The Great Gatsby
Throughout the book, F. Scott Fitzgerald develops a morally ambiguous character who cannot be rigidly defined as good or evil. He did not show Gatsby's extreme good and evil in his narration of Gatsby. The moral definition of the whole book depends on the way the reader analyses Gatsby and views the other characters.
One interpretation of the novel is that etiquette is a substitute for morality among the privileged. For example, Gatsby, a gangster, has impeccable manners and a charming personality. Similarly, Wolfsheim is a gangster but is portrayed as sophisticated and courteous. This suggests that good manners can cover up a person's immoral behavior and make it acceptable in polite society. Throughout the book, Tom and Daisy are actually very well-educated and have the best families. But they have the worst morals in the book. This is also what the author reveals to us, that it is impossible to make a decisive evaluation of a person only through the disguise of appearance. It's more about how the person handles things and whether they can handle the responsibilities they need to handle. From the book, we can see that Daisy is actually born to be vain and face-loving. That's why she follows Tom around, even though she knows Tom has a lover, she doesn't want to ruin it with love. For me, for this family.
Another explanation is that etiquette is a way to reinforce social class. This is evident in the interactions between the characters, and people like Tom and Daisy are common in our lives. They look glamorous on the outside, but behind the scenes, they are even less moral than those who don't have higher education. I remember going to a party with my dad when I was a kid, and it was full of high society leaders. Each wore a suit and carried himself in a manner that betrayed his upbringing and politeness. But it's the formality of the occasion that allowed me to see for the first time what they were not. On that occasion, everyone should keep a smile on their face and say something to make others happy, even if it is false. But I saw a polite man go berserk just because a waiter broke a glass. The scene left a deep impression on my mind. Based on my personal experience, I have found that etiquette and morality are closely intertwined in many cultures. Good manners are often seen as a reflection of one's upbringing and moral values, and those who show bad manners are often harshly criticized by others. However, this is not always the case, as some people can behave politely even if their morals are questionable.
In society, I don't think etiquette can replace moral character to judge a person. Because etiquette is only the surface of some ways of behavior, and can not see through a person's quality. Etiquette can be trained, and it can briefly give the illusion of politeness. But a person's moral character is the result of long training. So we can't judge a person's moral character from his behavior.