Essay On Moral Deterioration In The Great Gatsby

1137 Words3 Pages

Exploring Moral Deterioration and Dream Pursuits in The Great Gatsby In F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic novel, The Great Gatsby, pursuing the American Dream is a driving motivation and a destructive influence on the characters engulfing the glittering world of 1920s America. Fitzgerald tells a tale of moral decay and disillusionment, against lavish parties, posh mansions, and simmering social tensions. Characters like Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan are in a spiral of ambition, wealth, and societal expectations, ultimately leading them down a path where integrity and decency are sacrificed for a lifetime of material success. Through vivid characterization and compelling storytelling, Fitzgerald explores the consequences of prioritizing …show more content…

The man of the hour, Jay Gatsby, enjoys running circles around the idea of enticing his old flame to come running back to him once he prioritizes success. "Gatsby is a self-made man--a social climber who has reinvented himself and who embodies the American ideal of democracy" (Stocks). Gatsby's transformation from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby embodies the American ideal of achieving success through hard work and reinvention. "Tom, it seems, is not impressed by Gatsby's ability to make his fortune and is certainly less inclined than Nick to allow Gatsby to lie" (Stocks). There is a contrast between Tom Buchanan and Nick Carraway regarding their attitudes towards Gatsby's dishonesty. Tom's refusal to tolerate Gatsby's lies illustrates the deterioration of moral values among the characters in the novel. "To return to the original question--what makes Gatsby 'great' for Nick?--it is that he believes the myth of the American Dream” (Stocks). Nick is biased towards Gatsby and his belief in the myth of the American …show more content…

For instance, the novel strategically employs settings like the West Egg, the East Egg, and the Valley of Ashes to symbolize different societal aspects. These locations aren't randomly chosen, but are filled with symbolic weight, revealing contrasts and tensions within society. Additionally, Wu and Shen highlight the political nature of space, asserting that it is shaped by competition between social classes, "Space is not natural, but political, and it is the product of the competition between classes." This emphasizes the connection between spatial settings and societal structures, showing how power dynamics influence where people live and work. Understanding these symbolic and political dimensions deepens our understanding of the novel's themes and characters, offering insights into Fitzgerald's commentary on social class and the pursuit of the American

Open Document