Similarities Between The Great Gatsby Oryx And Crake

Fitzgerald’s and Atwood’s Portraits of Crumbling Civilizations

In The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan says, “Civilization is going to pieces.” Discuss how Buchanan’s words apply to both The Great Gatsby and Oryx and Crake.

The Great Gatsby and Oryx and Crake are both cautionary tales of the consequences of a society of excess, immorality, and uncontrolled consumerism and materialism. On the one hand, Fitzgerald tells its story within the context of the Roaring Twenties, America’s era characterized by an empty pursuit of happiness. During this decade, intellectual depth becomes an insignificant concern as a superficial competition for social status is firmly rooted in people’s lifestyle. On the other hand, Atwood uses a dystopian realistic future

to carry the readers along in a world where social inequality and genetic modifications become the norm.*1 A story about the future of the Earth, Oryx and Crake represents an “educated guess” and warning about the shortcomings of the American society not too long from now.*2 At the beginning of The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, surrounded by its luxurious environment, exclaims violently, “Civilization is going to pieces.”* His words can apply to both works mentioned above as the crumbling of civilization as an underlying theme can be observed through the Valley of Ashes and the symbolism behind Gatsby’s death in The Great Gatsby and the absence of morality and the power of corporations in Oryx and Crake.
Firstly, signs of a decaying civilization are presented in Chapter 2 in The Great Gatsby through the introduction of the Valley of Ashes. This isolated piece of land, located between the rich West Egg and New York City, is the result of the discarding of industrial ashes from the surrounding neighborhoods. The ash piles in the area demonstrate an unthoughtful disposal of waste representing the carelessness of the society of the 1920s and the disregard for the environment.*3 It also symbolizes the separation of man and nature because of the indifference shown by the citizens towards the environmental consequences of a lifestyle of excess. Furthermore, it represents the corruption brought by the technological advances and the propelling of the advertising industry as the modern society neglects area such as the Valley of Ashes, bordering a unspoiled land which was once considered “a fresh, green breast of the new world” (180).*3 The Valley also plays an important role in the book since it highlights the social decay and inequalities between the different social classes. It is inhabited by people such as George Wilson, a character remembered for his fail at the American Dream and his life characterized by poverty and disappointments, such as an unsuccessful marriage. Wilson’s life is certainly a testimony of the deteriorated society of his time.
Secondly, the symbolism behind the death of Gatsby, the protagonist of Fitzgerald’s novel, is of great importance in order to understand the state of the society in the 1920s.

Indeed, not only does it represent the shortcomings of his American Dream, but it is also used as a commentary on the motivations behind his dreams, motivations shared by many characters in the book. In the 1920s, the American Dream was perceived as being the achievement of success from anyone despite their social status or family history.*4 Through his popularity and financial success, Gatsby embodies the American Dream. His growth from underprivileged to being financially stable is even more highlighted by the creation of a persona and a nickname for himself. However, all the material possessions and prestige he acquires over time are actually factors which play a role in his downfall. Indeed, Gatsby really believes throughout the story that the more possessions he has, the better are his chances of getting Daisy to love him back. Having eyes only for her, he quickly becomes disillusioned. Ultimately, him and the wealthiest characters demonstrates an erroneous perception that money creates happiness, partly caused by the omnipresence of materialist and consumerist ideologies of the 1920s. This perception and Gatsby’s pursuit of happiness through illegal activities indirectly cause not only is death, but the end of his American Dream at the same

time.*4
Thirdly, the absence of morality demonstrated in Atwood’s Oryx and Crake is also an element leading to the collapse of the civilization.

Using current observable trends in scientific progress and ethical debates, Atwood created a story where characters navigate through a world based on extrapolations in which scientific advances are encouraged at the expense of ethical responsibilities. Many characters throughout the novel make an irresponsible use of their power over nature. Crake represents the most notable example of a careless use of power. Motivated by a strong desire to achieve what he considers to be immortality, he uses progresses in biological science to genetically modify embryos which leads to the creation of the Crackers. His genetic experiments and the creation of a deadly virus in the human population demonstrates a lack of moral conduct. Moreover, his motivations are shared by the majority of the scientific community in the book.*5 For example, the corporation HelthWyzer undergoes controversial experiments that go as far as creating viruses to which a cure has already been created in order to maximize profit. In the end, the immoral motivations behind Crake’s actions is what leads to his downfall. Atwood uses his storyline as a commentary on the possible consequences of genetic modifications and a disregard of ethical decision-making in the scientific

process.
Finally, Oryx and Crake also shows the decay of a civilization through the extensive power of corporations and a fixation on profit-making. The story additionally revolves around a scenario where the current corporate power continues to grow to a point where corporations have a supremacy so firmly established that it influences all other spheres of the society. Social classes are now determined by the scientific skills an individual possesses. Depending on those skills, citizens are either hired by corporations and live in protected and wealthy Compounds, scientific companies’ private neighborhoods, or end up living in the urban pleeblands amongst drug addicts and thieves.*6 Also, in a society deeply influenced by the corporations’ mentality of extreme profit-making, an extensive commodification is now observable. Companies liberally use people’s insecurities in order to sell without taking into considerations ethic or moral principles. Furthermore, child pornography and live suicides have gained such an entertainment value that they are now broadcasted and easily accessible. This shows the extent to which the civilization in the book has distanced itself from traditional values and is now driven by profit, entertainment, and scientific progress, regardless of morality.*6
In conclusion, Tom Buchanan’s citation “Civilization is going to pieces” can definitely apply to both The Great Gatsby and Oryx and Crake. On the one hand, the Valley of Ashes and Gatsby’s death both show the devastating consequences of materialism and consumerism on the environment and on the society. On the other hand, the absence of morality and the corporations’ supremacy demonstrates the shortcomings of a civilization more obsessed by profit and scientific progress than humanism. Both works can be interpreted as a warning about the consequences of pursuing dreams motivated by egocentrism and capitalism.