The Great Gatsby Social Commentary Essay
The Great Gatsby as a Social Commentary
After the First World War, American society enjoyed prosperity as the economy soared. At the same time, Prohibition created millionaires out of bootleggers. Consequently, materialism and superficiality immediately filled America. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a witness of people’s spiritually empty lives, wrote “The Great Gatsby” which gave him literary importance even today to reflect this ill society. As one of the greatest Modernism work, “The Great Gatsby” successfully incorporated many representative characteristics during the Modernist Movement. Many Modernists view the world as a spiritually empty place. Fitzgerald strongly connects his novel with this general idea during Modernism. “I thought they’d be a nice durable cardboard” (45). Mr. Owl-eyes, a middle-aged guy who gets drunk in the party initially …show more content…
Eckleburg. When talking with Gatsby, Tom says, “By God, I may be old-fashioned in my ideas, but women run around too much these days to suit me” (103). Having an affair with Mrytle, Tom even feels somewhat proud of his attraction to women, instead of a little bit shame. Even though starting his words with “By God”, his lack of morals and faith has abandoned the idea of God. The eyes on the billboard are a metaphor for God because they are all-seeing and omnipresent. As Nick says, “They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose” (23), the eyes can see anything in the world, the physical and the mental. Nevertheless, “That’s an advertisement” (160), Michaelis only sees the billboard as a literary advertisement and do not understand it is actually a symbol of God. Even though Wilson repeats that “God see everything” (160), Michaelis still cannot correct his idea and keeps being superficial by looking at it just as an advertisement. His ignorance has abandoned the idea of
After the First World War, American society enjoyed prosperity as the economy soared. At the same time, Prohibition created millionaires out of bootleggers. Consequently, materialism and superficiality immediately filled America. F. Scott Fitzgerald, a witness of people’s spiritually empty lives, wrote “The Great Gatsby” which gave him literary importance even today to reflect this ill society. As one of the greatest Modernism work, “The Great Gatsby” successfully incorporated many representative characteristics during the Modernist Movement. Many Modernists view the world as a spiritually empty place. Fitzgerald strongly connects his novel with this general idea during Modernism. “I thought they’d be a nice durable cardboard” (45). Mr. Owl-eyes, a middle-aged guy who gets drunk in the party initially …show more content…
Eckleburg. When talking with Gatsby, Tom says, “By God, I may be old-fashioned in my ideas, but women run around too much these days to suit me” (103). Having an affair with Mrytle, Tom even feels somewhat proud of his attraction to women, instead of a little bit shame. Even though starting his words with “By God”, his lack of morals and faith has abandoned the idea of God. The eyes on the billboard are a metaphor for God because they are all-seeing and omnipresent. As Nick says, “They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a non-existent nose” (23), the eyes can see anything in the world, the physical and the mental. Nevertheless, “That’s an advertisement” (160), Michaelis only sees the billboard as a literary advertisement and do not understand it is actually a symbol of God. Even though Wilson repeats that “God see everything” (160), Michaelis still cannot correct his idea and keeps being superficial by looking at it just as an advertisement. His ignorance has abandoned the idea of