The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

[OPENING STATEMENT] The Great Gatsby does not clearly yield to either poem or prose causing it to be considered as a lyrical novel rather than the more common narrative. Poetic devices and techniques used by author F. Scott Fitzgerald are more commonly seen with poetry. Yet it is these techniques that give meaning to his work of fiction; how Fitzgerald states his ideas becomes more important than the ideas themselves. Poetic devices he uses are called litotes, which express a positive statement by using its opposite negatives. To say “the ice cream was not bad” would be an intentional understatement, when instead one could say the ice cream was “good.” Litotes are used for irony, which is “using words to convey a meaning that is the opposite of its literal meaning.”1 Also commonly found throughout the novel, litotes are used for emphatic effect to benefit setting, plot, and character development.

Throughout the novel, the use of characterization is used heavily by Fitzgerald. Focusing on Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the development of his character to show that despite the work and effort you put into it, your American Dream will not be achieved. James Gatz worked his whole life, becoming a rich and powerful man, and although he had everything it seemed someone could want, he did not have Daisy. After one of His infamous Parties, Nick tells us, ‘He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say “I never loved you.”’ (116). This quote establishes his American Dream, to be with Daisy completely, ever since Daisy and Gatsby fell helplessly in love at a young age. Gatsby’s American Dream will never happen though, because Daisy meets another man named Tom Buchanan, while Gatsby is in war, and Daisy will pick Tom over Gatsby towards the end of the book, as seen when Daisy says, “Please Tom I can’t stand this anymore”(142).This quote shows that, despite the fact that Daisy decides to be with Tom, Gatsby does not lose hope. On page 159, Gatsby says, “I don’t think she ever loved him. You must remember, old sport, she was very excited this afternoon. He told her those things in a way that frightened her-- that made it look as if I was some kind of cheap sharper. And the result she hardly knew what she was saying.” The development of Gatsby depicts fitzgerald’s viewpoint because it exemplifies the fact that despite Gatsby’s hope and effort, he never was able to reach his American Dream before dying, depicting

The Great Gatsby entails of a story of a bright young man, Nick Carraway, who moved to New York City in search of a successful life in the bonds business, but becomes suffocated by the lifestyles of those in wealth and power at the time. As Nick settles himself in a new job and new city, in the only cottage among mansions on West and East Egg, he finds himself neighbor to a mysterious, wealthy man known for his extravagant parties and elusive persona. This neighbor, Jay Gatsby, emerges to be one of the main characters of the novel and the only person in all of New York that Nick can call a friend. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, encompasses the hollowness of the upper class as well as the deterioration of the “American Dream” within the plotline of the lives of Nick, Gatsby, and the Buchanan’s. Because of the themes Fitzgerald created, it prompts people, such as Bruccoli, to make the claim “The Great Gatsby does not proclaim the nobility of the human spirit; it is not politically correct; it does not reveal how to solve the problems of life; it delivers no fashionable or comforting messages. It is just a masterpiece.” While the Great Gatsby is a masterpiece, Bruccoli correctly examines the text in revealing no nobility of the human spirit, no solutions to the problems of life, and it is politically incorrect. However, despite the dismal themes, Fitzgerald does deliver fashionable/comforting messages to the audience. Bruccoli’s claim brings to light the

The American Dream is a philosophy based off of starting from nothing and achieving family, fortune, and fame. The belief that self-determination and hard work will lead to the attainment of the American Dream is strongly tied with the American culture. This philosophical idea, however, is not portrayed in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, which is often referred to as one of the “Great American Novels” to date. In terms, a “Great American Novel” should portray an honest and well-remembered character, rather than a character such as Jay Gatsby who achieved his fortune through illegal business and dies without recognition towards the end. Although Gatsby lives a lavish lifestyle that many people fantasize about, Gatsby’s American Dream is never fully fulfilled due to his failure of not having a family, successfully obtaining money the righteous way, and leaving a legacy; therefore, the novel The Great Gatsby, should not be entitled as the “Great American Novel” today.

The famously written book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, provides many details, which help to provoke the meaning behind this narrative. The use of symbolic objects helps to connect the significance of the story on a deeper level and eventually reveal its literal meaning. Many symbols portrayed throughout The Great Gatsby, such as the green light, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, Gatsby’s Mansion and the weather help to uncover one of the main themes–the American Dream.

In the novel “ The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick describes Tom and Daisy as careless people which they are. Nick and Daisy are careless people because they can afford to be careless because of their money and use other people or do nothing at all for their own benefit. For example, When Tom told Myrtle that he could not marry her because he was in a relationship with daisy and she was catholic and did not believe in divorce and told lies to myrtle to use her as a toy even though myrtle was also using Tom to get to a higher social class for her own benefit even Nick stated that when she was with Tom that she would act like from a higher class when she was with tom. Another example of Tom 's and Daisy 's carelessness is that daisy wanted Gatsby and had her fun with Gatsby for a while, but did not face the consequences when it was time to tell Tom the truth of Daisy and Gatsby and instead ran away. Another reason that tom and daisy are careless is that neither Tom or daisy went to Gatsby 's funeral and just forgot him like nothing ever happened between the Buchanan family and Gatsby. All of this proves or is evidence that tom and daisy are careless people and money helps them take care of their problems.

In Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby, all the characters are attempting to achieve a state of happiness in their lives. The main characters are divided into two groups: the rich upper class and the poorer lower class, which struggles to attain a higher position. Though the major players seek only to change their lives for the better, as in real life, the idealism and morality of the American Dream is inevitably crushed beneath the harsh reality of life, leaving their lives without meaning or purpose.

In the great gatsby the american dream is based on someone starting low in the social or economic schedule and working their way up to greatness by hard work. Being able to own a nice car, nice clothes, nice house, is the definition of the american dream. It doesn 't matter what your race is or how you look like you can still accomplish your goals and become successful in life. The american dream also signifies someone that is self motivated and that is willing to work very hard to live a good life.

“He’s just a man named Gatsby” (Fitzgerald 48) the people who attended Gatsby’s parties, really did not know who he truly was. The perception of Gatsby from other characters is different from who Gatsby was in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In order to understand Jay Gatsby, it is important to consider how he thinks about himself and what other people think about him. The truth about Gatsby is the most important point to understand during this book but is hidden be hide his fancy riches. Those are the things that help decide who Gatsby is. The perception of Gatsby by people was very different than who Gatsby really was.

“Daisy, Daisy, Daisy!” It is all Gatsby thinks about, doesn’t it get annoying? No, suck it up because the next 787 words are all about Daisy and her association with symbols, her use of symbols, and herself as a symbol. How’s that possible, she’s 100% human in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Don’t worry, the vacuous space upstairs will soon be filled. So, let’s dive in, like a dead “Gatsby” in a pool.

Jay Gatsby is one of the most crucial characters in the book of The Great Gatsby and throughout the book he isn’t happy at all because he lacks the ability to deeply look at other options other than just his love and dream, Daisy. He invariably fails to look at other ways to be happy because in his eyes, his only option that he observes is the option to get Daisy Buchanan back as soon as possible, but he has one problem; Tom Buchanan who isn’t willing to let go of Daisy. Gatsby 's only way to happiness is having Daisy back so that he could recreate the past. Gatsby had the opportunity to attend Oxford and get a heavy education with a great promising future ahead, instead his wish to get back home and reunite with Daisy again. He never saw

Most Americans work hard to be better than others, achieve perfection, and hide their imperfections. Americans will do anything to hide their imperfections. This idea is present in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby and in Tennessee William’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker and Jay Gatsby appear to be living the wealthy and perfect American lifestyle compared to Nick Carraway, a man who was born and raised in the midwest and is renting a small house in West Egg, Long Island. However, Nick realizes that these innocent looking people use white to cover up their corruption and moral dishonesty. This is similar to when Blanche shows up at her sister’s doorstep wearing all white in A

Often when readers describe daisy an image is created of a selfish and shallow woman. This image is confronted multiple times in The Great Gatsby. When the reader considers daisy 's actions throughout the book with the consideration of the time and the men around her choices become clearer and possible to empathize with.

In the book, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby is exemplified through many symbols and idols. Fitzgerald uses cars to represent wealth, success, status, and glamour. As Friedrich Nietzsche states, “There are more idols in the world than there are realities.” Nietzsche’s quote shows how idols and symbols are used to create impressions. Images are powerful and set a stage for others to judge one’s character, enabling human beings to avoid seeing what realities are. Idols are potent enough to mask the truth. In the novel, despite Gatsby 's own insecurities, he is viewed as an idol in society. Idols impact and influence Gatsby’s life and those living around him. Gatsby’s car represents an idol, illustrating his wealth, capturing attention, creating impressions, and covering misconceptions throughout life in the West Egg.

The 1920s in America was better known as the “roaring twenties”. The materialistic society is reflected well in “The Great Gatsby” where Jay Gatsby didn’t have enough money to keep the high class rich girl that he fell in love with, therefore he made his money through organised crime, bootlegging. This shows the importance of money within this society as Gatsby believed that he couldn 't be with the girl he loved due to his social class. However it was a lot more than just Jay Gatsby’s wealth that meant he couldn 't be with Daisy. Gatsby completely transformed his lifestyle and in fact his name. He goes from being James Gatz to being Jay Gatsby. When Gatsby meets Dan Cody he realises that he wants this type of lifestyle full of money and