Every era has their own downfall. F. Scott Fitzgerald circles his novel “The Great Gatsby” around moral downfalls in the 1920’s. Jay Gatsby, Doctor T. J Eckleburg, and Daisy Buchanan convey how in the 1920’s, American society is blinded by wealth, materialism and pleasure. Each of these characters represent different goals, lifestyles, and values that the American population glorified. The “one nation under God” that is repeated in the American pledge was ignored because their hearts and souls were religiously set onto dreams of lavish lifestyles.
Researchers like William Doino have noticed that F. Scott Fitzgerald relates his personal life to The Great Gatsby Novel. Doino announces that “it is precisely his boyhood faith filled with catechisms
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His only hope of a better life is the possibility that Tom sells his car to him. Wilson’s wife Myrtle commits an affair with Tom Buchanan and dies racing in front of Tom’s car. Wilson becomes so devastated that his only vision is of Dr. Eckleburg's billboard eyes who he claims are “The eyes of God” that “sees everything”. In words of Dale B. J. Randall, an English professor at Duke University, “Some readers have thought that Wilson, at least here, sees clearly. He says, "That's an advertisement" (Dale B. J Randall 55). The reply concerns either the billboard alone or far, far more than the billboard. After all that Wilson has struggled with in his life (Myrtl's mischief, work going slow, poverty, and the death of Myrtle), the reader can sense an "eye opening" moment for him when he experiences the presence of Dr. Eckleburg's billboard. Wilson assumes that the eyes see everything, but it is an advertisement after all, making it blind itself. Advertisements imply selling, and media. The fact that Wilson is seeing this so late in the novel may be due to the strong wave of materialism in the era. People like Wilson are so blinded by materialism, wealth, and power, that they do not, in fact see the eyes of God watching them. Instead they see the eyes of an advertisement, a propaganda, and a false
more diverse look at the life of Gatsby. Also shows how much Gatsby dwells on
Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.
The dawn of the 20th century was met with an unprecedented catastrophe: an international technological war. Such a horrible conflict perhaps threatened the roots of the American Dream! Yet, most do not realize how pivotal the following years were. Post war prosperity caused a fabulous age for America: the “roaring twenties”. But it also was an era where materialism took the nation by storm, rooting itself into daily life. Wealth became a measure of success and a facade for social status. This “Marxist materialism” threatened the traditional American Dream of self-reliance and individuality far even more than the war a decade before. As it morphed into materialistic visions (owning a beautiful house and car), victims of the change blindly chased the new aspiration; one such victim was Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby. As his self-earned luxury and riches clashed with love, crippling consequences and disasters occur. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby delves into an era of materialism, exploring how capitalism can become the face of social life and ultimately cloud the American Dream.
Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.
Things seemed to be great for America following World War I. While the United States seemed to be showing great wealth on the exterior, the interior and inner soul of America seemed to be dying off. Many of the worst aspects of the Gilded Age seemed to be rearing its ugly head once again (Levitt 260). The Great Gatsby did great at expressing these qualities. Of the many intentions of the novel, Fitzgerald portrayed how Victorian Moral Values began to dissolve throughout America’s society. People traded these values in turn for upward mobility and wealth. There were not many figures at the time that helped present and influence morality to the grand scheme of people (The Great Gatsby). Because of this, the decay of morality seemed to spread like wildfire and affected a numerous amount of
In Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan and George Wilson are two characteristics that have very different social backgrounds. Tom Buchanan is an entitled, wealthy, young man who is married to Daisy. Tom lives in West Egg, the location of the “old rich”. George Wilson in a poor man who lives in the valley of ashes with his wife Myrtle. Tom and George are similar yet contrast in their attitudes toward women, the ways they show violence, and their reactions to betrayal.
While certain characters in novels have flaws that provide a mysterious or strange image toward them, Mr. Wilson is completely far from that “mysterious” feel, until we catch a glimpse of his true colours nearing the end of the novel. Throughout the book, Mr. Wilson is merely a person who works in a car garage all day, just to save enough money to relieve himself out of his terrible position. “[He’s] been here too long. [He] wants to get away. [His] wife and [him] want to go west.”(Fitzgerald. 123) This quote exemplifies how Wilson wants to shift from the Valley of Ashes to a more decent household that will satisfy his greater needs. These personal goals to succeed in life ...
F. Scott Fitzgerald clearly expresses the failures of American society during the 1920s in his novel The Great Gatsby through the characters of Gatsby, Myrtle, Tom, and Daisy. The fact that Gatsby was so desperate money in order for him to be able marry Daisy that he broke the law to get it and was able to avoid punishment is an obvious example of the failures of society. Gatsby has been in love with Daisy for five years and she has loved him, but because of his lack of money and him going off to war, Daisy picked Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man, instead. Once he returned to war, he realized he would have to make a great deal of money to win Daisy back.
Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.
When luxuriant lifestyles of the 1920s, commonly labeled the Roaring ‘20s, come about, morality and individual ethics go instantaneously out of style. Along with these poor morals, crass materialism becomes widespread among the fortunate, transforming noblesse oblige into an unpopular belief, and furthermore leaving those incapable of tremendous success back in the dust. The inevitable alterations in morality repeatedly occur as America continues to progress, and several traits similar to those of the 1920s are visible today. Fitzgerald’s use of The Great Gatsby for social commentary is parallel to today’s social atmosphere.
The roaring 20’s was a decade unique to itself. Viewed as a thriving era; one of prosperity, wealth and of the abundance of dreams come true. It was a time of great celebration and of exuberant lifestyles, that for many camouflaged their happiness and contentment. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, achieving the American Dream seems to escape some, dispute opportunity and good fortune. Fitzgerald’s novel takes place in New York, narrated through the eyes of Nick Carraway, a young man who seemingly manages to gain the confidence of those who have secrets that brings the meaning of tragic hero to life.
George Wilson is the naïve husband to Myrtle Wilson, the woman having an affair with Tom Buchanan, who is the "brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen"(Fitzgerald 16) husband to Daisy Buchanan, the woman whom Jay Gatsby, the main character, is in love with: a very removed yet significant role in the story. Evidently playing the role of the common man, in a story revolving around wealth and possessions, George Wilson is the owner of an auto body shop and is described as a "spiritless man, anemic and faintly handsome"(29). Wilson's common man image helps to further develop the theme of Wilson is deeply in love with Myrtle to a point where he is paranoid of losing her. "`I've got my wife locked in up there,' explained Wilson calmly. `She's going to stay there till the day after tomorrow and then we're going to move away"(143).
The idea of tragedy has been around ever since the Greeks. It has always been a major part of literature, from Shakespeare’s plays to modern works. Thousands of authors have written amazing tragedies including the famous American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald in his novel The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby contains many tragic heroes, but the novel is truly the tragedy of George Wilson. The story of George Wilson is truly a tragic because he is a good person, he loses everything and his only part in his downfall is his trust.
The moral decay of society during the 1920’s was represented through the characters in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. People became selfish as their wealth increased, and they didn’t care at all what they did to other people, as long as they ended up okay in the end. Dishonesty became accepted, and that led to a downfall of society. Because of the character’s lack of morals and responsibility, Gatsby, an innocent man, died.
The Roaring Twenties is considered a time of mass corruption and excessive absurdity. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses his novel, The Great Gatsby, to criticize the American society and its values in this era. This criticism is best shown in the behaviour of the people who go to Gatsby's parties; they are careless, rude and only looking out for themselves. It is also shown in the corruption of the police, who are easily paid to look the other way. It is finally apparent in the corruption of friendship and love, the truth being that there is none. This society and its values are self-centered and materialistic, caring very little for consequences and others. Fitzgerald's message is delivered magnificently and causes one to be appalled by the behaviour of the people during this time in history.