The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jazz by Toni Morrison

'The Great Gatsby' is set in the Jazz Age of the 1920's in New York,

The roaring 20’s was an astounding time in the history of the United States of America. Many authors published novels, poems, and other works of literature to show their readers what it would be like to experience this time frame. Some examples of these works include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Harlem” by Langston Hughes. Both of these pieces of literature include literary elements to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. A prevalent theme that has been found in works of the roaring 20’s is the wealth that someone may or may not achieve. Literary elements such as figurative language, irony, and symbolism are profound in both The Great Gatsby and “Harlem”, adding depth to both literature works.

When F. Scott Fitzgerald was writing The Great Gatsby, he was not only working as a writer, he was an artist painting a piece through his words. While making the lives of fictional characters come to life for the reader, one of the main tools he used to do this was by using the symbolism of colors. Nick Carraway, the main character, befriends many of the wealthiest and corrupt people of Long Island, while exposing them for what they truly are in the journeys he endures with them. His extravagant use of colors to illustrate scenes and characters helps us determine the symbolism behind them, and how they’re used to expose the true personalities of the characters.

The class system is a prevalent form of oppression in both The Street by Ann Petry and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald as the characters aspire to change their lives. Lutie Johnson is a black woman trapped in the cycle of poverty with her son living in Harlem during the 1940s and Gatsby is a man of new money who attempts to woo his past lover, Daisy in the 1920s. Prejudice against people from a different class leads to classicism being one of the main themes of these texts. Classism is able to control society because it is based on the acquisition and owning of money. Social mobility is the movement of people through the social system and their ability to change class or rank in society. The attempts of Lutie and Gatsby to improve their social stations illustrate the rigidity of class organization throughout the early to mid-1900s. This is emphasized in the narrative of each protagonist, their motivations and end goals, and the narrative styles.

There are no two people exactly alike in the world. Identical twins, the only people in the world who share the same fingerprints and genetic information, have different personalities, distinct strengths and diverse shortcomings. When comparing two people, parallels can be drawn between them, but crucial dissimilarities will be highlighted as well during the process. Such is the case when it comes to analyzing the protagonists of The Natural by Bernard Malamud and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both Roy Hobbs and Jay Gatsby, the main characters of the two books respectively, are driven by money and their lust for women, and these factors lead to their eventual downfall; however, their character development is different in that Hobbs undergoes a change of heart and Gatsby suffers from a lack thereof. Although both books share many parallels such as problematic relationships, a key distinction of the two men is their ability to garner sympathy from the readers.

The American Dream is often one of the most well-known benefits of living in America. It is the push factor that has driven millions of foreigners to flock to the so-called land of opportunity. Originally, the American Dream was established by a clause in the Declaration of Independence. It reads, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Declaration of Independence par. 2). The original American Dream, as laid out by the founding fathers, was freedom from religious persecution and the right to live a happy life. That simple idea has undergone a significant metamorphosis and now the American Dream is much more complex. It has turned into a deep avaricious dream. This transformation has been noted in contemporary literature, especially in the novels Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. These pieces of literature can be read as a larger commentary on the mutation of the American Dream and how it is now more of a negative desire for greed and material. Both Fitzgerald and Alexie surmise that the American Dream has been twisted and corrupted into an uncontrolled desire that has become unattainable for many and that the pursuit of the dream has become dangerous.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, colors are one of the most important details in the book. Throughout the story Fitzgerald cleverly uses colors in order to focus on specific themes and characters. He wrote this book in a way where one can read it for pleasure, and where one could analyze it and truly appreciate the work that he has put into this book. Every color has a specific meaning which correlates with each of the characters. Specifically, gold represents wealth, high class, selfishness, and relationships; while white represents honesty, purity, innocence, and a symbol for surrendering.

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has been celebrated as one of the greatest - if not the greatest - American works of fiction. Of course, one could convincingly argue that Gatsby barely qualified as fiction, as it is the culmination of a trio of Fitzgerald’s work that

We look back in history in order to learn from our mistakes and to help society progress in the present and in the future. “The Great Gatsby” was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. Fitzgerald wrote this piece during the 1920s after WWI and it perfectly replicates the time period. The narrative captures the essence of the Jazz Age by depicting characters, showing power struggles and by defining the societal conflicts of the time. The novel tells us about different influences on the 20’s such as the Prohibition Act, the success of Wall Street, and aspects of the American Dream. “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald possesses the social constructs and ideas of the Roaring Twenties.

“You cannot open a book without learning something” (Confucius). Through numerous years of reading and comprehending texts, it’s needless to say that through each text, I overcame another road block. I have learnt to spell simple words, find morals in stories and understanding how important the Australian identity is to its country. Through my experiences of different text types, it has further shaped and moulded my personal attitudes, values and beliefs when a hurdle in my life was encountered, which is inevitable. The opportunities and experiences that I have studied has prepared me for the next stages of my journey. Each challenge and tribulation provides a fundamental foundation for the texts that we enjoy, immerse ourselves in and have further influenced all of us. In particular it has influenced my understanding of my past, present and most importantly my future.

The American Dream, a concept coined at a time when wealth, power, and prosperity was the ultimate goal. In, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald illustrates a situation where the dream in the end turns into a complete nightmare. Jay Gatsby’s love of Daisy contributed to his hunger for a wealthy lifestyle, which finally brings Gatsby to his failure.

Everyone has various goals in life that they want to achieve. However, is it worth the struggle, to the point where people forsake their identity? Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Pip from Great Expectations written by Charles Dickens, are two character who have turned their back on their past life, in order to fulfill their selfish desires. These two characters are alike as they are ashamed of their past and create a new identity to fulfill their goals, but are unlike as Pip feels guilt later on for leaving his family but Gatsby does not because he tries to buy his way out of it, and lastly they both work extremely hard towards getting the girl of their dreams.

Life is not always what it seems, but is constantly fooled by metaphorical masks people wear. The appearance of many of the characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby differs greatly from their actual selves. The use of illusion in the novel is used effectively to portray the nature of people in the 1920 's, and the “artificial” life that is lived in this modern age. There are many incidences in which the appearance of characters is far different than what lurks inside them. Several of these incidences are shown in the appearances of Gatsby himself, Daisy Buchanan, and Gatsby’s true love for Daisy. Gatsby goes through a dramatic transformation from his old self to his new self, even changing his name and buying a faux mansion in

Humans are malicious and furtive creatures. They conform to their surrounding environments and surrender to the pressures of their social class and peers. Therefore, people dissemble their true feelings, and present a false identity of themselves to the world. Humanity also struggles with the acceptance and realization of reality, for people consume themselves with their own mental fantasies. In the novels, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Lord of the Flies by William Golding, the events the characters face during the roaring ‘20s and World War II illustrate how vastly different plot can share similar themes of humanity. The duality of humanity consists of people, who conceal their true identities and emotions beneath a facade, and their willingness to reveal the truth decreases due to their social circumstances; while other times, the refusal to accept reality can cause humanity to imagine elaborate fantasies that they strive to achieve.

Born and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald (more commonly known as F. Scott Fitzgerald) became widely known as one of the greatest American authors. Fitzgerald wrote both novels and short stories, mainly set in the Jazz age. Many influences to his writing came from his own personal life and the world he saw around him. His wife, Zelda, was one of the major influences seen within many of his works. Fitzgerald encompasses many of these things in his books The Great Gatsby and Tender is the night. Letting his own life experiences and insight guide his writing, Fitzgerald explores the effect of social hierarchy on society amidst the Roaring Twenties through his use of evocative, colorful imagery and eloquent use of underlying tone.