Examples Of The Forgotten Era In The Great Gatsby

Justin McMullen

English III, Block 1

4/25/2015

The Forgotten Era

The novel the “The Great Gatsby” received critical acclaim within the realm of modern literature during the wild and flourishing period of the roaring twenties as it explored the corruption of the American dream. The American dream is the concept that any person can be successful as long as they are willing to work hard and use their natural gifts to persevere in the face of obstacles. Jay Gatsby is the very image of that dream as he goes from rags to riches. He acquired all the modern luxuries in a brief period of time when he returned from the war penniless. Gatsby had everything he could dream of owning, yet all he felt was unhappiness and discontent. People who seem to

Yet Gatsby instilled within himself a sense of quiet defiance, that he may one day be able to obtain all that he dreamed through the acquisition of money and Daisy, even if he had to recreate the past to do it. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties were simply an attempt to impress his lost love, Daisy. He created a life of luxury in hopes of finding that green light, but money alone proved it wasn’t enough. Fitzgerald seemed to express a clear message that money can never buy happiness. What really matters in life is the relationships we have, the contributions we make and the love we give. No novel has ever been able to teach this underlying message quite like “The Great Gatsby”. The 1974 movie retains the closest depiction of the novel “The Great Gatsby”. The older film succeeded in replicating the novel because its goal was not to be the most

The opening of 1974’s “The Great Gatsby” does a great job of introducing the story in a purely visual way. This was a well-crafted, perfectly executed adaptation. The opening scene panned over Gatsby 's bedroom of a Daisy framed photograph, monogrammed personal items, and Irving Berlin 's "What 'll I Do" song all merged to help capture the time and the period as a story of dashed hopes, romance, human greed, carelessness, and the inevitability of human mortality. Remember that the beginning of Luhrmann’s version opens with Nick in a sanitarium with the events of the novel already having passed. This intro did not exist within the novel and it leaves the audience feeling a sort of confusion at the disparity and grimness as the green light shines and the music turns melancholy with the backdrop. For the movie to adequately portray the novel, it should be capable of standing on its own rather than have to stand in the novel’s shadow. The intro in the 2013 version required foreknowledge from the original work in order to understand the sadness. In another comparison, the scene where Nick invites Daisy for tea at Gatsby 's request, far too much humor detracted from the narrative. In the novel, Nick described Gatsby’s building anticipation at seeing Daisy: “Mr. Gatsby had sent a man in a raincoat to cut my grass. I went into town to buy some cups and lemons and flowers. The