Fitzgerald's social insight in The Great Gatsby focuses on a select group priviliged young people between the ages of 20 and 30. In doing so Fitzgerald provides a vision of the youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves"(157) Throughout the novel Nick finds himself surrounded by lavish mansions, fancy cars, and an endless supply of material possessions. a drawback to the seemingly limitless excess Nick sees in the Buchanans for instance. is a throwaway mentality extending past material goods. Nick explains, They were careless people, Tom and Daisy hey smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the messFitzgerald's social insight in The Great Gatsby focuses on a select group: priviliged young people between the ages of 20 and 30. In doing so, Fitzgerald provides a vision of the "youth and mystery that wealth imprisons and preserves" (157). Throughout the novel Nick finds himself surrounded by lavish mansions, fancy cars, and an endless supply of material possessions. A drawback to the seemingly limitless excess Nick sees in the Buchanans, for instance, is a throwaway mentality extending past material goods. Nick explains, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy -- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess