Many war i. during the war, fitzgerald

Many comparisons can be made between the novel, The Great Gatsby, and its author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. Both the novel and Fitzgerald’s life took place in the 1920’s. F.

Scott Fitzgerald and Nick Carraway attended Ivy League universities. Similar to Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald dropped out of Princeton to join the United States Army for World War I. During the war, Fitzgerald fell in love with a woman named Zelda and Gatsby fell in love with Daisy. Zelda wanted a rich, successful man, like Daisy saw in Gatsby, and Fitzgerald worked so he could be that man for her. He started to write books, like how Gatsby threw parties to impress Daisy. When Gatsby died, almost no one came to his funeral.

Nick made an effort to call as many people as he could, then realized that Gatsby was a private person and Nick seemed to be his only friend. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s funeral was attended by only twenty to thirty people, including his only daughter. The 1920’s were considered to be known as The Roaring Twenties or The Jazz Age. It was the end of World War I, and with the end of war came a new, modern way of living. Women gained freedom, like the right to vote, and African Americans were becoming famous for their taste of jazz music. There was a mass production in the automobile industry as well as an increase in job availability. Soldiers came home, hopeful to forget the war.

In order to forget, the men often turned to alcohol. Unfortunately, there was a prohibition of alcohol. As a result of people’s drinking problems, the government forbid it. The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution declared the production, transport, and sale of alcohol illegal. Although it was illegal, people continued to drink. Parties, similar to the events that Gatsby hosted, continued to serve alcohol. During the 1920’s there was a difference between the upper social classes, which Fitzgerald often notes. As previously mentioned, there was the old money and the new money.

The newly rich, at this time, mostly gained their wealth from taking part in criminal activity. Gatsby, not only inherited some money, but he also took part in criminal activity, like bootlegging. Gatsby sees that the Buchanans are of a higher class, which motivates him to believe that you can always turn back time and live in the past. By living in the past, Gatsby would have Daisy to himself and would not have to compete with Tom regarding their wealth. “ Gatsby lacks the maturity to realize that Daisy cannot be obtained by money alone and in a vulgar display of conspicuous consumption, he flaunts his nouveau wealth,” (Canterbery, E. Ray).

This quote can connect to the scene where Daisy visits Gatsby’s house and he begins throwing shirts at her, to “ shower her in his wealth” and ends with Daisy crying over his wealth and the amount of shirts he has. “ By displaying his wealth in this manner, Gatsby tries to impress Daisy, as he once was impressed by her house, when he could not believe that people actually lived like that. What Gatsby really does is that he shows Daisy his ability to spend money” (Fälth, Sebastian). Gatsby was able to recognize that Daisy is materialistic.

He is also begins to use this to his advantage when he realizes that Daisy finds love where there is money. At this time, the old aristocracy had much more value than those of new money, as “ Jay Gatsby wants to live with Daisy Buchanan because she is a member of the established American aristocracy of wealth,” (Canterbery, E. Ray).

Gatsby is desperate to live the same lifestyle as Daisy, as he sees that the Buchanans are higher in the upper class system than he is. He tries to show her that he is better than he actually seems, but most importantly, he tries to show her that he is better than Tom.