Over the centuries numerous social barriers have fallen. In the 1920s some of these barriers were just beginning to crumble. Women were given the right to vote and some people were able to become wealthy based on their skills and ideas and not just their background. Even as these obstacles began to fade, completely overcoming social barriers was still a struggle. Jay Gatsby's ultimate dream, in The Great Gatsby, is to overcome class barriers and marry Daisy Buchanan. He is able to acquire wealth, but is unable to enter his social class. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows the problematic nature of the class structure in America during the 1920s through Jay Gatsby's struggle to climb the social ladder. In the 1920s the class structure was changing and people had to adopt a new way of life. According to Cynthia Rose, editor of "A New Era... an Economic Revolution of the Profoundest Character.", it was an era of optimism for many people who were able to secure good-paying jobs thanks to the economic boom ( Rose). However, there was a divide in the upper class between people with “old money” and those with “new money”. People with “old money” had grown into wealth. The nouveau riche had to adapt to the upper class. Actors, people involved in the media, and smugglers are all examples of the type of people who belonged to this class. In the novel, the two social classes also have very different ways of spending time. Many of the nouveau riche have big parties, while those with old money are more conservative, like the Buchanans (Fitzgerald 10). New industries presented unprecedented opportunities for an emerging class. It was a new era for Americans. People became rich through work... middle of paper... as expected. The works mention "A new era... an economic revolution of deeper character." Primary sources of the American decades. Ed. Cinzia Rosa. vol. 3: 1920-1929. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 126-131. US history in context. Network. 4 March 2014. "Cars". American decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. vol. 2: 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 2001. United States History in Context. Network. March 4, 2014. "Brokers and suckers." Primary sources of the American decades. Ed. Cinzia Rosa. vol. 3: 1920-1929. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 131-135. US history in context. Network. March 4, 2014.Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. New York: Collier, 1992. Print.Reilly, Hugh. “The Media in the 1920s.” Personal interview. March 5, 2014. "The right to vote." Civil rights in America: 1500 to today. Ed. Jay A. Sigler. Detroit: Gale, 1998. United States History in Context. Network. March 5. 2014.