The Great Gatsby Research Paper

Italo Calvino, an Italian journalist and author once said “A classic is a book that had never finished saying what it has to say.” To me, a ‘classic’ is the literary work of the first rank, one of demonstrable enduring quality which is still relevant and continues to inspire emotional responses from readers. Good morning / Afternoon Mrs Nicholls. It has come to my attention that the novel The Great Gatsby may be pulled from the Senior English reading list as part of the implementation of the upcoming Senior Australian Curriculum. After reading The Great Gatsby myself, I realised that its timeless theme are relevant to modern readers and its aesthetic features can serve as a language model for students. As a result, this classic text is of

Scott Fitzgerald utilises timeless, universal themes which are still relevant to modern readers. One such theme, The Great American Dream, still resonates with readers today. The American Dream is a national ethos in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work. Nick Carraway, the novel’s protagonist, believes that his family has accomplished The Great American Dream of wealth and respectability through nobility. But the kind of nobility that was achieved through hard work. In chapter one, Nick tape records himself and says, “The Carraways are something of a clan, and we have a tradition that we’re descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch, but the actual founder of my line was my grandfather’ brother, who came here in fifty-one, sent a substitute to the Civil War, and started the wholesale hardware business that my father carries on today…”(p.5). This novel teaches children in modern times that nobility is still relevant and is more likely than not earned through hard work and dedication instead of bloodlines, lineage, and titles. In the western world, The Great American Dream can be achieved through the belief in self-improvement. In chapter nine, Nick sees Gatsby on the dock and narrates, “ I thought of Gatsby's wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn,

Symbolism is the use of images and colour to portray certain ideas or qualities. The Valley of Ashes, for example, in The Great Gatsby is symbolic of the moral and social decay as the rich indulge themselves. It also symbolises the loss of vitality of the people who live amongst the ashes, as they suffer the rich can prosper. The biblical Psalm 23 “The Valley of the shadow death” is connected to “The Valley of Ashes”. In the psalm, the terrifying place is made safe by the presence of God, whereas, in The Great Gatsby, The Valley of Ashes has no higher moral authority and the ashes point to death and dissolution. George tries to find a sense of divine presence through the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg but no one else is impacted by the billboard’s inanimate presence. The Valley of Ashes teaches children in modern day society how disconnected the rich are from their source of wealth. The people who toil to help make their fortunes. Another symbol used in The Great Gatsby is Daisy. She is recognised as the golden girl, as she’s attractive, blonde and wealthy. Gatsby believes he can just buy her as if she is a trophy and all his dreams will come true. Gatsby is not in love with Daisy, he is just in love with the thought of her. Daisy’s character is built up to identify her with a sense of purity and innocence