A tool designed to estimate the present-day value of sums of money mentioned in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, specifically relating to the opulent lifestyle of characters residing in West Egg, provides a fascinating lens through which to examine the economic realities of the Roaring Twenties. For example, converting Gatsby’s purported $40,000 annual income to its current equivalent illustrates the immense wealth he possessed. This process offers a more concrete understanding of the lavish expenditures described in the novel, such as the extravagant parties and luxurious automobiles.
Such a tool offers valuable insight into the historical context of Fitzgerald’s work, providing a deeper appreciation for the societal and economic forces at play. By bridging the temporal gap between the 1920s and the present, it illuminates not only the purchasing power of the era but also the vast disparity in wealth that characterized the Jazz Age, a key theme within the novel. This analytical approach allows readers to move beyond a superficial understanding of opulence and grasp the true significance of wealth and status within the narrative.
