The novel served as a snapshot of the frenzied post-war society known as the Jazz Age, while today it provides readers with, among other things, a portal through which to observe life in the 1920s. Part of Fitzgerald's charm in The Great Gatsby is his ability to encapsulate the mood of a generation during a politically and socially crucial and chaotic period of American history.
Fitzgerald's purpose of The Great Gatsby was to question whether love actually exists and how it's affected by money, power and status. Throughout the text, Gatsby is illustrated as someone who is holding onto the past and has used his power and wealth to try and win back Daisy, who represents this persona of perfection; something Gatsby has longed for.
CHARACTERS:
Throughout The Great Gatsby, men are described based on their wealth/careers, while women were based primarily on their appearances "that's the best little thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" (Daisy).
Jay Gatsby - a wealthy, high-status man - lives in a mansion in the West Egg and throws parties every Saturday. Gatz meets Daisy and they fall in love. Unfortunately, Gatz was recruited but they promised each other they would marry once he came back from war. We also discover that Gatsby made a lot of his fortune through criminal activity as he was willing to do anything to gain the social position he thought was necessary to win Daisy.
The self-invention is what gives Gatsby his quality of “greatness”: the title “The Great Gatsby” is reminiscent of billings for such vaudeville magicians as “The Great Houdini” and “The Great Blackstone,” suggesting that the persona of Jay Gatsby is a masterful illusion.
Daisy Buchanan - Nick's cousin and Gatsby's love interest. Gatsby lied about his background to Daisy, claiming to be from a wealthy family in order to convince her that he was worthy of her (she was born into a rich family). Eventually, Daisy promised to wait for Gatsby, but later she chose instead to marry Tom Buchanan, a young man who could promise her a wealthy lifestyle and who had the support of her parents. She is beautiful and charming, but also fickle, shallow, bored, and sardonic. Nick characterizes her as a careless person who messes things up and then retreats behind her money.
SETTING:
1922 - after the war: Long Island, New York City - West/East Egg and in-between is the "Valley of Ashes".
POV:
Nick Carraway narrates in both 1st and 3rd person and parts of the novel are his interpretations of what happened.
IDEAS/REPRESENTATIONS:
Gatsby's obsessive drive for wealth mirrors modern day culture - the rich get richer and the poor get left behind. 1920's America was finally out of hardships, people had disposable income in over decades. readers can sympathise with both points; attitudes and values towards love and pleasure - 1920's society was breaking from Victorian constraints and Gatsby risking his reputation for Daisy; his unrequited love and his values towards it and social love affairs were more accepted.
Fitsgerald suggests that women are nothing more than dolls; beautiful on the outside, hollow on the inside. The only "strong" female character is Jordan but is described throughout the book as careless and dishonest - as she lied about being engaged.
The American Dream is a deception of reality. Gatsby throughout the novel has reached the "American Dream" - wealth and status - but is still unhappy.
Death shows you who was really by your side - At Gatsby's funeral, only his father and Nick attend - others with respect after attending his parties - his friends and Daisy don't even attend, truly demonstrating who was there for Gatsby as a good person, not just for their benefit.
LANGUAGE DEVICES:
Symbolism: Situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby’s West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and the "American Dream" but he never truly reaches it - same with Daisy.
Tone: Nick's attitudes towards Gatsby and his story are ambivalent and contradictory. At times he seems to disapprove of his excesses and breaches of manners/ethics but he also romanticises/admires him, describing the events of the novel in a nostalgic and elegiac tone.
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
The Great Gatsby is certainly a great novel to pick up for a quick read; a literary and Jazz Age classic. The Great Gatsby is a love story, a mystery, a rags-to-riches account of success and its unhappy fallout, and a snapshot of NYC life before the Depression kicked in. Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway, and Jay himself is the larger-than-life cast in a cautionary tale about money, corruption, desire and deception that’s just as relevant now as it was in 1922.
Jay Gatsby - a wealthy, high-status man - lives in a mansion in the West Egg and throws parties every Saturday. Gatz meets Daisy and they fall in love. Unfortunately, Gatz was recruited but they promised each other they would marry once he came back from war. We also discover that Gatsby made a lot of his fortune through criminal activity as he was willing to do anything to gain the social position he thought was necessary to win Daisy.
The self-invention is what gives Gatsby his quality of “greatness”: the title “The Great Gatsby” is reminiscent of billings for such vaudeville magicians as “The Great Houdini” and “The Great Blackstone,” suggesting that the persona of Jay Gatsby is a masterful illusion.
Daisy Buchanan - Nick's cousin and Gatsby's love interest. Gatsby lied about his background to Daisy, claiming to be from a wealthy family in order to convince her that he was worthy of her (she was born into a rich family). Eventually, Daisy promised to wait for Gatsby, but later she chose instead to marry Tom Buchanan, a young man who could promise her a wealthy lifestyle and who had the support of her parents. She is beautiful and charming, but also fickle, shallow, bored, and sardonic. Nick characterizes her as a careless person who messes things up and then retreats behind her money.
SETTING:
1922 - after the war: Long Island, New York City - West/East Egg and in-between is the "Valley of Ashes".
POV:
Nick Carraway narrates in both 1st and 3rd person and parts of the novel are his interpretations of what happened.
IDEAS/REPRESENTATIONS:
Gatsby's obsessive drive for wealth mirrors modern day culture - the rich get richer and the poor get left behind. 1920's America was finally out of hardships, people had disposable income in over decades. readers can sympathise with both points; attitudes and values towards love and pleasure - 1920's society was breaking from Victorian constraints and Gatsby risking his reputation for Daisy; his unrequited love and his values towards it and social love affairs were more accepted.
Fitsgerald suggests that women are nothing more than dolls; beautiful on the outside, hollow on the inside. The only "strong" female character is Jordan but is described throughout the book as careless and dishonest - as she lied about being engaged.
The American Dream is a deception of reality. Gatsby throughout the novel has reached the "American Dream" - wealth and status - but is still unhappy.
Death shows you who was really by your side - At Gatsby's funeral, only his father and Nick attend - others with respect after attending his parties - his friends and Daisy don't even attend, truly demonstrating who was there for Gatsby as a good person, not just for their benefit.
LANGUAGE DEVICES:
Symbolism: Situated at the end of Daisy’s East Egg dock and barely visible from Gatsby’s West Egg lawn, the green light represents Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future. Gatsby associates it with Daisy, and the "American Dream" but he never truly reaches it - same with Daisy.
Tone: Nick's attitudes towards Gatsby and his story are ambivalent and contradictory. At times he seems to disapprove of his excesses and breaches of manners/ethics but he also romanticises/admires him, describing the events of the novel in a nostalgic and elegiac tone.
WOULD I RECOMMEND?
The Great Gatsby is certainly a great novel to pick up for a quick read; a literary and Jazz Age classic. The Great Gatsby is a love story, a mystery, a rags-to-riches account of success and its unhappy fallout, and a snapshot of NYC life before the Depression kicked in. Daisy and Tom Buchanan, Nick Carraway, and Jay himself is the larger-than-life cast in a cautionary tale about money, corruption, desire and deception that’s just as relevant now as it was in 1922.
The whole "Great" titleage being linked to illusions is pretty neat. Most of it seems like a bit of the illusion; the love, the friendships and the parties, all meaning nothing at the end.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book!