Analytic Essay: The Great Gatsby Essay

Analytic Essay - The Great Gatsby

The message that Fitzgerald is trying to address in the novel The Great Gatsby is the American dream surrounding the roaring twenties; is that material things such as wealth and power may get you big people things but it can also rotten the persons mind and turn them into a bad individual. The American economy during this time was prospering and expanding, people were getting rich here and there over the stock market and such businesses basically over night. Jay Gatsby had a tough life growing up in the poverty stricken North Dakota in organized crime, bootlegging boom shines or illegal alcohol and trading securities. Ever since Gatsby was young he dreamt of being wealthy and smart. His inspiration to be this wealthy and smart guy was for his sweetheart he met named Daisy Buchanan. The Author could relate to the character Gatsby because their life styles and personalities were identical. Peoples love for wealth can corrupt and can have a undesirable effect on the people around you in your life.

The truth was that Jay Gatsby, of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of Goda phrase which, if it means anything, means just thatand he must be about His Fathers business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end. This quote supports the evidence that Gatsby creating his own identity to remain committed to his goal and fulfill his dream.

In life everybody would like to have lots of wealth to keep up with their lives and needs taken care of. Some people gets these needs taken care of as soon as their born because of the family their born into. Some grow up and earn this wealth themselves, while some grow up and have to suffer for what they need. Nicks father told Gatsby that whenever he felt like criticizing someone one just remember that all the people in the world havent had the advantages that you have had. Gatsby followed this quote and worked his way up to get somewhere in life. The American dream was about discovery, individualism and happiness but eventually easy money and bad morals corrupted this dream into something it was never meant to be. He attempt to get an education after the war and get millions of dollar, a giant mansion and high lavish weekly parties every weekend was his new plan at gaining Daisys heart. His desire for these things affects Daisys life because he lied at first about his family so she married Tom Buchanan.

The author uses literary techniques to enhance his message. One literary technique is symbolism when he uses it in the story at Daisys East Egg dock seen from Gatsbys West Egg lawn. The green light represents Gatsbys hopes and dreams for the future. In chapter 1 he reaches for it in the dark as a guidance to lead him to his goal; Daisy and green referring to money. Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but thats no mattertomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And then one fine morningso we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. This quote shows his passion for the goals that Gatsby wants to achieve, this shows the significance of recreating the past to dream into the future. The metaphor compares both his struggle and the whole American dream.

When Tom was called into to answer the phone for him, Daisy had walked in to see what was going on and Jordan told Nick that he was having an affair with a woman in the city. Nick and Tom go to the city to find a nice car. They meet up with a man name Wilson for the car but later on ends up in an apartment of Jordans mistress named Myrtle who was Wilsons wife. The three of them were having their own party when Myrtle got out of hand when she got drunk and ends up being punched in the nose by Tom when she repeats Daisys name. Later on Nick meets his neighbor Gatsby who been throwing all those lavish wild lavish parties. Gatsby knowing that Nick was Daisys cousin take this advantage and Nick arranges a get together so Gatsby can meet Daisy after so many years. The two meet after all those years but Daisy was being reckless kissing Gatsby even when her cousin Tom was around. Myrtle ends up getting killed outside by a hit and run and Wilson kills Gatsby when he hears about the situation with him and Daisy.

Other literary techniques using throughout the story was motif and pathetic fallacy. Another symbolism in the story is the valley of ashes that is between the West Egg and New York City (Manhattan). West Egg is Manhattan where all the new get rich fast people settle down while the East egg is where the wealth is inherited to the generations. This area shows the long stretch of garbage land of industrial ashes caused by the need of wealth and the rich indulging themselves with no regard at all to the environment around them. Wilson also lived here. Another symbolism is the eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg advertisement sign on an old battered billboard over the valley of ashes. Fitzgerald refers that this only has meaning because the character gives them meaning. This sign only shows the essential meaninglessness of the world they live in. I remember we talked about that the sign was God looking over the people and land.

Fitzgerald the author shows these literary techniques symbols, motifs, metaphors, imagery to bring his messages to the reader. This book shows the demeaningness, greed and corrupted dreams that flows throughout the upper class, especially on the East Egg. This story really brings those things out and shows them how it ruins their lives and the differences between upper class West and East and Gatsbys greed to fulfill his goal of getting Daisy and Daisys need for materialism. This story really makes you really think about life and rethinks it in ways to not do it in the future or think about doing it.