Literary Techniques In The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a classic novel that captures the essence of life in America during the 1920s. Techniques and conventions of characterization, setting, symbolism, plot and tone are used to make timeless comments on the context of this text. Fitzgerald comments on the power of wealth, the suffering of the working class, the inability to escape society’s rigid social classes and that individuals form relationships for selfish reasons during the 1920s.
Fitzgerald uses the characterization of Tom to comment of the power and superiority of the wealthy in the 1920s society. Tom is characterized as being arrogant and boasting about his superiority over those of a different race and social class. Nick describes Tom as having …show more content…
“a supercilious manner” and “two shining, arrogant eyes” which “established dominance over his face, and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.” (pg. 12) This portrayal of Tom conveys that he has power and superiority over others and the readers assume that this is due to the fact that he has money based descriptions of his house and purchase of polo ponies.
This power that Tom’s wealth gives him is further evident in his affair with Myrtle which he flaunts. His lack of concern about others opinion of his affair or Daisy learning about it demonstrates that his wealth makes any immoral decisions made without consequence because it is right of passage as part of the upper class to do as he pleases. “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money…”. This supports the idea that he has power over Myrtle and Daisy because they want the money he has along with the power and social status that comes with it and as a result Myrtle must accept Tom’s violent actions, seen on page 39 where “Tom Buchanan broke her [Myrtle] nose with his open hand.” and Daisy, must overlook his affair. This subject of affluence providing power and superiority in a society is still relevant to an audience of a different time and place because there are always people in society who are wealthy. This novel encourages the audience to question whether money gives people in their own communities power and whether this power causes corruption in that they do not face the consequences of …show more content…
their actions. Specifically, in relation to today’s society, we can observe figures of government and the media, who are generally very affluent, and consider whether their wealth allows them to act or speak inappropriately without consequence. Fitzgerald uses Tom’s appearance and actions to demonstrate the superiority his wealth provides which is a idea that is still evident today and therefore has relevance to an audience of a different time and place to the context of the novel.
The struggle of the working class during this time of affluence in the 1920s is commented on by Fitzgerald through the use of the setting in the valley of ashes, a stretch of land between the East and West Eggs created by the dumping of industrial ashes. “The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul river, and…the passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as an hour.” (pg. 27) The use of the words “ashes”, “foul” and “dismal” to describe the landscape in which the working class live, influences our understanding of how this class of people were viewed by the affluent, portraying them as unclean and miserable. The word “valley” enhances the idea that the working class were considered lower and inferior to the wealthy and the reference to a trains in the quote has connotations to the phrase “the wrong side of the tracks” which supports the idea that the lower class was divided and segregated from the upper class experiencing discrimination and marginalisation as a result. The setting of the valley, as a dumping ground for industrial ashes, can demonstrate to the reader some of the negative effects of the economic boom and with a knowledge of the context of the text is understood as evidence of the working class suffering from low wages, falling prices of farmed goods and unemployment. The illumination of the poor lifestyle and treatment of the lower class during the 1920s represented in this text is relevant today because our international community is also divided into affluent first-world countries and underprivileged third-world countries which can be represented by the upper and lower classes in the novel. Our wealthy nations experience the benefits of advances in technology and healthcare while the poorer countries suffer in poor living conditions, receiving our electronic waste and being exploited for cheap labour. The author of the novel uses detailed, specific explanations of setting to emphasis to the reader the struggle of the lower class in society which is an issue still significant beyond the context of the 1920s and in today’s society on an international scale.
Fitzgerald uses symbolism and plot to comment on the fact that during the 1920s people were unable to escape society’s rigid social class structure, especially if part of the lower classes.
Colours are very symbolic in the novel, in particular, the colours gold and yellow. Gold is representative of money, materialism and social status and is used to describe the people and objects from the West Egg. For example, “Jordan's golden shoulder” and “Their [Tom and Daisy’s] house was…glowing now with reflected gold...” (pg. 12) This conveys the West’s or “old money” class as superior and better respected compared to that of the East or “new money” whose belongings are often describe as being yellow for this colour is not as authentic as gold. Yellow is also symbolic of the dying leaves in autumn and can represent death, decay and corruptness. Therefore, Gatsby’s yellow car, the “twin yellow dresses” and “yellow cocktail music” conveys his desperate attempt to join the most elite social class in order to win Daisy’s heart as unsuccessful, decadent and illegitimate. The deaths of Gatsby and Myrtle as part of the plot also communicates Fitzgerald’s idea of the permanent social construct of the 1920s as both try and escape their original social class and both are killed. The death of a character in literature often signifies to the reader that the actions or objectives of that character is considered wrong, immoral or not permitted by the society in which they live. Therefore, the
deaths of Gatsby and Myrtle, who have taken action to raise their social status, proves Fitzgerald’s opinion that it was impossible for one to truly escape his low social class position. The writer’s comment on the rigid social class structure of the 1920s is relevant to an audience of a different time and place, in particular in our own context because while we are considered a classless society, we still have poor in our community whose opportunities in education and work can be limited. As a result, they are unable to improve their financial situation and lifestyle just as the characters were limited in their ability to improve their social status. However, we can also observe how the social construct of today’s society contrasts with that of the 1920s because it is possible for us to receive support from the government as earn money by working in order to become more affluent in our community. Fitzgerald’s idea of people being confined to permanently living in lower social classes is still relevant to an audience today because it gives the reader an opportunity to compare and contrast the structure of our society and society of the 1920s and notice how our world has developed.
The comment that people during the 1920s formed relationships for selfish reasons is conveyed by Fitzgerald’s use of tone. The tone of Nick is often cynical especially when judging the relationships between the people in his life. For example, the use of the word “marred” in the quote "He put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil" (pg. 138-139) suggests that the companionship between Nick and Gatsby is built only on the fact that Gatsby is using Nick to get to Daisy and once Gatsby has Daisy, Nick just becomes an inconvenience. This cynical outlook on relations is further supported by the relationship between Daisy and Tom which exists only for them to maintain their social status as well as the relationship between Gatsby and his party guests who he uses in hopes of luring Daisy to his mansion and they use him for the parties and alcohol. This theme of selfishness is still relevant to an audience in todays context because we are descents from this selfish era and it encourages the reader to examine our many of our own relationships are made out of in order to improve our social standing, make more money or fulfil our wants. For example, some people befriend others because it’ll make them popular and people in business form connections with others in hopes of making more money. Tone is a technique used by Fitzgerald to demonstrate to the reader the selfishness of people in the 1920s, a comment that is still relevant today for as humans we seek to live in indulgence without pain or stress.
Fitzgerald’s comments on the power of affluence, the struggle of the working class, the permanent nature of society’s social structure and the formation of relationships out of self-interest in the 1920s are all diversely significant to an audience out of the context of this novel and living in today’s society. When linking these ideas to life in the 21st century, using knowledge of our own context and the context of the world in which the novel is set, we can observe similarities and differences between our two societies, recognise development in civilization and become more aware of the suffering of groups in our world that are mirrored in the novel. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald explores ageless themes and provides the reader with an insight and personal judgment on life in America during the 1920s.
Fitzgerald uses the characterization of Tom to comment of the power and superiority of the wealthy in the 1920s society. Tom is characterized as being arrogant and boasting about his superiority over those of a different race and social class. Nick describes Tom as having …show more content…
“a supercilious manner” and “two shining, arrogant eyes” which “established dominance over his face, and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward.” (pg. 12) This portrayal of Tom conveys that he has power and superiority over others and the readers assume that this is due to the fact that he has money based descriptions of his house and purchase of polo ponies.
This power that Tom’s wealth gives him is further evident in his affair with Myrtle which he flaunts. His lack of concern about others opinion of his affair or Daisy learning about it demonstrates that his wealth makes any immoral decisions made without consequence because it is right of passage as part of the upper class to do as he pleases. “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money…”. This supports the idea that he has power over Myrtle and Daisy because they want the money he has along with the power and social status that comes with it and as a result Myrtle must accept Tom’s violent actions, seen on page 39 where “Tom Buchanan broke her [Myrtle] nose with his open hand.” and Daisy, must overlook his affair. This subject of affluence providing power and superiority in a society is still relevant to an audience of a different time and place because there are always people in society who are wealthy. This novel encourages the audience to question whether money gives people in their own communities power and whether this power causes corruption in that they do not face the consequences of …show more content…
their actions. Specifically, in relation to today’s society, we can observe figures of government and the media, who are generally very affluent, and consider whether their wealth allows them to act or speak inappropriately without consequence. Fitzgerald uses Tom’s appearance and actions to demonstrate the superiority his wealth provides which is a idea that is still evident today and therefore has relevance to an audience of a different time and place to the context of the novel.
The struggle of the working class during this time of affluence in the 1920s is commented on by Fitzgerald through the use of the setting in the valley of ashes, a stretch of land between the East and West Eggs created by the dumping of industrial ashes. “The valley of ashes is bounded on one side by a small foul river, and…the passengers on waiting trains can stare at the dismal scene for as long as an hour.” (pg. 27) The use of the words “ashes”, “foul” and “dismal” to describe the landscape in which the working class live, influences our understanding of how this class of people were viewed by the affluent, portraying them as unclean and miserable. The word “valley” enhances the idea that the working class were considered lower and inferior to the wealthy and the reference to a trains in the quote has connotations to the phrase “the wrong side of the tracks” which supports the idea that the lower class was divided and segregated from the upper class experiencing discrimination and marginalisation as a result. The setting of the valley, as a dumping ground for industrial ashes, can demonstrate to the reader some of the negative effects of the economic boom and with a knowledge of the context of the text is understood as evidence of the working class suffering from low wages, falling prices of farmed goods and unemployment. The illumination of the poor lifestyle and treatment of the lower class during the 1920s represented in this text is relevant today because our international community is also divided into affluent first-world countries and underprivileged third-world countries which can be represented by the upper and lower classes in the novel. Our wealthy nations experience the benefits of advances in technology and healthcare while the poorer countries suffer in poor living conditions, receiving our electronic waste and being exploited for cheap labour. The author of the novel uses detailed, specific explanations of setting to emphasis to the reader the struggle of the lower class in society which is an issue still significant beyond the context of the 1920s and in today’s society on an international scale.
Fitzgerald uses symbolism and plot to comment on the fact that during the 1920s people were unable to escape society’s rigid social class structure, especially if part of the lower classes.
Colours are very symbolic in the novel, in particular, the colours gold and yellow. Gold is representative of money, materialism and social status and is used to describe the people and objects from the West Egg. For example, “Jordan's golden shoulder” and “Their [Tom and Daisy’s] house was…glowing now with reflected gold...” (pg. 12) This conveys the West’s or “old money” class as superior and better respected compared to that of the East or “new money” whose belongings are often describe as being yellow for this colour is not as authentic as gold. Yellow is also symbolic of the dying leaves in autumn and can represent death, decay and corruptness. Therefore, Gatsby’s yellow car, the “twin yellow dresses” and “yellow cocktail music” conveys his desperate attempt to join the most elite social class in order to win Daisy’s heart as unsuccessful, decadent and illegitimate. The deaths of Gatsby and Myrtle as part of the plot also communicates Fitzgerald’s idea of the permanent social construct of the 1920s as both try and escape their original social class and both are killed. The death of a character in literature often signifies to the reader that the actions or objectives of that character is considered wrong, immoral or not permitted by the society in which they live. Therefore, the
deaths of Gatsby and Myrtle, who have taken action to raise their social status, proves Fitzgerald’s opinion that it was impossible for one to truly escape his low social class position. The writer’s comment on the rigid social class structure of the 1920s is relevant to an audience of a different time and place, in particular in our own context because while we are considered a classless society, we still have poor in our community whose opportunities in education and work can be limited. As a result, they are unable to improve their financial situation and lifestyle just as the characters were limited in their ability to improve their social status. However, we can also observe how the social construct of today’s society contrasts with that of the 1920s because it is possible for us to receive support from the government as earn money by working in order to become more affluent in our community. Fitzgerald’s idea of people being confined to permanently living in lower social classes is still relevant to an audience today because it gives the reader an opportunity to compare and contrast the structure of our society and society of the 1920s and notice how our world has developed.
The comment that people during the 1920s formed relationships for selfish reasons is conveyed by Fitzgerald’s use of tone. The tone of Nick is often cynical especially when judging the relationships between the people in his life. For example, the use of the word “marred” in the quote "He put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil" (pg. 138-139) suggests that the companionship between Nick and Gatsby is built only on the fact that Gatsby is using Nick to get to Daisy and once Gatsby has Daisy, Nick just becomes an inconvenience. This cynical outlook on relations is further supported by the relationship between Daisy and Tom which exists only for them to maintain their social status as well as the relationship between Gatsby and his party guests who he uses in hopes of luring Daisy to his mansion and they use him for the parties and alcohol. This theme of selfishness is still relevant to an audience in todays context because we are descents from this selfish era and it encourages the reader to examine our many of our own relationships are made out of in order to improve our social standing, make more money or fulfil our wants. For example, some people befriend others because it’ll make them popular and people in business form connections with others in hopes of making more money. Tone is a technique used by Fitzgerald to demonstrate to the reader the selfishness of people in the 1920s, a comment that is still relevant today for as humans we seek to live in indulgence without pain or stress.
Fitzgerald’s comments on the power of affluence, the struggle of the working class, the permanent nature of society’s social structure and the formation of relationships out of self-interest in the 1920s are all diversely significant to an audience out of the context of this novel and living in today’s society. When linking these ideas to life in the 21st century, using knowledge of our own context and the context of the world in which the novel is set, we can observe similarities and differences between our two societies, recognise development in civilization and become more aware of the suffering of groups in our world that are mirrored in the novel. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald explores ageless themes and provides the reader with an insight and personal judgment on life in America during the 1920s.