Social Context In The Great Gatsby And Elizabeth Barrett
ENGLISH – TEXTS IN TIME COURTNEY MILLS
HOW DOES THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE TEXTS ARE SET SHAPE THE VALUES WHICH ARE EXPLORED WITHIN THEM
The context of both the Great Gatsby (GG) and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning’s (EBB) sonnets has shaped many of the attitudes and values explored throughout the texts. Both texts take into account the social contexts of the time and the personal context of each author.
An author’s personal context can shape many of the values displayed throughout a text. The values portrayed are often the values of the author themselves. This is clearly demonstrated in both EBB sonnets and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s GG.
There are parallels between Fitzgerald and the characters in GG. For example, Fitzgerald originates from the mid-west of America as did Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald lived an extremely lavish lifestyle after he made his money, as did Gatsby. The importance of money at that time is depicted in Fitzgerald’s own life, where his wife set a condition that she wouldn’t marry him until he had made his money. This is also portrayed in GG through Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship when Gatsby says to Tom Buchanan “Your wife doesn’t love you, she only married you because I was poor”. In GG both Daisy and Tom Buchanan have affairs. It was also …show more content…
The 1920’s were known as a period where relationships and marriages were founded upon superficial qualities such as beauty and wealth. This is depicted in the GG where lavish parties are thrown by Gatsby. There is also a remark in the novel which indicates this materialism, where Gatsby talks about Daisy “Her voice is full of money”. The characters go out of their way to show their idolisation for money. “I have never seen such beautiful shirts before”. This comment shows Daisy’s attraction to what money can buy rather than
HOW DOES THE CONTEXT IN WHICH THE TEXTS ARE SET SHAPE THE VALUES WHICH ARE EXPLORED WITHIN THEM
The context of both the Great Gatsby (GG) and Elizabeth Barrett-Browning’s (EBB) sonnets has shaped many of the attitudes and values explored throughout the texts. Both texts take into account the social contexts of the time and the personal context of each author.
An author’s personal context can shape many of the values displayed throughout a text. The values portrayed are often the values of the author themselves. This is clearly demonstrated in both EBB sonnets and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s GG.
There are parallels between Fitzgerald and the characters in GG. For example, Fitzgerald originates from the mid-west of America as did Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald lived an extremely lavish lifestyle after he made his money, as did Gatsby. The importance of money at that time is depicted in Fitzgerald’s own life, where his wife set a condition that she wouldn’t marry him until he had made his money. This is also portrayed in GG through Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship when Gatsby says to Tom Buchanan “Your wife doesn’t love you, she only married you because I was poor”. In GG both Daisy and Tom Buchanan have affairs. It was also …show more content…
The 1920’s were known as a period where relationships and marriages were founded upon superficial qualities such as beauty and wealth. This is depicted in the GG where lavish parties are thrown by Gatsby. There is also a remark in the novel which indicates this materialism, where Gatsby talks about Daisy “Her voice is full of money”. The characters go out of their way to show their idolisation for money. “I have never seen such beautiful shirts before”. This comment shows Daisy’s attraction to what money can buy rather than