The 1920 Car Industry

Status of wealth for Tom
1. Tom doesn't need to show off his wealth, it's old money, and he knows power comes from people knowing where the money came from and how long the money's been stable
Gatsby's Car: “It was a rich cream color, bright and there in it’s monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of wind-shields that mirrored a dozen suns.” (pg.33)
1. The reason his car is yellow is to attract Daisy and to display his achievement of wealthy status
Tom Buchanan’s car is mentioned as a blue coupe
1. A Marmon 34 would have been a proper car for Tom. Marmon was an expensive car that combined sport and luxury
  1. Fitzgerald’s first car was a used Marmon, and even though it was troublesome (probably because of abuse from both Scott and his wife Zelda), Fitzgerald seems to have had fond memories of the car.
2. A choice for Tom would have been a Pierce-Arrow
  1. The Pierce was built to the highest standards and had understated styling
Nick Carraway drove an old Dodge, according to the book
1. Dodge was a step above the Ford Model T, with slightly more power and a sturdier build than Ford’s flivver. The Dodge would have been dependable transportation for Nick
Daisy's Car
1. Daisy has a ‘little white roadster’ when she is a young debutante in 1917
  1. Her car is open-top and two-seater, implying a car designed for carefree couples

Resource summary

	Created by Karan Shah almost 8 years ago