...14th 2013 Project Title: Critical Analysis of Great Gatsby novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald Introduction The Great Gatsby is may be the F. Scott Fitzgerald’s greatest novel. This novel offers damning and insightful views of the American nouveau riche in the 1920s. It is an American classic and a wonderfully evocative novel (Bloom, 2010). The author seems to have a brilliant understanding of lives that are characterised by greed and incredibly sad and unfulfilled. The Great Gatsby is at once a romantic and cyclical novel about wealth and habits of a group of New Yorkers during the Jazz Age (Bloom, 2010). Fitzgerald’s work is magnificent as he paints a grim portrait of shallow characters that manoeuvre themselves into some complex situations. The use of symbols and articulate language makes the novel to be best appreciated by mature readers; and this enables them to analyse literature and think critically (Bloom, 2010). The plot Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is a love story of sorts, the narrative of Gatsby’s quixotic passion for Daisy Buchanan. The initial meeting of the two lovers takes place two years before the novel is written. Daisy was then a legendary young Louisville beauty while Gatsby was an impoverished officer. The two fell in deep love, but while Gatsby serves abroad; his lover Daisy marries the bullying, brutal but extremely rich Tom Buchanan (Fitzgerald & Stuart, 2005). After the end of the war, Gatsby dedicates himself to find wealth...
Words: 1535 - Pages: 7
...gets to learn about Gatsby’s self proclaimed history and his possible shady business ties with Meyer Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim reveals to Nick that he is a business associate of Gatsby's. Since Wolfsheim is involved in illegal business it could be concluded that Gatsby would be as well. This is proven when Gatsby states that Wolfsheim is the one who fixed the 1919 World Series. In this situation the author is trying to make the reader wonder whether or not Gatsby made his money legitimately, despite the fact that he tries to convince people he has. People should look at this passage more than once because it is the start of the audience being able to unravel who Gatsby really is. Without this section of the text the reader would not know that Gatsby went to Oxford, received medals from European countries, hunted big game, and “lived in the West”. This information is crucial to the rest of the novel and necessary in the discovery of whole Gatsby really is....
Words: 309 - Pages: 2
...Analysis of Rhetorical and Literary Techniques The text to be analyzed here is The Great Gatsby, a novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. In this 1920s era novel, George Wilson murders Jay Gatsby, who is the central character by shooting him. This raises the question of who to blame for Wilson’s moral lapse in judgment. The shooter could be held solely responsible for this, but then we have to think about Daisy and Tom who lied to George in their bid to avoid getting into trouble for their actions (Bruccoli, 2000). Evidently, Tom and Daisy played a major role in Gatsby’s death, and so they should share the large bulk of the responsibility for his death. Tom and Daisy are largely responsible for Gatsby’s death. The author uses the technique of foreshadowing sparingly throughout the story, especially within the final chapters. In the seventh chapter of this novel, the author foreshadows Gatsby’s death, as he wrote “I felt that I had something to tell him, something to warn him about and morning would be too late. I could not sleep all night, and a fog-horn groaned incessantly. I tossed half-sick between the savage frightening dreams and a grotesque reality. When I heard the sound of a taxi going to Gatsby's drive, I quickly jumped out of my bed and started to dress up” (F. Scott Fitzgerald, 1991, p.154). This is a foreshadowing of Gatsby’s death. The author also employs foreshadowing in George Wilson's involvement and his impending actions in response...
Words: 540 - Pages: 3
...Denzell Jones A.Forrester Honors English 11 5 Feb 2013 Literary Analysis More Money, More Problems Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is known as one of the most important American writers of his time. He is also known for helping create the historical period the “Jazz Age”. Fitzgerald lived a colorful life of parties and money-spending, he lived a lavish lifestyle! F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in St Paul, Minnesota of mixed Southern and Irish descent. He was given three names after the writer of The Star Spangled Banner, to whom he was distantly related. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s exquisite, writing style was mainly influenced by Father Sigourney Fay. Princeton University, Zelda Sayre. School played a very important role in his life, Fitzgerald failed at sports but was a excellent daydreamer. During 1911-1913 he attended Newman School, A Catholic Prep School in New Jersey where he met father Sigourney Fay, who encourage his ambitious for personal distinction and achievement. (Bruccoli) Fitzgerald was excellent in school until he made it to college. As a member of the 1917 Princeton Class, Fitzgerald often neglected studies and often wrote scripts and lyrics for the Princeton Triangle Club. While on academic probation and unlikely to graduate he joined the army in 1917. Convinced that he would die in war he rapidly wrote the novel, The Romatic Egotisc, it was rejected. (Broccoli) After that book was rejected, fitgerald did not give up he begin writing his first novel, This Side...
Words: 499 - Pages: 2
...Rhetorical Analysis Any great novelist knows that a good story entails an intensive amount of detail. Literary elements really help bring a story to life and capture the event or time period that the author is writing about. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote an “over-the-top” novel, The Great Gatsby , using diction, tone, and selection of details to portray life in an upper echelon high class environment, as well as create an aesthetic impact on the reader. Diction is the choice of words that’s makes the author’s writing unique. No two authors can capture an element the same using words . “So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight- watching over nothing.”(98) Mr. Gatsby was really watching over Daisy outside over her home , but since nick had seen her and Tom reconciling, he know that Gatsby had no chance. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses abstract diction to set the scene, Fitzgerald is giving one's mind something to think about metaphorically or figuratively. Throughout The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald uses plenty of styles of diction ture the audiences attention . He uses concrete diction after the tragic accident of Myrtle's death. “It was a yellow car, a big yellow car (94.)” The African American man was describing the car that had hit Myrtle in the accident to the police, because Tom had been driving the yellow car on the way to New York and Daisy had been driving it on the way home it was a significant piece of work in The Great Gatsby. The crime could have been pinned...
Words: 263 - Pages: 2
...self-reliance and accomplishment. F Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, is an effective critique on the corruption that surrounds the American Dream. It is also a commentary on the warped view of Western hedonism and idealized lifestyles. The dream is portrayed strongly through the characters, depicting undignified ways to obtain wealth, the amoral social interactions and the illusion of affection and false fellowship. Thus exposing the unscrupulousness, self-absorption and disillusionment that lie at the wake of the American Dream. Fitzgerald critiques on the ideal of ‘self-made’ men (financially) and how through sheer desperation, men stray from conformity and followed a deviated path in order to reach wealth. The American Dream is the belief that regardless of one’s socio-economic background, an individual could still reach financial triumph through hard work, education and drive-which has been the belief of the American society. According to American sociologist Robert K. Merton, American society has generated common desires and pressures for material possession-which is how success was measured- those who fail to succeed by conformity or valid means, resort to devious acts to do so. Fitzgerald comments on this aspect of his society through the portrayal of Gatsby in the novel; who employed unorthodox ways of obtaining wealth in order to gain his incommunicable desire for Daisy’s affection. His illegal background was hinted by Gatsby himself: “… You see, I carry on...
Words: 1195 - Pages: 5
...Running head: CRITICAL ANALYSIS Essay Critical Analysis Kaplan University CM250-01: Fundamentals of Grammar and Editing Professor Jacob Kaltenbach Essay Critical Analysis Introduction The thesis presented in the essay suggests that the biographical element in Scott Key Fitzgerald’s writing is a notable quality of his novels. As evidence, it provides a brief comment about how his life is intertwine with The Great Gatsby plot and character. Finally, the essay provides the reader the biography of Scott Fitzgerald as representative of the claim. Overall, the writer’s research on Scott Fitzgerald’s novels is poor and doesn’t address the thesis. Thesis A thesis is a statement or a theory that is put forward as a premise to be maintained or proved (Dictionary.com). In this case the thesis is persuasive because the writer chooses one quality of Scott Fitzgerald writing over others that could also describe his writing as the most obviously notable quality. The purpose of the document is to convince the audience that the thesis is a correct statement. In order to convince the audience, the writer needs to provide information that is representative of the claim about the topic (p.358). The thesis suggests that “the biographical element in Fitzgerald’s writing is one of the most obviously notable qualities about his novels”. To prove the statement correct, the writer needs to provide information about Fitzgerald’s novels in relation with his life. In the document only one...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
...consequences are soon to follow. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Daisy proves herself to be incapable of being fulfilled in her life; leeching off of the success and emotions of others to get what she wants. Daisy Buchanan is an incredible example of how wrong everything can go when we don’t respect the feelings of others, nor take our own into consideration. In The Great Gatsby, Daisy proves herself to be a manipulative and irresponsible person and fails to take responsibility for her actions on multiple occasions. Whether it’s taking care of her daughter, staying...
Words: 1762 - Pages: 8
...January 2013 Research Paper The Great Gatsby was a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, and has motifs of class separation, the hollowness of the upper class, and the decline of the visions of America. The setting is New York City in the summer of 1922. Nick Carraway moves to New York in hopes of finding a job there. Nick has connections in this town, like his cousin daisy, and her husband, Tom. He moves into a home next to a wealthy Jay Gatsby, an extravagant man who loves throwing ridiculous parties. As the summer progresses, Nick finally gets invited to one of these parties, where he learns Gatsby is in love with Daisy. Nick helps set up Daisy and Gatsby, and they start spending time together. Tom gets angry and ends up driving Gatsby to his unfortunate demise. While a Feminist reading provides insight into the novel, Fitzgerald’s emphasis on the separated classes system and the materialistic beliefs of the upper class demonstrates that a Marxist approach to the novel is of more use. Feminism criticizes the patriarchal language used in novels, and how that reflects the masculinity in the novel (“Feminist Criticism”). Feminism also analyzes how status and positions in the novel relate to the contrasting man and woman. It recognizes more traditional writing, like mailman. Men tend to work towards solutions, while women work towards connecting and feelings (“Feminist Criticism”). It is exemplified in the book when Fitzgerald writes: “She told me it was a girl, and...
Words: 1831 - Pages: 8
...Analysis of “Materialistic Perception” in F. Scot Fitzgerald Using Marxist Literary Criticism Chapter I 1.1 Introduction The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. The story primarily concerns the young and mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and his quixotic passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan. Considered to be Fitzgerald's magnum opus, The Great Gatsby explores themes of decadence, idealism, resistance to change, social upheaval, and excess, creating a portrait of the Jazz Age that has been described as a cautionary tale regarding the American Dream. 1.2 State of Problem The Great Gatsby provides a critical social history of America during the Roaring Twenties within its narrative. That era, known for unprecedented economic prosperity, the evolution of jazz music, flapper culture, and bootlegging and other economy struggle that was the result of the materialism and capitalism damaging on social behavior, led to the widespread social distress. 1.3 Theoretical Framework Using literary criticism to interpret what is the ideal life of America in 19th century and what is the dream of American people after World War I. as a Marxist interpretation of the novel makes especially clear, reveals its dark underbelly instead. Through its unflattering characterization of those at the top of the...
Words: 6033 - Pages: 25
...This is true when it comes to finding a significant other, but also when pertaining to literature. How to Read Literature like a Professor by Thomas Foster, is a guide purposefully identifying literary conventions to enable a reader to develop analytical skills. Each chapter highlights essential elements seen in texts within the literature society including references to the Bible, purposeful environment settings, and the symbolic attachment of supernatural creatures. The Bible is a powerful piece of literature connecting to the vast majority of society's morals and beliefs. Foster states how "often those values will not be religious in nature but may show themselves in connection with the individual's role within society."(Fitzgerald 88)Religious references in literary text do not always refer to God but biblical references in a text can strengthen the plot through...
Words: 651 - Pages: 3
...The American Dream, fueled by ambition and hopes of success, can often be exposed as a nightmare in disguise. Set in the roaring twenties, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby demonstrates such a point, criticizing the American Dream as well as the dishonest values of characters attempting to achieve this dream. When Nick Carraway moves to Long Island's West Egg, home to the newly rich, he is not expecting to get dragged into an atmosphere of depravity and deceit. Next door lives the elusive Jay Gatsby, a self-proclaimed Oxford man who throws extravagant parties at his mansion with the sole intention of reuniting with Daisy Buchanan, his lost love and true desire. The American Dream was traditionally the belief that anyone, regardless of background, has the opportunity to be happy and successful through hard work, yet as America evolved, the dream did too. The once virtuous ideal modernized into a plot for materialistic power. By the end of the novel, Fitzgerald is trying to project the idea that the American Dream is not only an unattainable ideal, but in addition, corrupts those who seek to obtain it. Firstly, Gatsby's unrealistic dream of Daisy is used to portray the unattainability of the American Dream. In Gatsby’s mind, Daisy is perfect in every aspect and the object of his greatest desire. He becomes so engrossed with the image of Daisy from his memories, that even she herself cannot fulfill his expectations: "There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy...
Words: 1030 - Pages: 5
...The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a 1925 novel about complex characters and their intricate relationships. Both the characters and their relationships are central focuses in the purpose of the book; however, those focuses can be understood differently in terms of the unique values of Eastern and Western cultures. An understanding of the text can change drastically based on those interpretations. Jay Gatsby is a prime example of a character that is subject to diverging interpretations. Gatsby’s significance in the text makes a reader’s analysis of him incredibly important to understanding the text. A central theme is observed in his character: “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone...remember that all the people in this world haven’t...
Words: 979 - Pages: 4
...Perhaps F. Scott Fitzgerald's greatest work, The Great Gatsby is not only a great story, but an insight into the flaws of real life during the "Roaring Twenties." His book has been considered by many a symbol for the "Jazz Age," a time of extraordinary wealth and promise, but Fitzgerald's novel is much more than that, presenting the truth behind the twenties and creating an atmosphere which has earned a permanent place in American literature. Fitzgerald's novel works on many different levels, giving us unforgettable characters and events on one, as well as referring to the problems of American wealth and spirituality on another. However, what is the main point of the book? And most importantly, what on earth is that mysterious green light? Those questions, as well as many others will be answered in this analysis, which will discuss the underlying meaning and symbolism behind The Great Gatsby. "I didn't call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone - he stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness." (16) So ends the first chapter of The Great Gatsby and brings to our attention the first symbol in this book - that mysterious...
Words: 2134 - Pages: 9
...I. INTRODUCTION a. Background of Choosing the Work of Art The Great Gatsby is a 1925 novel written by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald that follows a cast of characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island in the summer of 1922. Fitzgerald was the most famous chronicler of 1920s America, an era that he dubbed “the Jazz Age.” Written in 1925, The Great Gatsby is one of the greatest literary documents of this period, in which the American economy soared, bringing unprecedented levels of prosperity to the nation. Prohibition, the ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol mandated by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution (1919), made millionaires out of bootleggers, and an underground culture of revelry sprang up. The chaos and violence of World War I left America in a state of shock, and the generation that fought the war turned to wild and extravagant living to compensate. The Great Gatsby is highly symbolic meditation on 1920s America as a whole, in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess. Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in its overarching cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. So, choosing The Great Gatsby and had the characters as its focus in this paper because it covers Marxism where each character’s purpose in life is money, and the essence of desire is wealth. It is clear within the text that...
Words: 1497 - Pages: 6
