РефератыИностранный языкGrGreat Gatsby Essay Research Paper Great GatsbyTwo

Great Gatsby Essay Research Paper Great GatsbyTwo

Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper


Great Gatsby


Two prevalent themes portrayed in The Great Gatsby are money and social


status, both which coincide with the novel’s four settings: East Egg, West


Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York. As Natania stated, these different


locations are used to “show the absurdities of modern life,” as well as to


dictate social class from the upper royal status of the East Egg community to


the common folk of New York. Fitzgerald uses these settings and the


actions of characters within them to define and set boundaries between


financial and social status of the roaring 20’s.


An example of Fitzgerald’s technique lies in the comparison of Myrtle


Wilson’s party in her New York apartment to one of Gatsby’s many summer


parties in his West Egg mansion. Through descriptions of guests coming


and going frequently, and the obnoxious drinking and wild conversation


going on at the New York and West Egg parties, the reader can conclude


that neither of these locations are above the social standing of an upper class


party of East Egg, such as one at Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s without the


slight insanity of their dysfunctional family. However, the differences


between Myrtle and Gatsby’s parties are great and relevant to Fitzgerald’s


theme.


For example, the physical description of guests attending the party in


New York gives knowledge to the reader of their lower class standing.


Myrtle

’s sister arrives with a “sticky bob of red hair” and wild, unnatural


eyebrows and makeup, and Mr. McKee with lather showing on his


cheekbone. His wife is described as “shrill, languid, handsome, and


horrible,” quite the opposite of guests attending Gatsby’s party, and even the


host himself. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as a very clean cut, proud


postured, gentlemanly looking man with hair which looks like it “were


trimmed every day,” just as a stereotypical member of the social upper class


should appear. Myrtle’s party included obnoxious, almost insane guests


who were quick to speak their rude, blunt opinions and provide proof to


Jordan Baker’s statement that “at small parties there isn’t any privacy.” In


fact, Tom Buchanan was so uncivilized a guest as to punch Myrtle, his lover


and the party’s hostess, and cause a bloody mess. This scene would never be


seen at Gatsby’s mansion, for it proved to be a truly sophisticated gathering


including a complete orchestra, a mammoth buffet of food including two


formal suppers, as well as champagne and many different liquors. All


Myrtle had to offer her guests was oversized furniture in a small apartment


and bottomless bottles of whiskey, which seemed to fit the guest list’s


requests perfectly.


Therefore, through descriptive analysis of the characters and locations


in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald supports his theme of the importance of


financial and social status of the roaring 20’s.

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