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Essay On Owl Eyes In The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby written in 1925 was a novel that expresses F. Scott Fitzgerald’s concerns for the direction that America was headed in during that decade. During the novel he repeatedly gives examples of the contrast of the economic classes; the thriving upper class in extravagant living conditions while the lower class lives in filth like “fields of ashes.” To criticize the American upper class during the nineteen twenties, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses vivid imagery in his revelation of Gatsby’s facade to give the reader an idea of the contrast among the classes of the early nineteenth century and how it continues to last.
The scene in Gatsby’s library acts as a smaller scale introduction to Gatsby’s focus on his outer appearance and his …show more content…

We begin to see Fitzgerald’s imagery in action while he includes a contradiction. The “Old men” of the party can be seen “pushing young girls in eternal” (indicating constantly till the end of time) “graceless circles” (17-18). The use of the old men eternally pushing the young girls does not sound graceless. Fitzgerald’s use of these words in this context give it a lighter hearted meaning. Rather than giving a reason for the young girls to be dancing with the older men, Fitzgerald writes to give the situation a more positive connotation. The couples there on the dance floor are “superior” as they hold each other “tortuously, fashionably” (18-19). The fact that the couples enjoying themselves are holding each other tortuously give the idea that it is against their will, and the fact it is fashionable indicates that it is being done to keep in line with the popular. The description unfolds to see the “celebrated tenor” that “had sung in Italian” and the voice of the “notorious contralto” that “had sung in jazz” (21-22). Here we see Fitzgerald's use of words come into play, describing the tenor as singing in Italian, but the contralto singing in jazz. His ability to describe a scene with such words allows the reader to depict the scene of the party and it’s splendor. Fitzgerald gives us the moon “ris[ing] higher” and “floating in the Sound was triangle of silver

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