A technique that Fitzgerald employs a lot in his works is the simile. In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby has many parties in order to impress the love of his life Daisy, the lights are very bright in his house so he uses this simile “in his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings” (Hendrickson’s, Styles Par 3). This simile exemplifies how bright Gatsby’s house is and how it can attract people from all over the place, just like moths to a light that is glowing. Fitzgerald continued with using insects in his similes with this example, Fitzgerald describes Gatsby’s car as “scampering like a brisk yellow bug” (Hendrickson’s, Styles Par 3). Fitzgerald description compares Gatsby’s car to a scampering yellow bug and helps This is a very unique example because this example includes two similes; these similes help the reader obtain a metaphorical image of Amory and the fact that he has had way too much to drink at the party. Amory has two main loves in his life. Again Fitzgerald uses the unique way of having two similes in The Love of the Last Tycoon. “Under the moon the back lot was…like the torn picture books of childhood, like fragments of stories dancing in an open fire” (Hendrickson’s, Styles Par 3). These similes are important because it portrays that Hollywood to Stahr was no different than childhood because during her childhood she had the ability to create magic in her films and now the only difference is that she creating that magic in Hollywood (Hendrickson’s, Styles Fitzgerald might employ similar techniques in all of his novels; yet he uses some very different techniques that are only used in one or two of his works. In The Great Gatsby, he uses the technique of repetition. Fitzgerald’s reference to repeated careless driving in his characters show the severe lack of responsibility in character. For example, one of the main characters in this novel named Owl Eyes leaves Gatsby’s driveway and ends up “in the ditch beside the road, right side up, but violently shorn of one wheel” (Hendrickson’s, Styles Par 4). Unlike Owl Eyes, who fortunately doesn’t harm anyone in the accident, “Myrtle Wilson has her life violently extinguished” (Hendrickson’s, Styles Par 4), by one of Fitzgerald’s main characters named Daisy who didn’t even slow down for Myrtle. In this same novel, one of the characters named Jordan Baker, drives so recklessly and close to someone that she ends up popping a button of his jacket. Fitzgerald not only just uses repetition of reckless driving to show people 's lack of responsibility but also uses the repetition of the color green to show a
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel The Great Gatsby, common themes integrated into the story include love, wealth, the past and desperation. Of these themes, desperation is the most prominent. Fitzgerald writes desperation into his characters so deeply that the reader can feel what the characters feel. Examples of desperation within characters include the unreachable love, wealth, new life, and overall happiness.
Themes of hope, success, and wealth overpower The Great Gatsby, leaving the reader with a new way to look at the roaring twenties, showing that not everything was good in this era. F. Scott Fitzgerald creates the characters in this book to live and recreate past memories and relationships. This was evident with Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship, Tom and Daisy’s struggling marriage, and Gatsby expecting so much of Daisy and wanting her to be the person she once was. The theme of this novel is to acknowledge the past, but do not recreate and live in the past because then you will not be living in the present, taking advantage of new opportunities. Gatsby has many issues of repeating his past instead of living in the present.
In the third sentence, note the metaphor and explain Fitzgerald’s choice of this particular metaphor.
Considering that many authors use figurative language techniques in their writing to help convey a specific message; there is no wonder why Fitzgerald and Twain both use the tools for the purpose of criticising people in more of a low key fashion. Fitzgerald uses many different figurative language devices in The Great Gatsby, like similes. Because it is set in the roaring 20s, partying is a big element to the storyline. When Gatsby throws extravagant parties, Nick thinks to himself “...men and women came and went like moths among the whispering and the champagne and the stars.” (Fitzgerald 44). Nick refers to the social statuses of the young people in the 1920s. It proves that they really just want to party, get wasted, and that they absolutely
In stories, minor characters are often highlighted to display or represent a certain idea. The novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, shows the rich and their romps. Most are carefree and only care about themselves and their status. The novel focus’ on Jay Gatsby, a mysterious extravagantly rich man who throws blowout parties and lives in luxury in hopes of winning over his love, Daisy. Gatsby builds his life of from nothing, as the son of poor farmers from the west and then morphing himself into a New York millionaire. Only to be destroyed when Daisy kills her husbands mistress and Gatsby takes the blame for her; eventually leading to his murder. No one but a party goer nicknamed Owl Eyes and Gatsby’s live-in resident Klipspringer attends his funeral. All of Gatsby’s business partners and the thousands that came to his parties did not care enough to come to his funeral. Gatsby spent all his time focusing on one dream that he did not make connections and socialize with people that cared about him, but his parties. The lifestyle of the American Dream arguably became the only thing that people were chasing. Through the character of Owl Eyes, Fitzgerald shows the rise and fall of the American Dream and the consequences that come with it.
One can first see this use of language by looking at the point of view that the characters are seen in. Nick, the narrator, comes to Long Island, completely drawn by riches. Without even realizing it, Nick equates money to beauty and happiness. Fitzgerald’s use of language through Nick, always describes daisy as entrancing, beautiful, charming, tempting, sumptuous, and many other sexual, beautiful words; ...
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses colors to symbolize a character’s inner thoughts and feelings or an objects deeper meaning. He uses colors to symbolize the many different ideas in the book. The colors are used very often as symbols, and the hues create atmosphere in different scenes of the book. Color symbolism is used to convey a deeper message to the readers and help them understand the characters. The novel shows the major themes through the use and explanation of many different colors.
In the novel F. Scott Fitzgerald used very descriptive writing when talking about the parties that Gatsby held at his mansion in a bid to gain Daisy’s attention and also to create the illusionary world that they live in. By using descriptive language acute attention to detail, the use of creativity and imagination are used to create characters and settings in the readers mind. Along with the use of descriptive writing the use of atmosphere was used. This was used to create tension and leave the readers wanting to know what happens next in the story, as there was a surprise around the
In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses tone, diction, syntax and imagery to voice Nick's perception of the world around him. In this passage his use of language is used repetitively to convey Jordan Baker, Daisy and Tom Buchanan's lives. On the outside it may look like they all are living a perfect and ideal life, however Fitzgerald's illuminating use of language highlights how far from perfect their lives truly are.
The Great Gatsby, is beautifully written, and uses symbols effectively, drawing the reader in, and piquing their interest from chapter one to chapter nine. The use of color is most common in the novel, with the use of of many colors the author is able to subtly get his point across. Fitzgerald also uses locations like the Valley of Ash. Objects are used as a way to create mystery and suspense. The symbols help the reader understand the novel better by adding details that make the story more interesting.
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses reckless driving as a metaphor to show the carelessness of the wealthy characters. Many of the characters are reckless drivers, such as Jordan Baker and Daisy Buchanan. They don’t seem to care about the well-being of other drivers that they may hurt from being bad drivers. In the novel, driving techniques symbolize social status and character which later channels death and destruction. In The Great Gatsby, the author uses reckless driving as a metaphor to show readers how people of higher social class live their lives in destructive ways.
For example, “He broke off and began to walk up and down a desolate path of fruit rinds and discarded favors and crushed flowers” (Fitzgerald 116). This quote reinforces the death of the American dream by setting. In this quote the flowers represented Daisy and they were crushed. The desolate path of fruit rind resembles Gatsby’s luxurious life. Fruit rinds also resembles how people are after leaving Gatsby’s house parties. Crushed flowers are his dreams. That’s because Daisy is a flower name. Also that shows that there is no hope that they would ever have a life together. Gatsby dream is forever gone and will never come
Themes of violence and carelessness are found throughout the text of The Great Gatsby. A violent act is portrayed in every chapter of the novel but one; often, the episodes are the products of passion, but they are also frequently due to carelessness. Myrtle Wilson’s tragic death perfectly embodies the sort of negligence, passion, and power that hangs about calamity throughout the novel. The driver, Daisy, appears suddenly, kills Myrtle, and leaves suddenly, without taking responsibility for damage done. "The ‘death car,’ as the newspapers called it, didn’t stop; it came out of the gathering darkness, wavered tragically for a moment and then disappeared around the next bend" (Fitzgerald 144). The accident that killed Myrtle Wilson was a senseless and reckless act- the result of frayed nerves and a distracted mind. Daisy did not watch out- nor did she stop, investigate, or try to explain herself. The fact that her confession could have saved Gatsby’s life is infuriating and typical of the character. This idea of carelessness seems common to women within the novel; Jordan Baker is another classic example of violence by negligence. She is breezy, carefree, and completely irresponsible, a striking impression made crystal clear in every situation, most notably when discussing her driving. When Nick scolds that she is a rotten driver, and that she should be careful, her blithe excuse for her negligence is that, "Well, other people are" (Fitzgerald 63). This flippant answer is an accurate glimpse into Jordan’s nature. Jordan Baker’s reckless abandon is just one example of the careless natures that contribute to violence within the novel. This thread of irresponsibility permeates throughout the novel. Tom and Daisy themselves are, in the end, deemed to be careless and dangerous. As Nick says, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…" (Fitzgerald 188).
F. Scott Fitzgerald is the master of symbolism. Symbolism plays a vital part in two of his most famous novels, The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. From the valley of ashes to “Daddy’s Girl”, Fitzgerald weaves symbols throughout his novels that help the plot to thicken and progress. They also allow readers to look at the novels in a more analytical point of view, which makes the novels more interesting to read. Fitzgerald’s symbols truly make his works a pleasure to read.
One example of a modernism technique that Fitzgerald uses is loss of control. The characters often lose control and make bad decisions that have horrible effects. For example Tom Buchanan to whom is married to Daisy Buchanan who is the second cousin to nick the main character and narrator of the story, is having an affair with a Mrs. Myrtle Wilson and because she is saying Daisy’s name hits her. “Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand,”(page 41). This shows his loss of control over his emotions. He was showing anger toward his mistress and because she was not obeying his demand of not mentioning Daisy’s name. In another instance in The Great Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan ran myrtle Wilson-her husband’s mistress-which killed her instantly. She was hysterical when she discovered Gatsby‘s true source of his money and she could not be linked with someone of “Dirty Money,“(page153). George Wilson, who is Myrtle Wilson’s Husband, is so upset over myrtle’s death that he, after being misinformed, shoots and kills Gatsby to whom he believes is responsible for his wife’s death and then takes his own life. “…the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete,”(page170).