- Published: December 17, 2021
- Updated: December 17, 2021
- University / College: Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
- Language: English
- Downloads: 24
The Great Gatsby-Literary Analysis Throughout the novel themes are fit in and seen through various characters.
. Wealth and style is depicted constantly when details of characters and their lifestyle are given, as it is such an important part to characterization. During the 1920’s wealth was a huge part of society. The actions of the characters, what they own, and how they behave, are all good examples of ways to show their style, another massive part of society and social standing of that time. During the story each character’s style develops more and more to better our understanding of the time period’s standards.
Carelessness and dishonesty is very often a part of the 1920’s. At each party, within relationships, among social classes, and many more aspects of the novel, this theme is described. The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald focuses on and portrays themes from the 1920’s such as wealth and style and general carelessness and dishonesty. Wealth and style had a lot to do with the developing of the story and the time period itself.
During the 1920’s wealth was a huge part of society. People were Judged almost entirely based on the money of their family or of themselves.
The poor seemed to Judge the wealthy saying they were stuck up, or felt like they were in control all the time. The wealthy would Judge the poor and say they’re inadequate or worthless. An example from the text is when Nick was thinking about Wolfsheim fixing the World Series in 1919, “ It never occurred to me that one man could start to play with the faith of fifty million people – with the single-mindedness of a burglar blowing a safe.
” This was a realization that the wealthy did have control over the common people. Wealth also plays a part in relationships and love.
Take Tom and Daisy for example: Daisy came from a wealthy family, with high expectations for her partner. Tom was suitable based only on the fact that he was wealthy. One’s wealth would be in control of their style.
Gatsby for example was a very wealthy man. “ On week-ends his Rolls-Royce became an omnibus, bearing parties to and from the city between nine in the morning and long past midnight, while his station wagon scampered like a brisk yellow bug to meet all trains. ” (43) This text described the lifestyle of Gatsby and of how other wealthy people may behave.
Style of a character s also a reflection of what might have been the standard for that time. For example the style that was common for women at the time would be a “ flapper” style. The bobbed hair and short skirts and independent attitude was a reflection of the breaking of boundaries during that time.
Carelessness and dishonesty played a part in many different aspects of the story. Among the wealthy in particular it seemed the only thing that mattered to them was their money. Most other things such as their relationship, or the poor, or the condition of people around them, were not as important.
Tom and Daisy, a wealthy couple, ran ott at the end ot the novel, very selfishly. Nick describes this, “ They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creature 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.
” (187). It shows that there was little concern that Tom and Daisy had for anyone or anything else except themselves. Dishonesty was a major part if the novel. It was a part of Gatsby keeping secrets and telling lies about his past.