In a lot of novels authors use literary elements to portray information about the characters. Sometimes the author will use these elements to show images to help the reader see what the character is feeling or doing. In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald uses the setting to help show the differences in social classes between the East Egg, West Egg, NYC and the Valley of Ashes. The Great Gatsby occurs during the 1920s in America. There are two different social classes, the rich (which live in the eggs) and the poor ( which lives in the the Valley of Ashes). During the twenties it was a time of a dying American Dream. Most people praised wealth and materialism.The east and west egg is across from each other separated by water. The east egg represents
The 1920s in America, known as the "Roaring Twenties", was a time of celebration after a destructive war. It was a period of time in America characterised by prosperity and optimism. There was a general feeling of disruption associated with modernity and a break with traditions.The Roaring Twenties was a time of great economic prosperity and many people became rich and wealthy. Some people inherited "old money" and some obtained "new money". However, there was the other side of prosperity and many people also suffered the nightmare of being poor. In the novel,The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is portrayed as a wealthy character
In book, “The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts how the American was corrupted through wealth. Fitzgerald provides many examples. The most common example shown was Jay Gatsby. Gatsby’s idea that to achieve his American Dream must be to acquire wealth. In order to show this, Fitzgerald uses various literary elements. Two of those being imagery and foreshadowing, these played a critical role in describing the theme, and specific moods to show what was to come and as well as describe the story as a whole. These play a vital role in representing Gatsby’s life and journey to acquiring Daisy, his version of the American Dream.
The “curtains” have human-like qualities, for they are making “whip and snap” sounds. Also, the “picture” has human-like qualities of “groan.” Fitzgerald adds these sounds to show the awkwardness setting in the Buchanan’s house. Just walking in the hallway of Tom Buchanan made Nick feel unease; it was so quiet that Nick can hear the cry of a picture and the lash of the curtain moving.
Dreams are a compelling force in people’s lives. They are what propel them forward each and every day in an effort to reach something better. The American Dream has been sought after by millions all over the world for hundreds of years. This country was founded on the belief that anyone could achieve their dreams. However, in the 1920s these hopes and aspirations began to splinter until they ultimately shattered. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbolism, setting, and theme to depict the unattainability of the American Dream.
Gatsby. Penguin, 2014. Print. This novel is an investigation of a double murder that happened quickly after F. Scott Fitzgerald’s return to New York. With evidence from newspapers, letters, and newly found archives, the author describes the new opinions of the readers of The Great Gatsby. The author then interweaved both stories with the hope to solve the mysteries of a murder and the success behind Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. As the author does this, she compares and contrasts the events of the book and the murder to one another.This is a credible source because the author found many direct sources from the time era,
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby focuses on the corruption of the American dream during the 1920‘s. For the duration of this time period, the American dream was no longer about hard work and reaching a set goal, it had become materialistic and immoral. Many people that had honest and incorruptible dreams, such as Jay Gatsby, used corrupted pathways to realize their fantasy. People’s carelessness was shown through their actions and speech towards others. Fitzgerald uses characterization and symbolism from different characters and items to convey the corruption of the American dream.
When an author writes a novel he keeps many things in mind. The author will precisely uses word choice, syntax, imagery, and many other literary devices to craft their own piece of art. From F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby a selected passage can reveal all the feature to his piece of art. From this passage things such as syntax and imagery will be discussed. Fitzgerald crafts his ideas through these literary features for the reader.
Throughout the great American classic, “The Great Gatsby”, there are many instances of literary devices. In all of its context, it is easy to see that Fitzgerald uses a certain kind of literary terms and themes throughout all his writings. In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses devices such as foreshadowing, imagery, and suspenseful moments to capture the attention of his readers.
Additionally the interior yellow can symbolize gold and lavish objects. Moreover an egg is used as the division of the town East egg and West egg. This precious metal is a social status and signifies wealth. The division of these competing areas separates the newly rich from the historically wealthy families. The narrator Nick, comments that he lives in West Egg, being the,” well the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them” (Gatsby 5). By saying this, nick expresses the idea of his egg (West Egg) being less fashionable and desirable than the other more prominent side (East Egg). Even though some might not live in the more fashionable part of town you still can achieve the American Dream. Nick and the west side represent those that have actually worked hard and earned their new status. This part of town houses Nick and Gatsby, which do show that if you put in hard work you, can achieve the American dream.
Symbolism is used in different ways in both the novels, ‘The Great Gatsby’ and ‘The Catcher in the Rye’ and I have explored the ways in which two different authors have used this literary feature to enhance meaning behind their novels.
What is intertextuality? Intertextuality is a word that introduced by Julia Kristeva, a philosopher, literary critic, feminist and a novelist. Kristeva defined Intertextuality as a “mosaic of quotation”, which means that all texts that are derived from the natural process and transformation of other type of content (Martin, 2011). It is also called referencing an original idea that has previously been produced. In essence, it is to take an original work of art and turn it into a whole new idea or artistic style. The following essay will explore of how intertextuality is used in Baz Lurhmann’s “The Great Gatsby”.
Another theme in The Great Gatsby is one that is very evident throughout the novel. It is the conflict between the new wealthy class of self-made men and the "old rich." This is most noticeable in the physical separation between them. The new rich live in West Egg and the old rich live in East Egg. The new rich people are not yet acclimated to being upstanding citizens so they are not well connected in the social world, not to mention their incredibly ostentatious nature. In Gatsby's situation, he lives in a huge, repulsively tacky gothic mansion and he throws wild, lavish parties that could be better classified as raves. Daisy and Tom, who represent the old rich, are very refined, tasteful, and very well-mannered. However, the old rich also have come to rely on their money as a defense against trouble (either that they have caused or become victim of). This is exhibited very well when Daisy and Tom simply move away instead of going to Gatsby's funeral. Gatsby, on the other hand, is extremely loyal to his friends
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s hit novel; The Great Gatsby (2013) directed by Baz Luhrmann provides a highly symbolic take on 1920s America as a whole, in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess. (Sparknotes, 2013) The film is a faithful adaptation that puts Fitzgerald’s critique of American society in the 1920s on screen by expressing through the misadventures of wide-eyed bonds salesman and failed writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) and Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), his larger-than-life neighbour who’s over the top famed extravagance only exists in order for him to win back a former love, Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) (Caldwell,2013). The following textual analysis
Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby is one of the most carefully structured stories of all time. The narrator, Nick, is a very clever and well-spoken storyteller. Nick confides to the reader in the first pages of the novel. He says that he needs to tell the story of a man called Gatsby. It is as if Nick has to overcome disappointment and frustration with a man who has left him with painful memories. Nick says that, even though Gatsby did alright in the end, “it was the foul dust that collected in his wake” that disgusts him now. Nick, begins the novel with uncomfortable memories. Time is a meaningful concept in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. This thesis is valid for three main reasons. First, it is evident that dreams and memories are central to the overall plot and meaning. Secondly, the American Dream is a “green light” of desire that Gatsby never stops yearning for and something he will not forget over time, even as he is dying. Even though no one cares about Gatsby or his dreams after he died, except maybe Nick. Finally, the fact that Fitzgerald uses flashback; that Nick is telling us about a main character after he has already died and before the story begins, is the ultimate proof. The Great Gatsby is structured by Nick’s memory. Fitzgerald’s is a very clever use of flashback throughout and within the novel is the greatest evidence that he intended his novel to be centered on memory and going back in time. The first obvious proof that time is a meaningful concept in
Although money provides security, social status and comfort, it does not grant happiness. There is a tendency in American culture to equate success with happiness. Success is the core of American society, as it drives innovation and motivates people to work harder in order to achieve their goals — but at what cost? When striving for success, people tend to neglect other important areas of their lives such as their health, emotional well-being and more importantly their loved ones. The literary works of The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald; the play Death of a Salesman written by Arthur Miller and Jon Krakauer’s novel, Into the Wild, depict the value of non-material, intangible possessions. The three pieces exhibit characters who neglect their loved ones and are quick to escape intimacy once they are able to obtain a wealth and status or other desires. Consequently, the stories show that the pressure to appear successful often times inhibits people from attaining the authentic joy of relationships.