‘Much of American Literature explores tension between social classes.’

Tension between social classes is a prevalent issue explored by authors such as Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby and Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Whilst Steinbeck’s polemic on 1940s America highlights the utter calamity of the lowest class - the ‘Okies’ versus the large, impersonal and callous banks and landowners, Fitzgerald explores the social tension between those of ‘old money’ and ‘new money’ in 1920s America. The Joads are continually battling for survival on Route 66 and their eventual downfall and loss of the American Dream is seen most clearly through the facade of California - the so called Promise Land. The devastating fact is, like many other migrant families, they are surrounded by copious fruit farms and wealth yet are unable to profit off it. Instead they are left to starve and rot in government camps. Jay Gatsby meets his unfortunate end in a similar loss of the American Dream. Daisy symbolises everything he strove for and his recreation of himself from an unknown, unglamorous and father poor man to a self made millionaire proved insufficient to truly obtain what he wanted. That green light outside his window was always tantalisingly close, yet never close enough and the final tension between those of inherited wealth and self made wealth resulted in the character’s eventual death.