The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, characters are animated by their dreams and ambitions, but can be oppressed or propelled by their social prestige. The idea that people follow their dreams blindly but optimistically is concept that spans the novel.
The setting of the story is in an economically booming early 20th century America, where Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of the novel, has all the material possessions he could desire, but is still not intrinsically fulfilled. In this time period, it is important to note that social mobility was essentially impossible, but despite this, he became the archetypical example of a self-made man; Gatsby climbed each greasy rung of the social ladder and passionately seized each opportunity that he could find to finally attain his position as a man of wealth and influence. This is one of the reasons that Jay is set apart from other people during this time period. Gatsby can desire something so intensely, he is willing to do whatever he deems necessary attain it, but more importantly, he can succeed in doing so. As Nick narrates it, “So ...

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