Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic 1920's novel encompassing the story a man in search of the American dream but in a much more sinister manner. On the surface the novel is a story about the disillusioned love between two characters Jay Gatsby and Daisy. However, the strong and saddening underlying theme is far from romantic. The novel encapsulates a highly symbolic notion of the 1920's in America as a whole and in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an upperclass world of vulgar materialism.
Jay Gatsby is a man from humble beginnings trying to make his way into the prestige area of Long Island New York with a particular vision of achieving THE American Dream at a young age. Fitzgerald's social insight into the novel focuses on the young, privileged and very wealthy 'west egg' of Long Island or the 'new money'.
The text opens at the peak of Gatsby's tenacity and optimism to achieve material wealth and accomplishment at illegally attaining the American dream.
United States
The Great Gatsby
The Great GatsbyWe see him characterized against a vast mansion, brightly lit with the newly discovered electricity of the 20's at his weekly parties and fleet of shiny new cars.
Having achieved material success, the story largely tracks the development of the romance between Daisy a married woman and Gatsby, the chase for Gatsby's 'other dream', and the inspiration for his fulfillment of the American dream. Through Nick Carraway, the character in which the story is told we see the change and eventual demise from wealthy and inspired and trying to rekindle his relation with Daisy to the realisation that the American dream and material wealth will not provide the answers to life's dreams.
The American dream was meant to be about discovery and the pursuit of happiness. However,