To deliberately gain favor or acceptance by flattering or trying to please someone is to ingratiate oneself. In the context of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, characters often attempt to charm and impress others, sometimes insincerely, to advance their social standing or personal goals. An example might be a character showering lavish praise or offering extravagant gifts to someone they wish to influence.
The act of attempting to win favor serves as a potent commentary on the superficiality and social climbing prevalent in the Roaring Twenties as depicted in the novel. It underscores the lengths individuals will go to in their pursuit of wealth, status, and acceptance within the elite social circles. The prevalence of this behavior highlights the moral ambiguities and the hollow core often hidden beneath the glittering facade of the Jazz Age.
