Caos and Crime in the The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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The scarcity of principles Sometimes literature can be used for pleasure, but more often than not, literature is used to reveal the evils in society. The 1920’s marked a time of economic growth in America’s, post World War 1. A new generation flocked from small towns to big cities in search of exhilaration, opportunity, and a modern way of living. People lived lavishly and had no need to be concerned about others. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presents a harsh picture of this world, which he sees around him. It is fraudulent and devoid of any morality. He presents society in the story to be headed towards disaster. Society has assumed twisted worldviews, mistakenly believing their lives revolve around social boundaries. This in turn causes the demise of humanity. Therefore, in the Great Gatsby the disintegration of modern society and culture can be seen through the deficiency of religion, commitment, and honesty. The lack of virtues in the story can first be seen by the character’s lack of faith. In Fitzgerald’s book, society is in chaos, and crime is everywhere. They have turned away from a deity and have embraced lavish lifestyles. George Wilson embodies the loss of religion when it was stated, “You ought to have a church George for times like this.. that was a long time ago”(Fitzgerald 165). This quote brings to light that many got rid of their faith and embraced alcohol and partying as a way to heal their burdens and emotional problems. The character, Daisy also reveals the manner in which people in the story discarded faiths when it states, "You see, cried Catherine triumphantly. She lowered her voice again. It’s really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic, and they don't believe in divorce. Dai... ... middle of paper ... ...the Great Gatsby the disintegration of modern society and culture can be seen through the absence of religion, commitment, and honesty. People in this time period have turned away from all religion and have embraced unholy lifestyles. Both men and women are fickle, void of fidelity, without remorse or conscience. Finally, no one is able to say the truth to each other. Fitzgerald also brings to light how ineffective the American dream is because no one is able to achieve it. Gatsby has the quality of being a hard worker with diligence, but he is unable to hold on what he cares most deeply about, Daisy. He pursues with full force Daisy, his American dream, which leads to his own death. Fitzgerald questions the validity of the American dream and communicates it is unattainable. Therefore, he leaves the reader pondering their moral values and how it will affect them.

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