Hello readers, I'm writing this blog as an Assignment on Paper number 106 (The Twentieth century literature: 1900 to World War 2) assigned by Professor Dr. Dilip Barad sir, Head of the Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University.
Name: Gayatri Nimavat
Paper: 106 (The Twentieth century literature: 1900 to World War 2)
Roll no: 06
Enrollment no: 4069206420220019
Email ID: gayatrinimavat128@gmail.com
Batch: 2022-24 (MA Semester - 2)
Submitted to: S. B. Gardi Department of English,Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University
Thematic study of 'The Great Gatsby'
Introduction:
F Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby' is a novel that has captured the imagination of generations of readers. Set in the Roaring Twenties, it explores themes such as the American Dream, love and obsession, wealth and class, and the corruption of American society. The novel is a complex work of literature that uses vivid imagery, symbolism, and character development to convey its themes. In this assignment, we will examine some of the key themes in 'The Great Gatsby' and analyze how Fitzgerald portrays them with some examples.
About Author (F. Scott Fitzgerald):
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896 at St. Paul, Minnesota, U.S. and died on December 21, 1940, Hollywood, California. He was an American short-story writer and novelist famous for his depictions of the Jazz Age (the 1920s). His most brilliant novel being ‘The Great Gatsby’.
His Notable Works:
‘Tales of the Jazz Age’
‘Tender is the Night’
‘The Beautiful and Damned’
‘The Crack-Up’
‘The Diamond as Big as the Ritz’
‘The Last Tycoon’
‘This Side of Paradise’
Themes:
The American Dream:
The American Dream is a concept that has been a driving force in American culture since the early 20th century. It is the belief that with hard work, determination, and a bit of luck, anyone can achieve success and prosperity in the United States. This idea has been explored in various forms of literature, with one of the most famous examples being F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby."
In "The Great Gatsby," the American Dream is portrayed as an illusion that is ultimately unattainable. The novel is set in the Roaring Twenties, a time of great wealth and excess, and follows the story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who has achieved the American Dream on the surface. However, as the novel unfolds, it becomes clear that Gatsby's wealth and success are built on a foundation of corruption and deceit.
Gatsby's pursuit of the American Dream is driven by his desire to win back his former love, Daisy Buchanan. He believes that if he can achieve enough wealth and status, he can be reunited with her and achieve the happiness he desires. However, his pursuit of the Dream ultimately leads to his downfall, as his shady dealings catch up with him and he is killed as a result.
Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's story to critique the idea of the American Dream and its inherent flaws. He portrays the Dream as a shallow and materialistic pursuit that ultimately leads to emptiness and disillusionment. Gatsby's wealth and success are portrayed as empty and meaningless, and his pursuit of them is ultimately futile.
Other literary works have also explored the theme of the American Dream, including Arthur Miller's play "Death of a Salesman". The play follows the story of Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of the American Dream. However, like Gatsby, Loman's pursuit of the Dream ultimately leads to his downfall, as he realizes that his life has been built on a foundation of lies and illusions.
Ralph Ellison's "Invisible Man" is a novel that also explores the theme of the American Dream in a different way than "The Great Gatsby" and "Death of a Salesman." The protagonist of the novel is a nameless Black man who lives in the segregated South in the early 20th century. He is a talented and ambitious young man who believes in the American Dream and its promise of equality, freedom, and opportunity.
The novel portrays the American Dream as a myth that is used to perpetuate racial oppression and inequality. The protagonist's pursuit of the Dream is repeatedly thwarted by the racist society in which he lives. Despite his talent and hard work, he is constantly discriminated against and denied opportunities because of his race. He is forced to hide his true identity and conform to white society's expectations in order to survive.
The protagonist's journey is a metaphor for the struggle of Black Americans to achieve the American Dream in a society that is built on racism and prejudice. The novel portrays the Dream as a false promise that is used to maintain the status quo and deny marginalized groups their rights and freedoms. The protagonist's invisibility is symbolic of the way in which Black Americans are often invisible and marginalized in American society.
In "Invisible Man," the American Dream is not portrayed as an unattainable illusion like in "The Great Gatsby," but rather as a lie that is used to justify systemic racism and oppression. The novel exposes the hypocrisy of a society that claims to value equality and opportunity but systematically denies these values to certain groups.
The pursuit of wealth and status:
The pursuit of wealth and status is a central theme that drives the characters' actions and motivations. The novel portrays the excesses and hedonistic lifestyles of the wealthy elite in the 1920s and their obsession with money and power.
The protagonist of the novel, Jay Gatsby, embodies this pursuit of wealth and status. Gatsby is obsessed with becoming rich and powerful so that he can win back his former love, Daisy Buchanan, who comes from a wealthy and influential family. Gatsby goes to great lengths to acquire his wealth, including becoming involved in illegal activities, throwing lavish parties, and attempting to erase his humble origins.
However, the pursuit of wealth and status proves to be a double-edged sword. Despite his riches, Gatsby is never able to truly fit in with the upper class and is ultimately rejected by Daisy. The novel suggests that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to moral decay and the loss of one's true identity. The characters in the novel are all motivated by their desire to be seen as successful, but in doing so, they lose sight of what is truly important in life.
This theme is explored in many other works of literature, including:
"Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller - This play focuses on the life of Willy Loman, a salesman who is obsessed with achieving the American Dream of wealth and success. He sacrifices his relationships and health in pursuit of this goal, but ultimately fails to attain it.
"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger - The protagonist of this novel, Holden Caulfield, is disillusioned with the materialistic and superficial society around him. He rejects the values of wealth and status and instead seeks authenticity and genuine connections with others.
"The Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck - This novel tells the story of the Joad family, who are forced to leave their farm during the Great Depression and travel to California in search of work and a better life. The characters' struggle for survival and economic stability highlights the harsh realities of the pursuit of wealth.
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde, This novel explores the corruption and decay that can come with the pursuit of pleasure and wealth. The main character, Dorian Gray, trades his soul for eternal youth and beauty, but becomes increasingly depraved and immoral as he indulges in his desires.
The power of illusion:
In "The Great Gatsby," the theme of illusion is a prominent and powerful one. Throughout the novel, characters create and maintain illusions of themselves, their lives, and their relationships with others.
One example of illusion in the novel is the way in which Gatsby constructs an elaborate façade of wealth and glamor in order to impress and win back his lost love, Daisy. Gatsby throws lavish parties, wears expensive clothes, and drives a luxurious car, all in an attempt to make himself seem like a man of wealth and status. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Gatsby's wealth is largely a facade, and that his true identity and background are much more humble.
Another example of illusion in the novel is the way in which Daisy constructs an illusion of herself as a happy and carefree socialite, when in reality she is deeply unhappy and unfulfilled in her marriage to Tom. Daisy attempts to maintain this illusion by surrounding herself with luxury and indulging in frivolous pursuits, but ultimately she is unable to escape the emptiness and dissatisfaction that plague her life.
This theme refers to the idea that individuals can create their own versions of reality and manipulate others' perceptions to fit their desires.
Many literary works in literature have this theme, For example "Hamlet" by William Shakespeare. In this play, the titular character is consumed by the illusion of revenge, which he believes is his duty after the murder of his father. He becomes so fixated on this illusion that it ultimately leads to his own demise as well as the deaths of many of the other characters.
The theme of love and obsession:
"The Great Gatsby" explores the themes of love and obsession, particularly through the character of Jay Gatsby and his infatuation with Daisy Buchanan. The novel depicts how love and obsession can lead individuals to pursue their desires relentlessly, ultimately leading to tragic consequences.
Jay Gatsby's love for Daisy is obsessive and all-consuming. He has built his entire life around the idea of winning her back, even though she is now married to another man. He throws lavish parties in the hope that she will attend, and he spends his time and money trying to impress her. His love for her is so strong that he is willing to take the blame for a crime that she commits, just to protect her.
The theme of love and obsession is not unique to "The Great Gatsby." There are numerous literary examples that explore these themes in various ways.
Another example is Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet". The young lovers in this play are so consumed by their love for each other that they are willing to die rather than live without one another. Their love is intense and passionate, but it is also ultimately tragic.
In Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Lolita", the protagonist Humbert Humbert becomes obsessed with a young girl named Dolores Haze, whom he calls "Lolita." He is willing to do anything to be with her, even if it means manipulating and controlling her. His obsession ultimately leads to tragedy for both himself and Lolita.
The emptiness of the upper class:
The emptiness of the upper class is a prevalent theme of this novel. This theme highlights the hollowness and superficiality of the wealthy socialites who inhabit the novel's world. The characters in the novel, particularly the wealthy elite such as Tom and Daisy Buchanan, are consumed by their pursuit of pleasure and material possessions, but they lack any real purpose or meaning in their lives.
Jay Gatsby, the titular character, is also a member of the upper class, but he is different from the others in that he is driven by a single-minded desire to win back his lost love, Daisy. However, even his pursuit of Daisy is ultimately hollow and misguided, as he is unable to see her as anything other than an object of his desire.
Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald suggests that the emptiness of the upper class is a product of their detachment from the rest of society and their lack of concern for anyone other than themselves. The characters' self-absorption and lack of empathy lead to a sense of moral decay and a loss of values, ultimately contributing to the tragedy that unfolds in the novel.
For example "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton: This novel examines the New York high society of the early 20th century, specifically the life of the beautiful and intelligent Lily Bart. Lily is driven by the need to maintain her social status and is willing to do whatever it takes to remain among the elite. However, as she becomes increasingly entrenched in this world, she realizes the superficiality and emptiness of her peers, leading to her eventual downfall.
"The Age of Innocence" by Edith Wharton: Another Wharton novel that explores the upper class of New York, "The Age of Innocence" centers around Newland Archer, a member of the upper class who becomes disillusioned with his social circle. The novel highlights the rigid social codes and expectations that govern the lives of the wealthy, leading to a stifling sense of conformity and emptiness.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, 'The Great Gatsby' is a novel that continues to resonate with readers today because of its exploration of universal themes that are still relevant. Through its characters and their actions, Fitzgerald highlights the dangers of chasing the American Dream, the corrupting influence of wealth and power, and the tragic consequences of obsession and love.
Reference:
Akesson, Johan. “The Failed American Dream? - Representation of the American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Ralph Ellison.” Lund University Publications, 2017/18, https://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8933871/file/8933872.pdf. Accessed 20 March 2023.
HANZO, THOMAS A. “THE THEME AND THE NARRATOR OF ‘THE GREAT GATSBY.’” Modern Fiction Studies, vol. 2, no. 4, 1956, pp. 183–90. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/26273109. Accessed 20 Mar. 2023.
Word Count: 2151
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