Essay about How can Gatsby be called Great - 1327 Words

The title of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ can be seen as incredibly ironic: not only can the ‘greatness’ of the eponymous character be vehemently contested, he is not even named ‘Gatsby’. In fact, he is a criminal, James Gatz, who, although he appears to be an epitome of the idealistic American Dream, having grown from an impoverished childhood into a life of excess and splendour, he has obtained everything through crime and corruption. Indeed, it has been said that ‘The Great Gatsby’ is â€Å"a parable of disenchantment with the ‘American Dream’† , and it is, for the American Dream is the idea that â€Å"through hard work, courage and determination, one could achieve prosperity.† James Gatz did not obtain his prosperous lifestyle†¦show more content†¦He appears to be taken in by Gatsby, by the glamour, the light, and the initial conception that Gatsby is an epitome of the American Dream. After all, Nick himself was incredibly isolated, even though he was in the city. He describes how â€Å"at the enchanted metropolitan twilight I felt a haunting loneliness†, how his house was â€Å"a small eyesore† next to the two huge mansions, in the â€Å"less fashionable† of the two Eggs of land on Long Island. He is incredibly isolated in this world, and so gets drawn in by Gatsby’s world, the house, the parties and the man himself: There was music from my neighbour’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars. (Chapter 3) This lavish description is an example of how Nick is taken in by Gatsby and his world. Whereas to others, these parties would be perhaps commonplace, he is in complete awe. This is evidence for Nick’s, instead of impartial, as he claims, rather subjective narration of the events that took place. Indeed, even when he attempts to distance himself from the parties and Gatsby’s lifestyle, we are not convinced: Reading over what I have written so far, I see I have given the impression that the events of three nights several weeks apart were all that absorbed me. On the contrary, theyShow MoreRelatedDefining the Twenties in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald782 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Gatsby Literary Analysis The book, The Great Gatsby, was written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and it was published in 1925. This novel is one that defines the Twenties. The speaker of the book is a young man who goes by the name of Nick Carraway, who is from Minnesota. Throughout the book, he both narrates the story and casts himself as the author of this book. His father taught him to reserve judgment about other people that crossed his path. This is because if he deals with them throughRead MoreIrony In The Great Gatsby Essay871 Words   |  4 Pagesnovels such as, â€Å"The Great Gatsby,† tackle the subject of â€Å"faking†, which means when a character is pretending to be something or someone that he or she is not. Although, it takes a while or someone from a higher social class.† Quoted from an online source. This progression is important, because it helps make an idea that relates to Gatsby being an illusion as someone who’s generous and mysterious man, but in reality, a weak and miserable character. In the novel, â€Å"The Great Gatsby†, by Scott FitzgeraldRead MoreTo What Extent Can Gatsby Be Considered a Tragic Hero?1023 Words   |  5 Pagesextent can Gatsby be considered a tragic hero? Before we can judge if Jay Gatsby is a tragic hero, we should look at the exact deï ¬ nition of a tragic hero. 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Scott Fitzgerald889 Words   |  4 Pages The Great Gatsby is one among many of the highly acclaimed novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the novel, the reader learns about the difficulties and trials of achieving the American dream. The protagonist, Jay Gatsby is an example of modern America. His family was dirt poor but he dedicated his time to achieving his dreams and now he has all the money he could want. Gatsby is self made; he lives in West Egg and has what is called â€Å"new money.† Five years prior, Gatsby met Daisy, a beautiful andRead MoreGatsbys Pursuit of the American Dream Essay827 Words   |  4 Pagesworking hard, one can achieve success; this is in contrast to other countries where the immigrants came from, in which one was either born into money and privilege or not, and if you werent, there was no way of achiev ing this success. The American Dream eliminated the barriers between people that social class had held for centuries in Europe. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, shows the corruption of the American Dream from what it used to be in the past. Not only does Jay Gatsby achieve his successRead MoreThe Great Gatsby: Admiration for Gatsbys Character as Fitzgeralds Novel Progresses950 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Great Gatsby,† in 1926, however he set it in the summer of 1922, or as he christened it, the Jazz age. Through the way Gatsby is perceived we can see Fitzgerald’s ideas on the American dream and the effects it has on those who chase it. I chose this question as it relates strongly to how my views towards Gatsby change as the novel proceeds. Fitzgerald achieves this alter in feelings through his writing style, the theme of the novel and his use of narration. My initial feelings for Gatsby wereRead MoreAchieving Dreams Illegally1543 Words   |  7 Pageswere famous for their involvement in organized crime during the 1920s. One of these characters was Jay Gatsby from The Great Gatsby. The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, may have even based this character after one of the most well-known organized criminals of the time. Jay Gatsby becomes involved in crime to try and win over the love of his life, who he had left five years back. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the negative aspects of the 1920s, specifically organized crime, to proveRead MoreF. Scott Fitzgeralds Personl Influences on The Great Gatsby1762 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead.† (Fitzgerald, 1925). The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925, and takes place in 1922. The novel greatly exemplifies the time period that it takes place in, known as â€Å"The Roaring Twenties† or â€Å"The Jazz Age†. One way of exemplification is prohibition and the Volstead Act. According to David J. 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