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Essays on symbolism in literature
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For my paper I will explore the topic of the symbology of objects in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (published in 1925). I will express how certain symbols, such as a telephone, represent something much more. These objects serve as thought provoking topics that have hidden meanings. They add to the complexity and philosophy of the novel. Thesis: Great authors, such as Fitzgerald, use complex symbology to convey powerful messages that promote groundbreaking ideals. Prompt: Support or refute the usage of everyday objects as symbols and their meanings the great literary piece, The Great Gatsby. My plan for research is to read the book, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (published in 1925) and to use the history of the time period
There is a prodigious contrast between how Daisy feels her relationship with Tom should be and Tom’s “secret” affair with his mistress. The author’s statement about the nightingale is imperative, as it is a key symbol of romance, which is contrasted with the “startlingly [shrill]” sound of the telephone. Fitzgerald includes “a nightingale” to convey Daisy’s desire for Tom and her romantic feelings; however these are all abruptly interrupted by “the telephone,” the inevitable return back to reality.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the theme, outward appearances can be deceptive, is shown between the main characters in the book. The novel is based on the luxurious and carefree lifestyle of the people during the 1920s expressed through the main character. Gatsby’s identity and Daisy and Tom’s marriage expresses the novel’s theme that everything is not what it appears to be.
Great literary characters are immortalized and perpetually discussed not because they are individually so grand and majestic, but because they exist as more than themselves. A great literary character truly exists in the external and symbolic associations that the author and audience apply. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals social and emotional elements of his character Daisy Buchanan through the symbols of white dresses and a pearl necklaces in order to convey a message concerning detrimental class values, a theme that can be better understood by comparing Daisy to a diamond.
Symbolism plays an important role in any novel of literary merit. From objects, to traits, to the way something is portrayed, it can have a whole different meaning. Like death and taxes, there is no escaping color. It is ubiquitous. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald displays a superior use of symbols such as color, light, and heat. Fitzgerald’s superior use of color as a symbol is the focus of this essay.
“Possessions in the Great Gatsby” by Scott Donaldson is an article about how both physical and metaphorical possessions help to advance the symbolism and plot of The Great Gatsby. not only do they go into detail about The great Gatsby, they also show how this is done in other novels by fitzgerald and goes on to relate this symbolism back to The great Gatsby. In terms of physical possessions this article talks about how the way that the different characters choices in clothing reveal certain characteristics about them. For example, the way that Gatsby dresses shows that he is newly rich and new to the elevated social class; in turn, this leads to other aspects about him like his car and the lavish parties he throws. Likewise, The same can be
Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, is full of symbolism, which is portrayed by the houses and cars in an array of ways. One of the more important qualities of symbolism within The Great Gatsby is the way in which it is so completely incorporated into the plot and structure. Symbols, such as Gatsby's house and car, symbolize material wealth.
The Great Gatsby displays how the time of the 1920s brought people to believe that wealth and material goods were the most important things in life, and that separation of the social classes was a necessary need. Fitzgerald’s choice to expose the 1920s for the corrupt time that it really was is what makes him one of the greatest authors of his time, and has people still reading one of his greatest novels, The Great Gatsby, decades
Considered as the defining work of the 1920s, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald was published in 1925, when America was just coming out of one of the most violent wars in the nation’s history. World War 1 had taken the lives of many young people who fought and sacrificed for our country on another continent. The war left many families without fathers, sons, and husbands. The 1920s is an era filled with rich and dazzling history, where Americans experienced changes in lifestyle from music to rebellion against the United States government. Those that are born into that era grew up in a more carefree, extravagant environment that would affect their interactions with others as well as their attitudes about themselves and societal expectations. In this novel, symbols are used to represent the changing times and create a picture of this era for generations to come. The history, settings, characters, and symbols embedded in The Great Gatsby exemplify life in America during the 1920s.
Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby - Symbolism and the Truth That Lies Between
In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald includes many different types of connections between his lifetime and a reflection on what life was like in the eyes of him. Fitzgerald shows connections to “The Great Gatsby’ by including his family history, Social History, and also national and world events that influenced him in writing this novel. F. Scott Fitzgerald also include Literary theories such as Historical, Formalists, Psychoanalytic. The great Gatsby also has connections to “How to Read Literature Like A Professor” and it has a connection and reveals the work as a whole.
Symbolism can mean and represent a wide variety of ideas, moments and memories in everyone's lives. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, colors, names and objects symbolize different personalities, and ideas of the characters. Some of the symbols are more obvious and easier to pick up on than others.
F. Scott Fitzgerald is the master of symbolism. Symbolism plays a vital part in two of his most famous novels, The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night. From the valley of ashes to “Daddy’s Girl”, Fitzgerald weaves symbols throughout his novels that help the plot to thicken and progress. They also allow readers to look at the novels in a more analytical point of view, which makes the novels more interesting to read. Fitzgerald’s symbols truly make his works a pleasure to read.
In the past century in America, one of the decades that has stood out most as a time of change is the 1920s. In a post-war economic boom, the decade was a time of cultural and societal change. Among the parties and the more relaxed way of life, Americans experienced new wealth and luxury. Capturing the essence of the Roaring Twenties is a daunting task, especially because of the many different factors contributing to the decade’s fame. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald managed to capture and define the spirit of the 1920s through his novel. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the characters and events of the novel manifest the trademark qualities of America in the 1920s.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the most compelling twentieth century writers, (Curnutt, 2004). The year 1925 marks the year of the publication of Fitzgerald’s most credited novel, The Great Gatsby (Bruccoli, 1985). With its critiques of materialism, love and the American Dream (Berman, 1996), this dramatic idyllic novel, (Harvey, 1957), although poorly received at first, is now highly regarded as Fitzgerald’s finest work (Rohrkemper, 1985) and is his publisher, Scribner 's most popular title, (Donahue, 2013). The novel achieved it’s status as one of the most influential novels in American history around the nineteen fifties and sixties, over ten years after Fitzgerald 's passing, (Ibid, 1985)
In every piece of classic literature, there appears a defining characteristic in terms of style. For F. Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby, the foremost element that can easily be recognized and appreciated is his utilization of rich, intricate language that develops into multi dimensional imagery throughout the novel. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald utilizes his mastery of imagery, notably in respect to color, in order to explore and reveal the complexities of human nature by thoroughly and meticulously describing not only what is experienced by the narrator through all five senses, but also by going into a deeper level of human emotion and psyche.