The Essay - Marxism on Great Gatsby

The Essay - Marxism on Great GatsbyMarxism on Great Gatsby is one of the most well-known and famous essays by Karl Marx. The essay is written in Gatsby's recollection of his time spent with the former owner of the estate, who was a member of the House of Gatsby's very own secret society. The first line of the essay in fact reads: 'We can talk about what this world owes Gatsby, but I don't think it has the right to ask Gatsby to pay.' The essay also declares that it does not care how this society describes him, as long as it will get a portion of the spoils that rightfully belong to Gatsby.It is a common belief that the essays reflect the real personality of Gatsby. However, this was an apparent opinion shared by a number of critics. A number of critics even go as far as claiming that the essay was actually written by Friedrich Engels. Nonetheless, the essay is still considered one of the best essays written by Marx.Marxism on Great Gatsby is a very strong political essay, so much so that it is not surprising that Marx was frequently attacked. A major and widespread criticism of Marx's essay, however, is the fact that it glorifies one person and distorts the truth. In this way, the essay becomes anti-intellectual and is more reminiscent of a revolutionary book than of a work that serves as a social commentary. What exactly are the specific criticisms made against Marxism on Great Gatsby?When it comes to the fact that Marx's essay favors Gatsby over the society in general, critics argue that it is simply because of Gatsby's status as a member of the House of Gatsby. Although the society mentions that Gatsby is also an aristocrat, the critics believe that Marx just took some sections from this society and wrote the entire essay around Gatsby. On top of that, Marx makes some claims about the history of society that he later disproved and later revealed to be untrue.Another point of criticism against Marxism on Great Gatsby is the fact that Marx portrays Gatsby's li fe in a way that makes him seem extremely rich. The wealth that Gatsby himself seems to possess does not, however, necessarily mean that he was actually wealthy. The critics take the quote that Gatsby states in the beginning of the essay, which states, 'Gatsby is my wealth,' as something that only a wealthy individual can utter. Of course, this does not mean that Gatsby himself was not rich, as his father provided him with the money that he needed. In fact, Gatsby even shows that he manages to make money out of the act of selling a newspaper, which he describes as 'a very innocent and profit-making act'.Another part of Marxism on Great Gatsby that critics pointed out were the philosophical premises that Marx came up with in the essay. It is mentioned that human beings exist as members of societies, and that these societies are made up of individuals. For Marx, this means that human beings have some power over their own lives, thus making them part of society. Although Marx does ment ion that he and Gatsby are members of the House of Gatsby, the critics claim that this is not how he meant it.Marx also wrote that the capitalist mode of production is what made things different from before. He stated that this capitalism was different because it freed the people from the shackles of feudalism and landed aristocracy. Marx claimed that this freedom of the people allowed them to create a new order that was based on the will of the people. In this sense, he viewed capitalism as a necessary evil.Lastly, when it comes to Marx's essays on Great Gatsby, critics point out that the entire essay was made around Gatsby. Despite the fact that Gatsby is mentioned at the beginning of the essay, the critics believe that it only serves as a guide for the author's thoughts. It is said that Karl Marx is an enigma when it comes to being able to make solid political ideas and profound, intellectually-grounded writings.