Great Gatsby
A Study of the Use of Symbolism in The Great Gatsby
Abstract
The Great Gatsby was written by a famous American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Firstly published in 1925, it was one of the greatest novels in the history of American literature [waste of space to restate common sense knowledge], for it truly reflects the life of different classes in America and the decline of American dream during the Jazz Age. In order to display these moral degeneration and corruption lying deep under the surface of American society, Fitzgerald uses a series of writing techniques in this novel. One popular technique is the use of symbols. This paper is basically divided into three parts with each part mainly focusing on the analysis of most frequently occurred symbols of characters, colors, and geographical locations used in The Great Gatsby.
Key words
Symbol, characters, colors, geographical locations
The symbolism in characters
The characters in The Great Gatsby are all the epitomes of their own social groups and have typical personalities. Here I would like to analyze what Gatsby, Daisy and Tom symbolize in this novel. 1. the great Gatsby—the lost American dream in Jazz Age
To begin the analysis of Gatsby, it is important to explain the history background. Gatsby lived in the Jazz Age, the period after the First World War. America was not among the main belligerent states and sold plenty of armaments to other countries, which gave rise to countless wealth and the economic boom; therefore, America’s 1920s was also called the roaring twenties; it was also called Jazz Age because the jazz music and dance emerged at that time. The economic development stimulated people, especially young people’s desire of material life which was encouraged to be pursued by the Protestant work ethnic and the Declaration of Independence. In Bible, “Freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work.” In the United States
Abstract
The Great Gatsby was written by a famous American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. Firstly published in 1925, it was one of the greatest novels in the history of American literature [waste of space to restate common sense knowledge], for it truly reflects the life of different classes in America and the decline of American dream during the Jazz Age. In order to display these moral degeneration and corruption lying deep under the surface of American society, Fitzgerald uses a series of writing techniques in this novel. One popular technique is the use of symbols. This paper is basically divided into three parts with each part mainly focusing on the analysis of most frequently occurred symbols of characters, colors, and geographical locations used in The Great Gatsby.
Key words
Symbol, characters, colors, geographical locations
The symbolism in characters
The characters in The Great Gatsby are all the epitomes of their own social groups and have typical personalities. Here I would like to analyze what Gatsby, Daisy and Tom symbolize in this novel. 1. the great Gatsby—the lost American dream in Jazz Age
To begin the analysis of Gatsby, it is important to explain the history background. Gatsby lived in the Jazz Age, the period after the First World War. America was not among the main belligerent states and sold plenty of armaments to other countries, which gave rise to countless wealth and the economic boom; therefore, America’s 1920s was also called the roaring twenties; it was also called Jazz Age because the jazz music and dance emerged at that time. The economic development stimulated people, especially young people’s desire of material life which was encouraged to be pursued by the Protestant work ethnic and the Declaration of Independence. In Bible, “Freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, and an upward social mobility achieved through hard work.” In the United States
References: 1. Ronald Berman, The Great Gatsby and Mordern Times, 1996, University of Illinois Press 2 [ 4 ]. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925, the USA Charles Scribner’s Sons [ 5 ] [ 6 ]. Bruccoli, Matthew Joseph (ed.), F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby: A Literary Reference, 2000, New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers [ 7 ] [ 8 ]. F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, 1925, the USA Charles Scribner’s Sons [ 9 ] [ 11 ]. James Miller.E. F. Scott Fitzgerald, His Art and Techniques. New York: New York University Press, 1982: 106 [ 12 ] [ 20 ]. Ronald Berman, The Great Gatsby and Mordern Times, 1996, University of Illinois Press [ 21 ]