The Great Gatsby: An Example Of A Perfect Society

610 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gatsby's immoral consequences

Throughout literature, one of the most prevalent themes is the ideal of a perfect world, which traditionally represents the citizens views. These views reflect on the various aspects of one’s lifestyle during the time periods of various novels such as The Great Gatsby, The Scarlet Letter, and The Crucible. These aspects usually fuse with each other because religion leads to politics. Politics leads to culture. Culture then paves the way for certain individuals to try to achieve their perfect society throughout these novels, although the perfect society dream oftentimes does not coincide with reality. Nathaniel Hawthorne exhibits a notable example of a failed perfect society, which is displayed as the Puritan society. In The Scarlet Letter, Puritans are held to a high standard and a very strict set of rules, which to leaders, this makes a perfect society. Except that citizens are different, and will not always follow the rules. For example, Hester Prynne definitely does not contribute to a perfect society because in the eyes …show more content…

During this time period, the culture of the “Roaring Twenties” practically had everybody in the pursuit of wealthiness. For example, Daisy “... wanted her life shaped now, immediately - and the decision must be made by some force - … of money... “ (151). While this quote shows her materialism, it also shows that Daisy is in the pursuit of money, which she believe will make her happy. Although, it turns out that money is certainly not everything, because Daisy ends up miserable in the end. Daisy is miserable because she is still with Tom, her adulterous husband, that ultimately controls the outcome of her perfect world, which is supposed to be happy but ends up miserable. F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts a perfect example of someone’s impractical world being

Show More
Related

  • Symbolism in Jackson's The Lottery

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...l human character. Writers of American literature have many different opinions on the society. In order for readers to understand an author’s view on the society, they must look at many different aspects including the writer’s life and the time period in which the work was written. Though writers have different theories about the society, they express their philosophies into their work. The town who seem horribly uncivilized, where a son stones his mother, yet they can easily be compared to today's society.

    Read More

  • Essay Outline On The Great Gatsby

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thesis: How does F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, compares the American Dream in today's generation and back in the 1920's-30's? What did the American Dream really mean and why? So why did this issue happen? Do you think America can change in the future? What is the american dream really about? When did the phrase: ‘american dream’ started? Have you ever wondered what the 20s and 30s were like back then? How can this so called dream ever bring hope to our country? These are all the questions I would like to know myself. I’ve found three online sources & one source from the novel that can help explain about the 20th century, the Gatsby novel, today's generation, and about Mr.Gatsby from the book.

    Read More

  • Context In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

    2054 Words  | 5 Pages

    Moreover, Daisy's nihilistic and hedonistic values are direct representation of the society in 1920s America, as much of the society also disregarded the value of life This illustrates why I think that the

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Essay: The Great Gatsby is Not So Great

    505 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Great Gatsby is Not The novel has no plot to mention. . The book is sensational, loud, blatant, ugly, pointless. There seems to be no reason for its existence: Harvey Eagleton (Dallas Morning News, May 10, 1925). F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an absurd story, whether considered a romance, melodrama, or plain record of New York high life.

    Read More

  • The American Dream in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    1085 Words  | 3 Pages

    .... (Parkinson 96) This kind of so-called rebellious lifestyle encompasses a part of Gatsby; the part that put ultimate wealth as a life goal and as a way to Daisy. This depiction of Gatsby’s battle for the girl proves that Fitzgerald’s view towards wealth had to have been influenced by the time period he lived in. It also demonstrates the emptiness of values and morals that were so common amongst the majority of the population at that time. This lifestyle spread like a virus to most people because it promised a happy life while being the social norm at the time. It not only included wealth as a goal but sex and women played a crucial role in the average American dream during the 1920’s. For, “wealth and sex are closely related in this vicious and greedy world of plunder, which renders life meaningless by denying any altruism in human endeavor” (Parkinson 110).

    Read More

  • Degradation of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Daisy's life is full of excitement and wealth, she gets practically everything she desires and feels like she has it all. As a person of high society, she treats those below her with disdain, even her cousin. “What shall we do with ourselves this afternoon.and the day after that, and the next thirty years?” (Fitzgerald 118). The Jazz age has changed Daisy and influenced her to become careless as she seeks empty love, money and pleasure.

    Read More

  • Greatness In The Great Gatsby

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness. Jay Gatsby, the cryptic main character from F. Scott. Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, is a man who has traveled through many rough roads throughout his life. These troubles that Gatsby had to overcome range from fighting in the war, losing the love of his life, and many shady dealings to obtain finances. Despite Gatsby’s life of controversy, many unanswered questions, and a plethora of luck, Gatsby is considered a man of many successes. Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s neighbor and close friend, considers Gatsby to have achieved greatness. Nick sees a greatness in Gatsby that he has never seen in any other man; unfortunately, all great characters do not always have happy endings. Gatsby’s

    Read More

  • Thesis Statement For The Great Gatsby

    514 Words  | 2 Pages

    Choose one of the following topics and write a well-organized essay with evidence supporting the statements you set forth. Your response should be two pages, double spaced with a 12 font in Times New Roman:

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Final Essay

    754 Words  | 2 Pages

    As depicted by Scott F. Fitzgerald, the 1920s is an era of a great downfall both socially and morally. As the rich get richer, the poor remain to fend for themselves, with no help of any kind coming their way. Throughout Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the two “breeds” of wealthier folk consistently butt heads in an ongoing battle of varying lifestyles. The West Eggers, best represented by Jay Gatsby, are the newly rich, with little to no sense of class or taste. Their polar opposites, the East Eggers, are signified by Tom and Daisy Buchanan; these people have inherited their riches from the country’s wealthiest old families and treat their money with dignity and social grace. Money, a mere object in the hands of the newly wealthy, is unconscientiously squandered by Gatsby in an effort to bring his only source of happiness, Daisy, into his life once again. Over the course of his countless wild parties, he dissipates thousands upon thousands of dollars in unsuccessful attempts to attract Daisy’s attention. For Gatsby, the only way he could capture this happiness is to achieve his personal “American Dream” and end up with Daisy in his arms. Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy is somewhat detrimental to himself and the ones around him; his actions destroy relationships and ultimately get two people killed.

    Read More

  • Essay On Greatness In The Great Gatsby

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald an image of greatness is portrayed. In my opinion, Gatsby is not great. Although he is a caring person and his intentions are good with what he does, he is not great. Social class, insecurities, and love sway Gatsby’s decision to be the way he is. Bootlegging and lying are the qualities that do not make him great. His greatness diminishes throughout this novel. Throughout this novel there is a difference between perceived greatness and actual greatness. Overall, Gatsby was not great.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of 'The Great Gatsby'

    897 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jay Gatsby’s funeral is a small service, not because that 's what was intended, but because no one bothered to show up. Nick wanted to give Gatsby the popularity he desired, even in death, but only three people were present in the end. Gatsby’s father, Henry C. Gatz, shows up unexpectedly from Minnesota because he heard about the news in the papers. He believes that the man who shot his son must 've been mad, that no one in their right mind could commit such a horrible act. Daisy and Wolfsheim, the people closest to Gatsby in the book, do not attend. This exemplifies that it was always about wealth and social status for them, including Tom, and they never genuinely cared for Gatsby. Nick held up hope,

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Great Gatsby

    1300 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this story by F. Scott Fitzgerland the characters are Jay, Nick, Daisy Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson, Catherine, Henry C. Gatz, Dan Cody, Ewing Kilpspringer,

    Read More

  • Historical Analysis Of The Great Gatsby

    1887 Words  | 4 Pages

    The word visually stunning could be used to describe the 2013 Baz Luhrman directed adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel The Great Gatsby. Speaking of the director, I enjoyed his portrayal of the lavish lifestyle and carefree party like attitude in such a beautiful visual experience. The way in which the party scenes were filmed in the movie made perfect sense compared to the source material and were something I have never seen done by any other directors in a live action film. Another positive for me about this film was the soundtrack. When I first started watching the film I expected to hear old time music prevalent in the 20s. I however was pleasantly surprised when I learned the soundtrack was compiled by Jay-Z and featured many tracks I enjoyed featuring him either alone or accompanied by another musical guest. While Jay-Z is not exactly an accurate representation of the music of the 20s, the soundtrack adds a modern flavour over the previously mentioned beautiful backgrounds and architecture. The story however is where the movie at times falls flat. When stripped down to basics it is nothing more than a generic love story with a few twists added in for extra kick. The characters in the same vain can be very bland and not make you care much for them due to their backstories not being deeply explored. The only character that I found to be interesting was Jay Gatsby because of the mystical aura that surrounds his character at the beginning of the movie that leads you to want to uncover more of this ever mysterious man. All in all the visuals clearly outpace

    Read More

  • Personal and Social Struggles in The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although a strict society composed of high morality and disciplinary laws may be necessary for safety, it causes internal conflicts within the individuals. In The Crucible, by Arthur Miller a theocracy in Salem rules and guides the citizens into doing what is “right”, but eventually backfires due to issues of reputation and jealousy. Society has a lot of influence on the citizens, and with a bad reputation, it is nearly impossible to live in a Puritan society. Salem’s strict Puritanical social structure causes personal struggles for the individuals involved in the events of The Crucible, and then eventually these personal struggles affect the society overall.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby A Criticism Of The Twenties (grade 11 Essay)

    1454 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Roaring Twenties is considered to be a time of excessive celebration and immense corruption. The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a criticism of American society and its values during this era of history. This criticism is first apparent in the people who go to Gatsby's parties. They get absurdly drunk, do not know who their host is and are rude by excessively gossiping about him. This commentary is also shown in the corruption of the police. Gatsby is able to pay off the police so that the activities going on at his home will go unnoticed and so that he may behave as he wishes. This criticism is finally shown in the corruption of friendship and love, the simple fact being that there is none. People use Gatsby and then throw him away. Fitzgerald's criticism of American society and its values during this time period is first shown in the behaviour of people at Gatsby's parties.

    Read More

More about The Great Gatsby: An Example Of A Perfect Society

Open Document