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Effect of modernism on the great gatsby
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Effect of modernism on the great gatsby
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The “Not So” Great Gatsby “I was within and without. Simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life” (Fitzgerald 35). This enticing quote comes from the novel The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the style of modern fiction. The 1920’s: a time of prohibition, women’s rights, better wages, no war, and a better quality of life. There was more freedom and money that led to partying and romance. Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, and Daisy Buchanan all portray this in the novel, The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is a romantic, wealthy, and mysterious man. He is dedicated to getting back the love of his life by throwing parties every week. He thinks if he’s rich and throws huge parties, Daisy can be his. “This is displayed
most powerfully and poignantly in the scene where Gatsby shows Daisy and Nick the shirts he has tailored for him in London. He hauls them out in a rainbow of color and fabric, almost filling the room with the tangible yet useless symbols of his wealth. The shirts cause daisy to cry, but they do not win her” (Kellman 782). Gatsby gets most of his money by gambling and participating crimes. He participates in crimes like distributing illegal alcohol and trading in stolen securities. Gatsby is very mysterious. People at his parties always gossip about him and make up rumors. “The truth was that Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang up from his Platonic conception of himself” (Telgen 70). Nick Carraway is a nonjudgmental, quiet, attentive person. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone” he told me, “just remember that all people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’” (Fitzgerald 1). Even though he finds the New York lifestyle damaging he is also fond of it. His relationship with Jordan Baker shows that. She is a New Yorker who is dishonest and inconsiderate but he likes her anyway. Nick is a quiet and attentive person. Gatsby often goes to him to talk about Daisy and get advice. When Gatsby is waiting on Daisy to come over, he goes to Nick because he is very anxious and Nick tries to talk to him and calm him down. Daisy is materialistic, shallow, and careless. She doesn’t care about anyone or their feelings. All she cares about is money and the material luxuries. She tells Gatsby she will wait for him while he’s in the military but she goes and marries Tom Buchanan. “Her whole carless world revolves around this illusion: that money makes everything beautiful, even if it is not” (Telgen 68). Daisy also proves herself by blaming Gatsby for killing Myrtle when it was actually her. She picks Tom over Gatsby because she knows he wouldn’t have anything left so she wouldn’t either. She only cares about herself and the money. These characters are all very different. They have different views on life. Gatsby believes if you impress them with big fancy things they will automatically like you. Nick thinks you shouldn’t judge people because you don’t know their circumstances. Daisy believes that you can buy happiness and that money is everything. I personally think Nick is the best character and has the right views, you shouldn’t judge someone if you don’t even know them. You don’t know anything about them, what they’ve been through, or how they got here. Get to know them before you jump to conclusions about them.