The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is one of F.Scott Fitzgerald’s most popular novels of his career. With his artistic use of symbols and hidden meanings, Fitzgerald is able to express the conflict between old and new money in America in the 1920s.

Gatsby is nothing more than a man that is desperate to be wanted by the love of his life, Daisy. The narrative is structured and told through the voice of Nick Carraway, a Yale graduate who is both ‘within and without’, feeling a part of and separate from his surroundings. Through the narration of Nick, the reader finds out information as Nick does – this makes the reader feel involved in the narrative which is an effective use of narration by Fitzgerald. Moving to New York, Nick rents a small house next to the well known millionaire, Jay Gatsby.

Gatsby is well known throughout New York for his extravagant parties which people from all over New York attend. Nobody is aware of who Gatsby is due to the mysterious qualities of his character. Throughout the novel, he seems to be the centre of gossip with the confusion of who he really is – “I heard he was a German spy”.  However, despite his extravagant lifestyle, Gatsby seems dissatisfied. It’s revealed, through the character of Nick, that Gatsby is in love with a young female called Daisy. However, Daisy is already married to Tom Buchanan. Nick is used by Fitzgerald to help bring the two lovers back together, eventually arranging for them to have tea at Nick’s house.

Throughout the novel, there is a tension between Gatsby and Tom as they fight for Daisy’s love. Through this conflict, Fitzgerald is able to define the differences between those of old money and those of new money. The traditional values of those with old money, such as Tom and Daisy, seems to overrule those of new money, such as Gatsby. New money meant new traditions and values, shown through the emerging flappers and changing roles for both men and women. Gatsby uses his wealth to attempt to gain back his lover. For example, he purchases a mansion opposite to Daisy’s house with the hope that she’ll notice him for his parties that are known of throughout New York.

Wealth is explored throughout the novel by Fitzgerald, mostly through the character Nick. Gatsby’s power and status throughout the novel is controlled by his wealth; he uses this wealth to create a world which he thinks will help him to gain back Daisy and her love. After all, Gatsby’s entire life has been focused on winning back Daisy. Ultimately, Gatsby creates himself around fake values – the values of the American Dream. Gatsby gives his everything to win Daisy’s love, both physically and emotionally. This obsessive desire for Daisy’s love eventually leads to his downfall.

The use of symbols by Fitzgerald is extremely effective throughout the novel as he uses them to express the emotions of the characters. The green light is used throughout the novel as a symbol of hope for Gatsby. The light is positioned outside Daisy’s house which Gatsby uses as his motivation to rekindle their love. Fitzgerald also uses the telephone as a motif to break the tension in many different scenes throughout the novel. The telephone is often used when there is a row between Tom and Daisy and the tension needs breaking; however, on the other side of the phone is often Tom’s mistress, Myrtle. By using Myrtle’s character to break up the arguments could be suggesting to the reader that she will eventually break up their relationship.

Ironically, the slothful rich pull through this novel, through which Fitzgerald expresses the injustice of the world. Those of West Egg, such as Daisy and Tom, are enabled to continue to be careless and cruel in their behaviour. Fitzgerald implies that it is the nature of those of West Egg to be careless with their actions when involving other people into their problems.

The Great Gatsby can be considered as a heartbreaking novel as the characters with big dreams are unable to reach their aspirations. The main message that Fitzgerald gives throughout the novel is that dreaming will lead to despair and eventually to that character’s tragic downfall. If you enjoy books crammed with hope, love and disappointment then this book is perfect for you. Expect to reflect on the differences between different statuses in society through this amazing piece of literature by F.Scott Fitzgerald.