The Great Gatsby: Movie vs. Novel

The novel The Great Gatsby and its movie are very much a like when you talk about characters, setting, and general theme. However, there are few subtle differences between the two that sets them apart just enough to notice. Although they have those small contrasts, they don’t take away from the overall theme of the story. First of all, the book describes the Valley of Ashes as being somewhat barren. However, in the movie, the Valley of Ashes is in a way developed with roads and buildings. Yes they are rundown buildings that are abandoned, but buildings none the less. Another difference between the novel and the movie would be in chapter one, when Tom returns to the table from his phone call. In the book, they keep talking until later in the night, but in the movie, the dinner is over right after he and Daisy return. A comparison between the two would be that Tom does have a mistress in both and they both (both Myrtles) are killed in the movie and novel. However, another difference would be that in the novel, it says that it had been eight years since Gatsby and Daisy had seen each other. But in the movie it says that it had only been five years. Lastly, in the movie the fight between Myrtle and Tom starts because she calls him clumsy, but in the movie over whether Myrtle should be allowed to say Daisy’s name. As proved, the movie doesn’t deviate from the novel too much, but it does in a way that distracts you from being able to follow the movie as well if you’ve already read the book. However, I think it’s good that the differences aren’t gigantic and take away from the entire theme of the plot of the