe all it takes is material goods.
"And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap We'll all stay skinny 'cause we just won't eat And we'll hang out in the coolest bars In the VIP with the movie stars Every good gold digger's Gonna wind up there Every Playboy bunny With her bleach blond hair"
Kroeger's excellent use of symbolism and imagery pervade the chorus, and serve as a satire of what truly creates the dream. The current theory that "hilltop houses" and "fifteen cars" create stardom supports Kroeger's thesis that material goods now create a false American Dream. This theory seems to have been prevalent for almost a century now, as Gatsby also abides by this wayward theory, as depicted by his flashy rolls-royce, and extravagent home.
Kroeger continues by alluding to the misconception that partying with "movie stars" and beautiful women also bring stardom, something that is ultimately false, and also seen throughout The Great Gatsby.
I wanna be great like Elvis without the tassels Hire eight body guards that love to beat up assholes
The artist references Elvis to keep in sight the ultimate goal of the aspiring stars, yet claims that they don't want the "tassels" which Kroeger uses as a symbol for the work and practice that is required to reach stardom. This work seems boring and tedious to the dreamer, and they would rather skip straight to "kingship". Nickelback also references superior power, something that gives off an air of importance, yet suggests that the dreamer will leave this "dirty work" to those he hires, much like Gatsby's servants take care of his house, and tom's hulking physical manner.
Nickelback continues to follow the theme of those creating a false appearance of stardom as an easy way to the top, suggesting that they will "dress (their) ass with the latest fashion." By suggesting that these hopefuls will simply follow the fashion of others shows that they are simply attempting to become stars the "cheap" way, and attempting to garner the facade of a star, much as Gatsby tries to garner the facade of wealth with his shirts. Gatsby is not the only culprit of this crime however, as Tom Buchanan's rakish riding clothes provide an elegant connotation, and support Tom's "elite" appearance.
"Everybody's got a drug dealer on speed dial" "Gonna pop my pills from a pez dispenser"
Yet another common theme that relates to the American Dream, and is extemely prevalent today in society, is the connection of crime with the American Dream. This theme suggests that the American Dream has become corrupted, as many people will do whatever it takes, such as crime, to reach their Dream. As this course to the top has become popular, criminals have begun to recieve "celebrity status," and many rap songs contain references to drugs. Nickelback too references this theme, suggesting that many aspiring stars will use drugs as a boost to stardom, even though it creates a corrupt sense of the American Dream. With the use of a metaphor, Kroeger suggests that this has become such a common path that drugs are now taking the place of candy. The theme of criminality is blatantly present in The Great Gatsby, as it provides Gatsby the mode of transportation through the social class hierarchy, as he smuggles alcohol.
Remarkably, the very same themes that Nickelback create in their satire of the American Dream pervade The Great Gatsby, such as material wealth, exclusiveness, lack of personal ambition, laziness, and crime. Nickelback's song describes, in their opinion, what the American Dream has come to symbolize today, much the same way that Fitzgerald attempts to satirize the American Dream through The Great Gatsby. Nickelback criticizes the rising wave of rockstars, and their version of the American Dream, much as the old wealth criticize the new wealth throughout the novel, especially for their atttraction to material wealth. For example, Fitzgerald brings specific attention to Gatsby's ostentatious house, suggesting that his supercilious attitude about it stems from his theory that having a large and decorative house makes one appear rich, and is a crucial part of the American Dream.
This trend does not rest soley upon houses, but continues to other material goods, that both authors suggest have been wrongly embraced as a key aspect of the American Dream. Clothing, such as Gatsby's shirts, serve as yet another symbol of social class, and can be seen both in the song and the novel. The idea of clothes conrtibuting to the American Dream is prominent because of the ability of clothes to create a "rockstar," or wealthy, facade, something that the New Wealthy consider a pillar of the American Dream. Cars in particular are a vivid symbold of the American Dream, not only representing another entity in which wealthy are able to express extraneous wealth, but also are able to represent mobility among the social classes. In the song, cars are referenced twice, once as a sign of luxury and status, and the other as a means of transportation through social classes. This is parallelled in the novel, as Gatsby's car allows him to show off his unearthly amount of wealth, as well as creating the appearance of rising to the highest social class. The Valley of Ashes, through which Nick passes on his way to the city, suggest that one can simply pass through this lower level of society with a car. This is seen again when Nick notes a memory in New York City, in which he recalls three African American men being driven in a limousine by a white chauffeur.
The act of the African Americans being driven suggests they have transcended to a higher social class, and now created a "haughty rivalry" with Nick and Gatsby.
Part of every American Dream involves some sort of spouse, either a husband or wife, or an attractive woman. This constant theme of the American Dream is depicted both through Daisy and Jordan in The Great Gatsby, but through the "Playboy Bunnies" and the Playboy mansion in the song. Nickelback suggests that these women become a symbol of wealth, which is a significant aspect of the American Dream, according to The Great Gatsby and Kroeger. The same could be suggested about Daisy and Jordan, as both come to represent the American Dream and wealth through out the entirety of The Great Gatsby.
Daisy soon represents Gatsby's aspirations of wealth and elite social status, while her voice is described as "full of money" by Gatsby on page 120. The idea that women represent the American Dream not only for Gatsby, but also for Nick and Tom, as all three struggle to retain the attention and affection of women. Gatsby in particular feels that his dream cannot be fully attained without Daisy, suggesting that women are the American Dream. A parallelism can be seen between the "Playboy Bunnies" and Daisy, as both represent the American Dream and money, one as a symbol of wealth to the two men she is in love with, and the others as associates of fame and a business.
A theme considered throughout the novel and song is that of crime, and how the American society has come to "popularize" crime and drugs. Similar to Nickelback suggesting that drugs are an integral component of the current American Dream, Tom revelas that bootlegging is the foundation of Gastby's. Gatsby has transcended social class through the abuse of crime, making his immense fortunes from providing alcohol, a drink that is established as a favorite of the wealthy throughout the novel. The fact that Gatsby has arisen through this illegal practice, and, in his opinion, never reaches his ultimate dream, suggests that crime creates a "corrupt" version of the American Dream, something that is restated by Kroeger through "Rockstar."
A final stirring connection is the desire for popularity, expressed by both of those trying to attain the American Dream, in the novel and song alike. In the song, Kroeger satirizes the idea that stardom can be achieved simply by injecting youself among other rich or famous people, such as the Playboy Bunnies, Elvis Pressly, Cher, or the "VIP's" or "movie stars." This concept is likened to Gatsby's attempt to popularize himself through his extravagent parties.
Both works of art are satirical of the American Dream, with both suggesting that the flawed concept of material wealth, women, and popularity have all come to represent the American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is suggested to be "old wealth," something that is inattainable through one generation. Rockstar, however, suggests that the American Dream is fame, stardom, and wealth. The satirical effect of both works focus upon the flawed materialistic view, which contradicts the original American Dream of achieving prosperity through hard work.
When the unsinkable “Ship of Dreams”, Titanic, hit an iceberg on April 14, 1912, during her maiden voyage, roughly 1500 people perished in the icy waters of the Atlantic. This great maritime disaster has been immortalized in popular culture through James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanicstarring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. In addition to being a touching love story, the movie delves into the reality of social class boundaries in the early twentieth century, that the social strata into which a person is born defines their life, and even death. Among the first class, people are not permitted the freedom to marry for love or befriend inferiors because of the necessity to maintain the money and titles in the hands of the aristocrats; their lives become void of surprise and emotion. The people who attempt to transcend the borders of class, the “new money” passengers, still face condescension from those of “old wealth”, even though they possess the same monetary status because they are seen as “infected” by their poor past. Despite all of the passengers being “in the same boat” as the ship plunges into the depths, their socioeconomic roles decide their fates because those holding first class tickets have priority of survival over the people in the second and third class.
The protagonist, Rose DeWitt Bukater, is an upper class, seventeen-year-old girl whose betrothal to thirty-year-old Cal Hockley was arranged by her mother so as to maintain her wealth after her father left them greatly in debt. Near the beginning of the film, Rose attempts to commit suicide by jumping off of the stern of the ship because she sees no other way out of her societal prison–her strictly regimented life in which she has no control or freedom. The elder Rose, who narrates the story to treasure hunters in the modern day, describes her dilemma:
“I saw my whole life as if I'd already lived it. An endless parade of parties and cotillions, yachts and polo matches. Always the same narrow people, the same mindless chatter. I felt like I was standing at a great precipice, with no one to pull me back, no one who cared... or even noticed.”
Despite having the greatest privileges, Rose is trapped by her status because the thrill of all of the activities which she attends is blocked by the deliberate lack of emotion in all of the gatherings. She calls her acquaintances “narrow” and “mindless,” showing that, to them, the world is a playground, and none of the world’s problems strike them with initiative. She feels that the upper class is a cold place where people do not care about anyone besides themselves, money, and the family name. One of the major decisions in her life, her husband, was made for her, demonstrating that in her world, people’s fates are determined whether they like them or not. To take control of her own fate, Rose nearly dives into the Atlantic, but a young third class passenger, Jack Dawson, persuades her to climb back onto the ship. Over the course of the movie, Jack teaches Rose how to go about life looking forward to new, exciting things, living from day to day.
This spontaneity intrigues her, but Rose is constantly wavering on her connection to him because her mother looks down upon Jack, persisting in advocating on behalf of Cal. She finally decides to abandon her place in the upper class world in pursuit of love, reclaiming her freedom and breaking away from the social class pyramid.
Outside of Jack and Rose's love story across the social hierarchy, the "Unsinkable" Molly Brown faces discrimination from the other first class ladies because she is "new money." Instead of welcoming her into their high society, they look down upon her. When she tries to join them for tea, they see her coming and leave the room. Her last name, "brown", is a common surname with no particular associations to royalty or wealth, proving that to truly be accepted in the plutocratic world, you must both have money and a title. Without both, the dream may as well be dead. Still, Molly does not give up on her American Dream, and even tries to help Jack fit into his surroundings. She gives him the means to dress like a gentleman, as well as provides him with pointers on how to interact with the elite.
"Ain't nothing to it, is there, Jack? Remember, they love money so pretend like you own a gold mine and you're in the club."
While she does not quite understand that she is not entirely welcome in the aristocratic society, she at least makes the effort to leave the door open to success behind her, instead of slamming it shut like the rest of the first class passengers.
When the Titanic becomes a life or death situation instead of a pleasure cruise, a seat in a life boat suddenly becomes the most valuable thing in the world. Instead of carrying adequate space in life boats for all of the passengers aboard, Titanic had only twenty boats, enough for about half of the little over two thousand customers. When boarding the boats, women and children are loaded on first–women and children of the first class, that is.
When Rose and her family are ushered over to one of the lifeboats, her mother is more concerned with class separation than everyone's survival.
Ruth: "Will the lifeboats be seated according to class? I hope they're not too crowded."
Rose: "Oh mother, shut up! Don't you understand? The water is freezing and there aren't enough boats. Not enough by half. Half the people on this ship are going to die."
Cal Hockley: "Not the better half."
It is clear that even in the face of a terrible disaster, Cal and Ruth are still so caught up in their own superiority complex that they deny the meaning of the life of a third class passenger. Unfortunately, the ships crewmen, too, operate on this philosophy that the lives of the rich are more valuable, locking the third class ticket holders behind bars in the lower decks. Some of the lifeboats are only loaded to half capacity, trying to increase the comfort and safety of those aboard. At one point, Cal tries to bribe his way onto a boat. Once the Titanic is fully submerged, and fifteen hundred people are treading the freezing water, Molly Brown tries to convince her life boat to turn around to rescue some of the people, but gains no support from her selfish shipmates.
Like on Titanic, in early twentieth century America, the setting for F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, class determined fate. When Gatsby falls in love with Daisy, he knows they are doomed because as a member of the lower class, he "had no real right to touch her hand" (Fitzgerald 149). Similar to Jack Dawson, Gatsby feels like he does not belong in the upper class world, that every second he spends with Daisy is a moment stolen. When Daisy is given the choice between financial security and class with Tom and Gatsby's "spectroscopic gaiety", she makes the opposite choice from Rose, allowing her fate to be controlled by her name instead of her desires. Daisy, like Rose's mother, considers "new wealth", the American Dream, to be appalling because it "herded its inhabitants along a shortcut from nothing to nothing" (107). Daisy views this emerging class in the same way that the first class passengers see Molly Brown–as an invasion into their exclusive club of money and titles. In the same fashion that the third class deaths from Titanic are seen by the first class women as "collateral damage" or unimportant, the deaths of Gatsby, Myrtle, and George are forgotten by Tom and Daisy Buchanan because they "smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness" (179). Daisy does not return for Gatsby's funeral despite her role in causing his death, but rather simply moves on with her life, staying in her comfortable, upper class, carefree lifestyle with her husband Tom. Likewise, once the lifeboat carrying the first class women is safely away from the sinking ship, it does not come back to save the lives of others. The rich proceed with their lives like a "deathless song", while the poor or formerly poor suffer and die around them (96). Titanic and The Great Gatsby both imply that, in this time period, the social hierarchy was incredibly hard to overturn, and when it came down to life and death situations, those at the top of the pyramid would prosper while those below would perish.
Any Mexican teenager will know the lyrics by heart, any Mexican kid will sing along with the music, and any young Mexican adult will say they know of the song and what it signifies. "Frijolero" can truly be considered a Mexican anthem; it embodies the perspective, voice, and hopes of a whole nation. The song was written by Molotov, a group composed of members of the upper class, who have never had to worry about the roof over their heads or the food on their table, and yet they are able to connect with a population that is composed in its vast majority of poor people. They achieve this by declaring the concerns that apply to all Mexicans through their music, knocking down distinctions of race and social class, and for that they are recognized as a very influential political force, on top of being a badass rock band. Molotov's approach, although now they have a small fortune to their name, is the exact opposite of that of the wealthy sector of the population in The Great Gatsby. The Valley of the Ashes, a squalid, desolate place - lonely, too, except for the giant, watchful eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg - symbolizes how the poor are tucked away and forgotten in the minds of the rich. Instead, Molotov are very aware of the issues of the working class; Molotov are on the same team as the masses, and they advocate for social justice in many of their songs.
Members of Molotov
The opening stanza of "Frijolero" uses figurative language to criticize the fact that Mexicans are heavily stereotyped, specifically in the United States, as many Americans ignorantly assume modern-day Mexicans still wear sombreros. These stereotypes are mostly negative, and some common stereotypes are that Mexicans are lazy, dirty, and unintelligent. They are all summed up by the derogatory term "beaner," which is used as an insult, especially on immigrants, because of the large content of beans in a typical Mexican diet. It is rather a shame that this situation occurs in this day and age, since such a point of view is more characteristic of an arrogant member of the aristocracy in the Roaring Twenties such as Tom Buchanan. Tom borrows his white supremacist views from a fictional book titled 'Rise of the Colored Empires' by a man named Goddard (based on the real book 'Rising Tide of Color Against White World-Supremacy' by Lothrop Stoddard). He firmly believes the white race is superior to all others, and, as such, should "dominate" them. For this reason, he does not hesitate to use derogatory or offensive terms to refer to people who do not fit his description of the "Nordic" race.
Stereotypes on the Internet
Stoddard's "Race Map"
Si tuvieras tu que esquivar las balas
de unos cuantos gringos rancheros
Les seguiras diciendo good-for-nothing wetbacks
si tuvieras tu que empezar de cero?
If you had to dodge the bullets
of a couple redneck Americans
would you still call them good for nothing wetbacks
if you had to start over from scratch?
Molotov takes their patriotic stance one step further by focusing on the plight of Mexicans and other Latinos who decide to cross the border into the United States in search of a larger, steadier income and financial stability. The U.S. represents a land of opportunity and prosperity, and in this way they are pursuing a modern version of the American Dream they decide to emigrate from their respective countries. Here is a plea for empathy: it takes a lot of courage and hard work, to the extent of literally putting your life on the line (or, in this case, the border) in order to improve your standard of living. For that reason, the American public should be more sympathetic to the struggle of Latinos who are trying to provide food and shelter for their families by turning over a new leaf in an unknown country, hoping for the best. Daisy would be unable to put herself in the shoes of these immigrants because her mind cannot bridge the vast social chasm that separates her from the lower classes. Gatsby describes her as located "safe and proud above the hot struggles of the poor," indicating that she cannot feel empathy for their hardship because she has never carried burdens, she has never known distress, and she has never encountered adversity, so it seems as if she is not just figuratively above the poor, but almost physically as well. Because of their inability to sympathize, Daisy and her husband belittle the efforts to be successful carried out by people below them in the social hierarchy, and they would most likely refer to illegal immigrants as "good for nothing wetbacks" regardless of what their "hot struggle" might be.
Mexican group waiting to cross the border
CURRENT IMMIGRATION POLICIES
Anti-Immigration
The United States policies on immigration have tightened significantly throughout the decade, affected by factors such as the xenophobia triggered by the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the rise of the unemployment rate due to the latest recession. In 2006, the 109th Congress passed the Secure Fence Act, which was signed and approved by George W. Bush and allowed the Department of Homeland Security to build 700 miles of barriers to reduce illegal immigration and drug trafficking. More recently, in 2010, Arizona passed the broadest and strictest anti-illegal immigration measure in U.S. history in the form of the Arizona Senate Bill 1070 (SB 1070 for short). This law requires all aliens in the state to register with the government and requires them to carry their registration documents at all times, for it is now a misdemeanor to not have the documents in their possession. Law enforcement can make a lawful detention whenever there is "reasonable suspicion" that an individual is an illegal immigrant. Opposition to this legislation rises from claims that its vagueness as to what constitutes "reasonable suspicion" will encourage racial profiling, and some states and Latin American countries were so outraged by the passage of the law that they boycotted trade with Arizona. The way some Americans complain about immigrants taking jobs that unemployed Americans could otherwise occupy is evocative of the way Gatsby and the group of negroes in the limousine look at each other in "haughty rivalry" as they travel on the bridge. The sector of the American population that regards immigrants as enemies in the search for jobs and antagonizes immigration resembles the old-wealth families of the 1920's in that the latter were opposed to the rise of the nouveau riche in a similar fashion. The aristocracy believed wealth should stay in the hands of the few people that had it already, and they were opposed to members of the working class - be it the poor or the immigrants - climbing up through the ranks of society.
Part of the Mexico-US border wall
Pro-Immigration
However, as Hispanics have now become the nation's largest minority, there have been many policies designed to support, even encourage, immigration, by focusing on how to facilitate its legalization rather than focusing on how to stop it completely. During his presidency, George W. Bush admitted that, although many Americans complain about the thousands of Latinos "affecting the economy," the basis of almost every industry depends on all these undocumented workers: "If an American employer is offering a job that American citizens are not willing to take, we ought to welcome into our country a person who will fill that job," said Bush. Unlike the rest of the Republican party, he thinks compulsory education shouldn't be offered in English only, but in Spanish as well, to benefit the large percentage of population who is Spanish-speaking. Today, with the 2012 election looming, Barack Obama is appealing to exactly this sector of the population with his deferred deportation program. His program allows young, undocumented immigrants to obtain temporary work permits. Obama made a lot of promises to Hispanics during his last campaign, and he promises to make them a reality if he is reelected. Many services that Americans take for granted would not function properly without immigrants working behind the scenes, and this is true as well in the world of Gatsby. His servants, who are presumably either poor or immigrants, are the ones responsible for the "floating cocktails" that make their way through the guests and for the crates of lemons and oranges that transform into a "pyramid of pulpless halves" once the party is over. These people are treated as if they did not exist, but without them Gatsby could not live his lavish lifestyle. For the wealthy to be able to live luxuriously, someone has to do the dirty work, and, throughout history, that brunt has usually fallen upon the shoulders of the immigrants, who ensure the lowest rungs of the economy - upon which everything else is built - operate smoothly.
Some services performed by Mexican immigrants
"Un Dia Sin Mexicanos" (literally, 'A Day Without Mexicans') is a Mexican movie that demonstrates how essential Latin immigrants are to the U.S. economy. Although the plot-line is far fetched - California wakes up one day, and all Latinos have disappeared - it carries a very real message: Latin immigrants are under appreciated. Without them, in the movie, chaos ensues. To carry that message, the song "Frijolero" by Molotov was cleverly chosen for the soundtrack.
The movie is in English, and I highly recommend it. Here's the trailer:
As we are all reminded through everyday experiences, life is about choices. We are given the free will to think and act as we please, but there can be a distinct and often frustrating indecision which complements the opportunity to think for ourselves. The Beatles' legendary "Across The Universe" speaks of the lack of human confidence often caused by being uncertain of what to do; when we can't make up our own minds, our instinct is to rely on someone or something else to make decisions for us. The choral repetition of "nothing's gonna change my world" can be viewed as an ideal desired by all but reached by few: to be a perfectly self-sustaining yet free-thinking individual capable of staying true to one's self.
However, in the verses surrounding the chorus and its noble concept of this paragon, Lennon gives insight into how easy it is for human lives to be swayed by even the slightest outside influences. Many of Fitzgerald's characters in his classic The Great Gatsby face a similar problem; even upon their first introduction, Daisy and Jordan are described as "buoyed up as though upon an anchored balloon," with "dresses rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house" (8). This image of ungrounded fluidity is used by Fitzgerald to make a point about these women's generally uncertainty, and foreshadows the difficulty they will face when it comes time to make decisions. Lennon similarly describes his "words," which represent the decisiveness of his direct thoughts, flowing endlessly and "slithering wildly as they slip away across the universe." This indecision is what inevitably leads to a loss of self purpose, as Lennon then states himself as being "possessed and caressed" by a variety of emotions.
A desire to think and prosper through personal jurisdictions fits alongside the concept of the American Dream and 'making it' in life through one's own work, but this goal cannot be reached without overcoming certain obstacles. Daisy yearns her whole life for independence and success in her romantic affairs (yes, pun intended), but still finds herself with ambivalent feelings and a faltering certainty when Tom and Gatsby officially confront each other about their individual relationships with her. "Her eyes [fell] on Jordan and [Nick] with a sort of appeal" as Daisy struggled with the decision she faced, hesitating as if she had "never intended doing anything at all" (132). This is not only a turning point in Daisy's life but in the lives of everyone in that room, and her response is to look towards two people unrelated to the situation in supplication for guidance. What's more, her "looking at [Gatsby] blindly" parallels Lennon's "meandering thoughts tumbling blindly," as both are unable to see with certainty where they are being led as consequences of their irresoluteness.
"You ought to have a church, George, for times like this.
You must have gone to church once.
Didn't you get married in a church?" (157)
"God is Watching" One reason that religion plays such a critical role in human life is that being able to put trust in a higher-power deity is comforting and provides guidance during confusing times. Upon suspecting his wife of adultery, George Wilson tells Myrtle that "she might fool [him], but she couldn't fool God" (159). George is lost and distraught over his suspicion, but is able to hold himself together in spite of this by trusting God to see exactly what happens. Although indecisiveness often does lead to a loss of self purpose, having faith in a guardian figure to straighten everything out can serve as an extremely useful outlet in times of doubt. Lennon similarly calls upon a theistic guardian in "Across the Universe," repeating the Sanskrit "Jai Guru Deva Om" to symbolize his gratitude for the presence of a higher power helping guide him through life.
A modern-musical was made in 2007 titled Across the Universe, which manages to incorporate over 30 songs by The Beatles into a single plot set during the Vietnam War era. The song from which the musical took its name is used at a point in the movie when the main character Jude ("Hey Jude") has lost his girlfriend Lucy ("Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds") due to their conflicting views over the war abroad, and is at a loss of where to go next with his life. Despite singing "nothing's gonna change my world," he finds himself drawn to an anti-war rally where Lucy is being held by police, having seemingly been led by "images of broken light dancing before [him] like a million eyes" on the subway. This interpretation of the song brings up yet another complication: just how "free" are the choices we make?
