The Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby

Important Facts, Characters, Important Facts, Characters, Themes, HistoryThemes, History

Modernism 1914-1946Modernism 1914-1946

The Modernist literary genre consisted of:The Modernist literary genre consisted of:– Highly experimental writingHighly experimental writing– Allusions in writing often referring to classical Allusions in writing often referring to classical

Greek and Roman textsGreek and Roman texts– Usage of fragments, juxtaposition, interior Usage of fragments, juxtaposition, interior

monologue, and stream of consciousnessmonologue, and stream of consciousness– Writers were seeking to create a unique styleWriters were seeking to create a unique style

Modernist content:Modernist content:

Dominant mood = alienation and Dominant mood = alienation and disconnectiondisconnection

- people unable to communicate - people unable to communicate effectivelyeffectively

- fear of eroding traditions - fear of eroding traditions

- grief over loss of the past- grief over loss of the past

Content con’t.Content con’t.– The individual belongs to a ‘lost generation”The individual belongs to a ‘lost generation”– The individual suffers form a “dissociation of The individual suffers form a “dissociation of

sensibility”sensibility”– The individual has a “Dream Deferred”The individual has a “Dream Deferred”

The Result/Effect = The Result/Effect = Common readers are alienated by this type of Common readers are alienated by this type of

literatureliterature

Historical contextHistorical context– Overwhelming technological changes of the 20Overwhelming technological changes of the 20 thth

centurycentury– W.W.I was the first war of mass destruction due W.W.I was the first war of mass destruction due

to technological advancesto technological advances– Rise of youth cultureRise of youth culture

Literary Achievements: Literary Achievements: – Dramatization of the plight of womenDramatization of the plight of women– Creation of literature of the urban experienceCreation of literature of the urban experience– Continuation of the pastoral or rural spiritContinuation of the pastoral or rural spirit– Continuation of regionalism and local colorContinuation of regionalism and local color

Modern ThemesModern Themes– The impact of the 1918 Bolshevik Revolution in The impact of the 1918 Bolshevik Revolution in

RussiaRussia– The Jazz AgeThe Jazz Age– The passage of the 19The passage of the 19thth Amendment Amendment– Prohibition of the production, sale, and Prohibition of the production, sale, and

consumption of alcoholic beverages, 1920-1933consumption of alcoholic beverages, 1920-1933– Impact of the stock-market crash and Great Impact of the stock-market crash and Great

Depression of the 1930’sDepression of the 1930’s

Important FactsImportant Facts

Genre – modernist novel, Jazz Age novel, Genre – modernist novel, Jazz Age novel, novel of mannersnovel of manners

Time and place written – 1923-1924, Time and place written – 1923-1924, America and FranceAmerica and France

Narrator – Nick Carraway, he not only Narrator – Nick Carraway, he not only narrates but implies that he is the book’s narrates but implies that he is the book’s authorauthor

Point of ViewPoint of View – Nick Carraway narrates the book both in first Nick Carraway narrates the book both in first

and third personand third person He presents only what he himself observesHe presents only what he himself observes Nick alternates sections where he presents Nick alternates sections where he presents

events objectively, as they appeared to him at the events objectively, as they appeared to him at the time, with sections where he gives his own time, with sections where he gives his own interpretations of the story’s meaning and of the interpretations of the story’s meaning and of the motivations of the other charactersmotivations of the other characters

ToneTone – Nick’s attitude toward Gatsby and Gatsby’s Nick’s attitude toward Gatsby and Gatsby’s

story are ambivalent and contradictorystory are ambivalent and contradictory – At times he seems to disapprove of Gatsby’s At times he seems to disapprove of Gatsby’s

excesses and breaches of manners and excesses and breaches of manners and ethicsethics

– He also romanticizes and admires Gatsby, He also romanticizes and admires Gatsby, describing the events of the novel in a describing the events of the novel in a nostalgic and elegiac tonenostalgic and elegiac tone

CharactersCharacters

Nick CarrawayNick Carraway – After being educated at Yale (New Haven) After being educated at Yale (New Haven)

and fighting in W.W. I (The Great War) Nick and fighting in W.W. I (The Great War) Nick goes to New York City to learn the bond goes to New York City to learn the bond businessbusiness

– After moving to West Egg, a fictional area of After moving to West Egg, a fictional area of Long Island that is home to the newly rich, Long Island that is home to the newly rich, nick quickly befriends his next-door nick quickly befriends his next-door neighbor, Jay Gatsbyneighbor, Jay Gatsby

– As Daisy Buchannan’s cousin, he rekindles As Daisy Buchannan’s cousin, he rekindles the romance between she and Gatsbythe romance between she and Gatsby

Jay GatsbyJay Gatsby – The title character and protagonist, Gatsby The title character and protagonist, Gatsby

is a wealthy young man living in a Gothic is a wealthy young man living in a Gothic mansion in West Eggmansion in West Egg

– He is famous for the lavish parties he throws He is famous for the lavish parties he throws every Saturday night, but no one knows every Saturday night, but no one knows where he comes from, what he does, or how where he comes from, what he does, or how he made his fortunehe made his fortune

– Nick learns Gatsby made his fortune through Nick learns Gatsby made his fortune through criminal activity, as he was willing to do criminal activity, as he was willing to do anything to gain the social position to win anything to gain the social position to win DaisyDaisy

Daisy BuchannanDaisy Buchannan – Nick’s cousin, and the woman Gatsby lovesNick’s cousin, and the woman Gatsby loves– She previously fell in love with Gatsby and She previously fell in love with Gatsby and

promised to wait for himpromised to wait for him

– However, she harbors a deep need to be However, she harbors a deep need to be loved, and decides not to wait for Gatsby loved, and decides not to wait for Gatsby when wealthy Tom Buchannan asks her to when wealthy Tom Buchannan asks her to marry himmarry him

– She now live across from Gatsby in the She now live across from Gatsby in the fashionable East Egg district of Long Islandfashionable East Egg district of Long Island

– She behaves superficially to mask her pain She behaves superficially to mask her pain at her husband’s constant infidelityat her husband’s constant infidelity

Tom BuchannanTom Buchannan – Powerfully built, he is from a socially solid Powerfully built, he is from a socially solid

old family and is arrogant, hypocritical, and old family and is arrogant, hypocritical, and a bullya bully

– His social attitudes are laced with racism His social attitudes are laced with racism and sexism, and he never considers trying and sexism, and he never considers trying to live up to the moral standard he demands to live up to the moral standard he demands from those around himfrom those around him

– He also has no qualms about his He also has no qualms about his extramarital affair with Myrtle, but suspects extramarital affair with Myrtle, but suspects Gatsby and Daisy of having an affairGatsby and Daisy of having an affair

Jordan BakerJordan Baker – Daisy’s friend and who Nick becomes Daisy’s friend and who Nick becomes

romantically involved withromantically involved with Myrtle WilsonMyrtle Wilson

– Tom’s lover, whose lifeless husband George Tom’s lover, whose lifeless husband George owns a run-down garage in the Valley of owns a run-down garage in the Valley of AshesAshes

– She is always looking for a way to improve She is always looking for a way to improve her situation and unfortunately chooses her situation and unfortunately chooses Tom, who treats her like an object of his Tom, who treats her like an object of his desiredesire

George WilsonGeorge Wilson – Myrtle’s husband, the lifeless, exhausted Myrtle’s husband, the lifeless, exhausted

owner of a run-down auto shop at the edge owner of a run-down auto shop at the edge of the Valley of Ashesof the Valley of Ashes

– He loves and idealizes myrtle, and is He loves and idealizes myrtle, and is devastated by her affair with Tomdevastated by her affair with Tom

– He is comparable to Gatsby in that they are He is comparable to Gatsby in that they are both dreamers and both are ruined by their both dreamers and both are ruined by their unrequited love for women who love Tomunrequited love for women who love Tom

Owl EyesOwl Eyes – The eccentric drunk whom nick meets at the The eccentric drunk whom nick meets at the

first party he attends at Gatsby’s mansionfirst party he attends at Gatsby’s mansion KlipspringerKlipspringer

– The shallow freeloader who seems almost to The shallow freeloader who seems almost to live at Gatsby’s mansion, taking advantage live at Gatsby’s mansion, taking advantage of his host’s moneyof his host’s money

ThemesThemes

The Decline of the American Dream in The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920’sthe 1920’s – The main theme of the novel takes place The main theme of the novel takes place

over the course of a few months during the over the course of a few months during the summer of 1922summer of 1922 It is set in a circumscribed geographical area in It is set in a circumscribed geographical area in

the vicinity of long Island, New Yorkthe vicinity of long Island, New York

– The novel is a symbolic meditation on 1920’s The novel is a symbolic meditation on 1920’s America as a wholeAmerica as a whole

in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an in particular the disintegration of the American dream in an are of unprecedented prosperity and material excessare of unprecedented prosperity and material excess

– Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s as an era of decayed Fitzgerald portrays the 1920s as an era of decayed social and moral values, evidenced in cynicism, social and moral values, evidenced in cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasuregreed, and empty pursuit of pleasure

– The reckless decadent parties and wild jazz music, The reckless decadent parties and wild jazz music, epitomized in the novel, resulted ultimately in the epitomized in the novel, resulted ultimately in the corruption of the American Dream, as the corruption of the American Dream, as the unrestrained desire for money and pleasure unrestrained desire for money and pleasure surpassed more noble goalssurpassed more noble goals

The rise of the stock market after WWI led to a The rise of the stock market after WWI led to a sudden, sustained increase in the national sudden, sustained increase in the national wealth and a newfound materialism, as people wealth and a newfound materialism, as people began to spend and consume at began to spend and consume at unprecedented levelsunprecedented levels

As well, the passage of the 18th Amendment As well, the passage of the 18th Amendment created a thriving underworld designed to created a thriving underworld designed to satisfy the massive demand for bootleg liquorsatisfy the massive demand for bootleg liquor

There is a clash between new and old There is a clash between new and old money as symbolized in the geography money as symbolized in the geography of the novelof the novel – East Egg represents the established East Egg represents the established

aristocracyaristocracy – West Egg consists of the self-made richWest Egg consists of the self-made rich– Gatsby’s fortune relates to that of organized Gatsby’s fortune relates to that of organized

crime and bootleggingcrime and bootlegging

The American dream was originally The American dream was originally about discovery, individualism, and the about discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happinesspursuit of happiness

In the 1920’s depicted in the novel, easy In the 1920’s depicted in the novel, easy money and relaxed social values have money and relaxed social values have corrupted this dream, especially on the corrupted this dream, especially on the East CoastEast Coast

The Hollowness of the upper The Hollowness of the upper ClassClass

Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and tastelacking in social graces and taste

In contrast, the old aristocracy In contrast, the old aristocracy possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and eleganceelegance

PLOTPLOT

Tense – pastTense – past Setting – summer, 1922 on Long Island Setting – summer, 1922 on Long Island

and in New York Cityand in New York City Protagonist – Gatsby and/or NickProtagonist – Gatsby and/or Nick Major Conflict – Gatsby has amassed a Major Conflict – Gatsby has amassed a

vast fortune in order to win the affections vast fortune in order to win the affections of the upper-class Daisy Buchannan, but of the upper-class Daisy Buchannan, but his mysterious past stands in the way of his mysterious past stands in the way of his being accepted by herhis being accepted by her

Foreshadowing – The car wreck after Foreshadowing – The car wreck after Gatsby’s party in chapter IIIGatsby’s party in chapter III

Rising Action – Gatsby’s lavish parties, Rising Action – Gatsby’s lavish parties, Gatsby’s arrangement of a meeting with Gatsby’s arrangement of a meeting with Daisy at Nick’sDaisy at Nick’s

Climax – Two possibilities: Gatsby’s Climax – Two possibilities: Gatsby’s reunion with Daisy, the confrontation reunion with Daisy, the confrontation between Gatsby and Tom in the Plaza between Gatsby and Tom in the Plaza HotelHotel