Fitzgerald draws on the lack of morality evident in the 1920s, allowing it to influence the way he chooses to depict his characters as innately flawed in nature and characterized as immoral humans. The lack of morality in the 1920s influenced the way Fitzgerald portrayed characters and relationships in The Great Gatsby. Flappers emphasized a desire for freedom and experimentation which created an environment of immorality. In general, flappers tended to view older generations as “...old-fashioned puritans who now offered the country only hypocrisy and outmoded sentiments” (Streissguth). It was their belief that generations prior to their own were stiff and judgemental, focusing too much on conservative and old-fashioned values. Due to the …show more content…
older generations inflexibility, the new generation transitioned into a time that emphasized a more carefree lifestyle. This relaxed attitude can be seen through the relaxed and provocative nature of partying women. Furthermore, unfaithfulness in relationships increased as people began to crave freedom. Streissguth states that “the new marriages of the 1920s were more often likely to end in divorce as the social stigma of divorce was weakening in a time of greater freedom and experimentation”. In other words, people during the 1920s wished to experiment and seek new experiences, causing them to find it difficult being tied down. Fitzgerald suggests that seemingly happy marriages are on the path to divorce due to the emphasis on freedom and experimentation.This irony can be witnessed through Tom’s anger with Daisy’s infidelity. Despite his own delve into infidelity, Tom becomes upset with the idea of Daisy possibly cheating on him. He becomes enraged and yells that “...nowadays people begin by sneering at family life and family institutions…” (Fitzgerald 137). Tom’s statement represents an overall lack of focus on maintaining a happy marriage. It demonstrates that even the possibility of infidelity can lead to an unhappy marriage, and inevitably divorce. Even though Tom is hypocritical, Fitzgerald intends to draw attention to a shift from conservative familial values, to immoral provocative ones that undermine a happy marriage facade. Fitzgerald criticizes the general provocative behavior in the 1920s through his use of flappers and through Tom’s statement. Prohibition, the popular 1920s movement, not only increased general criminal activity but also played a prominent role in understanding Gatsby’s immoral actions. Popular crimes during the 1920s are reflected through Gatsby’s questionable past. During the 1920s bootleggers like George Remus became rich off of the illegal booze trade, which caused some critics to suspect that he inspired the characters Fitzgerald presents (Eversole). Fitzgerald proves this suggestion to be true when Tom Buchanan unveils the truth about Gatsby’s past. Tom reveals that “[Gatsby] and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter…” (Fitzgerald 141). This crime that Gatsby commits shows he has bad morals through his motivation to do so. Gatsby knew that Daisy would not love him unless he had money, and so he felt that what he did was justified. However, Gatsby’s actions does not prove that he has sound values, but instead that he does not understand the ramifications of his actions. While Gatsby’s immorality came in part from his motivation, it was also created through his decision not to drink but continue selling alcohol. Gatsby decided he would not drink after witnessing its harmful effects on Dan Cody. “It was indirectly due to Cody that Gatsby drank so little… for himself [Gatsby] formed the habit of letting liquor alone.” (Fitzgerald 107). Although Gatsby himself did not condone drinking, he still sold liquor to people illegally. His actions are hypocritical of his beliefs, which shows that he does not hold sound values. With the heavy focus on prohibition during the time it would be suspected that Gatsby would never be a bootlegger, however his decision to be one and lie about it gives him a bad sense of character. A desire for material goods distinguished the 1920s and influenced the way Fitzgerald portrayed materialistic values through rich characters and their impact on morality.
Daisy Buchanan symbolizes the corruption and materialism that was a distinct aspect of 1920s culture. In “Jazz Age,” it is discussed that “...the ideal Daisy embodies in the novel is the original idea of america, corrupted by materialism in the modern age.” Daisy’s materialistic viewpoint is shown when she refuses to marry Gatsby because he is poor. In this moment, Daisy proves that she values material goods over happiness. Not only does she depict the corruption within herself, but in doing so corrupts Gatsby. Gatsby ultimately blames himself for her decision to leave him saying that “...he let her believe that he was a person from much the same stratum as herself...As a matter of fact, he had no such facilities…” (Fitzgerald 156). This moment drives him to turn to life of crime in a fruitless attempt to win her back. However, this theme of materialism is not solely portrayed through the characters in the novel, but the landscape as well. Contrasting to the beautiful, rich land of East Egg is the “wasteland” (“Jazz Age”) of the Valley of Ashes. The land of sad factories, workers, and ash depict the repercussions in trying to satisfy the relentless demands of those who wish to possess an excessive amount of items. People destroyed the once “virgin land” (“Jazz Age”), and chose to compensate by creating a …show more content…
new land where they could pretend their greed did not lead to the demise of once fertile land. The 1920s world, becoming consumed by industrialization and material goods, is reflected through the valley of ashes and the rich people who choose to look down on it as if it were not created out of their own greed. While Huck was able to solve his answers about morality in the end, the characters in The Great Gatsby continue to allow their actions and society dictate their lives.
Although the 1920s was significantly different in terms of discrimination, the pressures from society were just as distinct. For Gatsby, the combination of immoral actions resulted in his ultimate demise. Through Gatsby’s death Fitzgerald is critiquing the ways in which his characters got lost in their own morality, and makes a larger statement about people as a whole. While it may never be fully understood what makes a person have good morals, Fitzgerald seems to suggest that all humans are inevitably corrupt in nature despite their attempts at justifying their means. Fitzgerald subtly hints that the nature of the 1920s is reflected in his characters through their many immoral
actions.
The 1920s was of time of class, rich people thrived, woman started to revolutionize, music, and everything started to change. Major things happened during this time period including, discrimination against minorities and women pushing for natural rights. F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of, The Great Gatsby, was born in St. Paul, Minnesota during the 1920s into a family with high social aspirations but little wealth. He attended Princeton University in 1913 in hopes of becoming something more in life but failed to graduate. After serving for the army Fitzgerald wrote his first book and became wealthy and famous( Wiggins, Grant. The American Experience: California. 2010.pp 729). Two of many themes in the The Great Gatsby are resistance to change and the “new woman”. There were numerous events that led to these changes in the 1920s and many had a huge significance to the nation and still affect us today.
“What’s most appealing about ‘Gatsby’ might be its mood of witty hopelessness, of vivacious self-destructiveness” (Rothman 1). Both the novel and film portray the self-destructive behavior that every character participates in. Fitzgerald often saw this behavior in American culture and expanded on it, as explained by Rothman, “Fitzgerald understood the pleasures
In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald is criticizing American society of the 1920s. He uses the characters to demonstrate the power than men had over women during these times, as well as their mindless, self-indulgent actions, where consequence was only an afterthought. The attitude towards and the role of women is shown throughout the novel. Fitzgerald also shows how many people in America during this time were delusional and had meaningless existences.
.... (Parkinson 96) This kind of so-called rebellious lifestyle encompasses a part of Gatsby; the part that put ultimate wealth as a life goal and as a way to Daisy. This depiction of Gatsby’s battle for the girl proves that Fitzgerald’s view towards wealth had to have been influenced by the time period he lived in. It also demonstrates the emptiness of values and morals that were so common amongst the majority of the population at that time. This lifestyle spread like a virus to most people because it promised a happy life while being the social norm at the time. It not only included wealth as a goal but sex and women played a crucial role in the average American dream during the 1920’s. For, “wealth and sex are closely related in this vicious and greedy world of plunder, which renders life meaningless by denying any altruism in human endeavor” (Parkinson 110).
In the novel, Gatsby, a wealthy socialite, pursues his dream, Daisy. In the process of pursuing Daisy, Gatsby betrays his morals and destroys himself. Through the eyes of the narrator, Nick, one sees the extent of the corruption Gatsby is willing to undertake in order to achieve his dream. Although Fitzgerald applauds the American Dream, he warns against the dangers of living in a world full of illusions and deceit; a trait common during the Roaring 20s. The language and plot devices Fitzgerald uses convey that lies and facades, which were common during the Guided Age, destroy one’s own character and morals.
The Roaring Twenties is considered a time of mass corruption and excessive absurdity. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses his novel, The Great Gatsby, to criticize the American society and its values in this era. This criticism is best shown in the behaviour of the people who go to Gatsby's parties; they are careless, rude and only looking out for themselves. It is also shown in the corruption of the police, who are easily paid to look the other way. It is finally apparent in the corruption of friendship and love, the truth being that there is none. This society and its values are self-centered and materialistic, caring very little for consequences and others. Fitzgerald's message is delivered magnificently and causes one to be appalled by the behaviour of the people during this time in history.
In the novel The Great Gatsby, the 1920’s was a “throwaway culture, in which things (and people) are used and then abandoned” (Evans). This is true of the lives of the wealthy elite who ruled the East and West Eggs, causing the domination of materialistic thought. The substitution of money for integrity ultimately provided a way for corruption to take deep roots in the characters. The frivolous lives and relationships described by F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby depict the emptiness of the shallow 1920’s era.
The moral decay of society during the 1920’s was represented through the characters in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. People became selfish as their wealth increased, and they didn’t care at all what they did to other people, as long as they ended up okay in the end. Dishonesty became accepted, and that led to a downfall of society. Because of the character’s lack of morals and responsibility, Gatsby, an innocent man, died.
The great gatsby is a classic american novel that is not afraid to look at the negative sides of society. In fact, that is the main basis of the whole novel. People so disgusting, but yet still so very real. People are not always so relatable in their faults. In fact, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s world of dazzling colors and extravagant parties, it is probably the more untouched part of society that people try to shove in the back of their minds. Fitzgerald shows the less than beautiful nature of the glamorous people in his stories through character development, or lack of it. With this along with his overarching themes of decay, a reader can see the message the author is trying to convey.
Fitzgerald shows that Americans are greedy people who only truly care about their materialistic desires. That people can be judging others for their lack of materialistic goods like money. Daisy was born into a very important, rich family. This is something Gatsby was never apart of with his family. Before Gatsby went off to war him and Daisy loved each other. But after Gatsby left for war, Daisy ended up marrying a wealthy man named Tom. She left him for a reason of her own. The reason has to do with the materialistic decisions and desires of Daisy. We find out that reason once Gatsby attains his prestigious wealth and big mansion. Daisy is in love with the place and cant get enough of everything there. “He took out a pile of shirts, and began
Fitzgerald illustrates rampant materialism to demonstrate social stratification and the ultimate decline of values and nobleness surrounding the American Dream.
Additionally, possessing materialistic good and wealth is all people want at this time. No matter where someone lives, the want for wealth and materialism is always there. People may have everything and still want more whereas there are people who do not have anything but the idea of materialism. It is all anyone wants and they manage to get it one way or another. Myrtle Wilson, Tom’s mistress, lives in the Valley of Ashes with her husband but she wants to leave that place and live the American Dream. Unfortunately, it is not in her husband’s reach because they do not have much money which leads Myrtle to want so much in New York when she is with Tom. Nick describes what Myrtle is doing when he says, :… she bought a copy of Town Tattle and a moving picture magazine, and in the station drug-store some cold cream and a small flask of perfume…’I want to get one of those dogs.’” (Fitzgerald 27).
At a first glance, The Great Gatsby, seems like it is just a story of the wealthy people who lives the desired, dream life. However, if one reads carefully between the lines, they would encounter the colossal amount of symbols and messages dispersed throughout this one novel. One of the main messages the author gives out is the criticism of materialism. Myrtle, the wife of poor mechanic struggles to escape from her miserable life and Gatsby, struggles while he is eager for regain his lover who has married another man. They are both examples of people who has been corrupted by this idea and chooses to adopt the new, perfect figure that they desire to be. F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel, The Great Gatsby, uses clothing to demonstrate how materialism
Through the course time, adversities of people can be seen apparent in literature and popular culture of the times. The lack of power and privilege to certain groups of people, and social statuses, was a great source of adversity to many during the 1920s. One major group that suffered from unequal power and privilege during this period were women. This can be thoroughly shown in the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald himself is considered to be a member of the “Lost Generation” and was directly impacted culture and views of the 1920s, which affected his characterization of many in his novel. Fitzgerald's misogynistic view of women leads to conflicts and portrays women incorrectly. These conflicts are shaped by their
The American Dream. This mentality of individualism, discovery, and the pursuit of happiness has always been and continues to be a staple of American culture. F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his novel The Great Gatsby, explores the disintegration of the American dreams in the 1920s in an era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess through characters, such as Nick Carraway, Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson, and Daisy Buchanan, who are seeking the happiness they desire. However, in order to obtain such happiness, these characters fall into the trap of materialism and decayed moral values. By depicting characters’ emotional isolation as a means of coping with the empty pursuit of pleasure, Fitzgerald criticizes the superficial effect of the unattainable