cultural assumptions in the great gatsby cultural assumptions in the great gatsby

3: Growth of Empires to the Great Depression (1890-1930s). Myrtle is obsessed with shows of wealth, from her outfits, to insisting on a specific cab, to her apartment's decoration, complete with scenes of Versailles on the overly-large furniture: "The living room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles" (2.51). Gatsby never stands a chance of succeeding with his attempt to win back Daisy, who is a part of that society and of a different status. No people in The Great Gatsby get rich by working hard. Historical Context Essay: The Great Gatsby and the Jazz Age, Literary Context Essay: Modernism & Realism in The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary, offering a vivid peek into American life in the 1920s. The sheer number of the party participants implies that the 1920s American culture was characterized by indiscriminate spending in an increasing number of products that were availed for sale by the rising manufacturing capacity of the nation. To get a really good sense of why characters in the novel do what they do, it's useful to know the specific historical circumstances they are dealing with. For some time now I have been thinking about the validity or vulnerability of a certain set of assumptions conventionally accepted among literary historians and critics and circulated as "knowledge." This knowledge holds that traditional, canonical American literature is free of, We learn that the car is very large and both green on the . Youve successfully purchased a group discount. In both cases, the marriages seem to be unions of convenience or advantage than actual love. Youths challenged the existing social norms since they got jazzed (drunk) with illegal liquor while at the same time engaging in sexual immorality. Scherer, Frederick, and David Ross. Even though he wasn't able to inherit any part of Cody's fortune, he used what he learned of wealthy society to first charm Daisy before shipping out to WWI. What ACT target score should you be aiming for? and events that occur in the novels plot. Print. New York: Scribner, 2004. Both Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby have military backgrounds. Don't leave your college application to chance. In 1920, the U.S. passed the 18th Amendment, outlawing the production and sale of alcohol. The ramifications of this were political, economic, and social. "American Culture in the Novel "The Great Gatsby"." . In 1920s, this figure rose to more than 75 percent. In the contemporary phenomenon of "Gatsby parties"festivities intended to capture the air of the titular Jay Gatsby's famously lavish, bacchanalian partiesjazz is de rigueur to evoke the 1920s. As such, theGreat Gatsby era is theperiod in 20th century U.S. history nicknamed both the Roaring 20s and the "Jazz Age." They Were Careless People, Tom and Daisy. Explain the Quote. 4.2 'Aspiration' in The Great Gatsby and 'American Dreams' 4.3 Comparing representations of 'aspiration' in the texts Chapter 5 Comparative study option 2: Human progress 5.1epresenting the concept of 'human progress' R 5.2 'Human progress' in Hidden Figures and poetry by Kathy Jetil-Kijiner The Great Gatsby. While Gatsby, Myrtle, and George all end up dead, Tom and Daisy get to skip town and avoid any consequences, despite their direct involvement. This is encapsulated in a phone call Nick describes, to a man who used to come to Gatsby's parties: "one gentleman to whom I telephoned implied that he had got what he deserved. The average student has to read dozens of books per year. If you understand the history of Prohibition, you'll make better sense of some plot and character details inThe Great Gatsby: Police emptying out confiscated barrels of beer into the sewer. Despite not being as wealthy as Tom and Daisy, his second cousin, they see him as enough of a peer to invite him to their home in Chapter 1. Gatsby is accurately accused of being a bootlegger by those who attend his parties as he displays no signs of difficulty acquiring liquor and breaking the law (Fitzgerald 17). If Nick were just a middle-class everyman, the story could not play out in the same way. All rights reserved. Scott Fitzgerald has created a social satire of America in the 1920's in which he exposes the American Dream as being inherently flawed and merely an illusion produced by idealism.This American Dream has been traditionally associated with the pursuit of freedom and equality. To Nick, the way that Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby line up morally correlates with their geographical choice of lifestyle (The Great Gatsby Novels 73); in other words, Nicks unsophistication and simplicity reflect his admiration for the Midwest just as Toms, Daisys and Gatsbys materialistic and immoral behaviors mirror their affinity for the fast-paced life of New York. The dizzying rise of the stock market in the aftermath of the war led to a sudden, sustained increase in the national wealth and a newfound materialism, as people began to spend and consume at unprecedented levels. The Great Gatsby is a very accurate portrayal of the cultural and social changes during the 1920's. 1929, the 19th Amendment has been passed, era of the flapper was strong, Jazz was popularized, prohibition started, greed was more apparent, and morals were lost. The theme of The Great Gatsby is decadence and the decline of society. High in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl. Fitzgerald positions the characters of The Great Gatsby as emblems of these social trends. (In a uniform she had no idea he was poor, especially given his sophisticated manners). The aftermath of this desire was the American dream that entailed the search for riches, equal opportunity, independence, and devotion. The public benefited from this increased success. The culture of the wealthy Americans represented in the novel was defined mainly by consumerism and excessive The 1920s marked a key time of change in the social status of women as so called flappers defied the traditional norms for conduct and dress, and women finally received the right to vote (The Great Gatsby Novels 74). Because he creates characters that personify the American Dream, juxtaposes western and eastern American cultures, incorporates examples of law breaking under Prohibition, and depicts the corruption of the wealthy, Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby as a reflection of Americas culture in the early twentieth century by highlighting the cultures successes and failures. The description of Gatsby's parties at the beginning of Chapter 3 is long and incredibly detailed, and thus it highlights the extraordinary extent of Gatsby's wealth and materialism. At the beginning of the novel they move to fashionable East Egg, after moving around between "wherever people played polo and were rich together," and are able to very quickly pick up and leave at the end of the book after the murders, thanks to the protection their money provides (1.17). . The novel includes Nick's anti-Semitic description of a Jewish character - Meyer Wolfshiem. Daisy maintains her "old money" status by marrying a very rich man, Tom Buchanan, and ultimately sticks with him despite her feelings for Gatsby. Leader, Zachary. This term described women who would wear much less restricting clothing and go out drinking and dancing, which at the time was a huge violation of typical social norms. So money here is more than just statusit's a shield against responsibility, which allows Tom and Daisy to behave recklessly while other characters suffer and die in pursuit of their dreams. Fitzgerald conveys a message warning against the perils of materialism during the course of the novel. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols sufficiently to give the novel a more vivid description of the American culture. Thanks for creating a SparkNotes account! He sarcastically describes the "consoling proximity of millionaires" on West Egg and wryly observes Tom and Daisy's restless entitlement on East Egg. The College Entrance Examination BoardTM does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this site. Many themes of the novel revolve around the mysterious character of Gatsby. Alongside the juxtaposition of the Midwest and the East, Fitzgerald also reflects the culture of the 1920s with descriptions of Prohibition and the law breaking that came as a result. Almost a century after he was written into being, F Scott Fitzgerald's doomed . It took him about two and a half years to write and edit it, in between a failed play production, financial struggles, and a move to France. Excited to dive in? Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. "They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. Set in Jazz Age New York, the novel tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman whom he loved in his youth. "She's got an indiscreet voice," I remarked. As an example, let's look briefly at Myrtle. As Fitzgerald saw it (and as Nick explains in Chapter 9), the American dream was originally about discovery, individualism, and the pursuit of happiness. What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? However, even though Gatsby succeeds in acquiring wealth, he is never accepted by the upper class. Myrtle mentions this with regard to her husband, George, whom she mistook for someone of better breeding and hence greater prospects: I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasnt fit to lick my shoe. Similarly, Gatsbys pursuit of Daisy is bound up with class. Scott Fitzgerald mentions in her novel an incident of prohibition of sale and the production of liquor to tame youths who had become overindulged in alcoholism. Set in the year 1922, the novel occurs during the thriving period of prosperity in America where materialism set the tone of society as reflected by the main characters economic successes. The Great Gatsby reflects the trends of the 1920's through the transformation of James Gatz, the differences between the houses in West Egg and East Egg, and the unflattering picture of the era. What's the point of striving so hard if only heartbreak and death are waiting at the end of the road? He gets wrapped up in Gatsby's dreams and his cousin's difficult marriage, all while learning about the pitfalls of wealth and the truth of the American dream. Gatsby suffers the most from the promise of social mobility inherent to the American Dream. jazz music is a fixture of Gatsbys parties, and almost every song that Fitzgerald describes is a real life piece of music. That was it. However, Fitzgerald illustrates the price of prosperity as he portrays its negative effects such as the greed, lies, and deceit the characters possess in order to satirize the selfish way many were choosing to live. Gatsby, for example, lives in a monstrously ornate mansion, wears a pink suit, drives a Rolls-Royce, and does not pick up on subtle social signals, such as the insincerity of the Sloanes invitation to lunch. This claim implies that they thought that money could make them more authoritative than other people. Everyone is there for the spectacle alone. Most of the characters reveal themselves to be highly materialistic, their motivations driven by their desire for money and things: Daisy marries and stays with Tom because of the lifestyle he can provide her, Myrtle has her affair with Tom due to the privileged world it grants her access to, and Gatsby even lusts after Daisy as if she is a prize to be won. Despite society's changing nature, the world still hasn't accepted Jordan as an independent person. Then, after returning home and realizing Daisy was married and gone, he set out to earn enough money to win Daisy over, turning to crime via a partnership with Meyer Wolfshiem to quickly amass wealth (9.83-7). In 2013, a new movie adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby was released. March 4, 2023, SNPLUSROCKS20 If you're aware of the newness and attraction of cars, you'll notice that inThe Great Gatsby: Death machine, or no, you have to admit that's a pretty cool-looking car. For the next 7 days, you'll have access to awesome PLUS stuff like AP English test prep, No Fear Shakespeare translations and audio, a note-taking tool, personalized dashboard, & much more! Materialistic nature of the characters in the novel validates this claim. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. It was all very careless and confused. Any time someone isdrinking alcohol in the novel, they are doing something illegal, and are clearly in the know about how to get this banned substance. A+ Student Essay: The Automobile as a Symbol in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby Background. One of the rumors about Gatsby is that he is involved in a bootlegging pipeline of alcohol from Canada - this is a reference to a real-life scandal about one of the places where illegal alcohol was coming from! Jordan temporarily flouts expectations by ""[running] around the country," (1.134) playing golf, and not being in a hurry to marrya freedom that she is allowed because of her money, not in spite of it. Imagine spending weeks in this hole in the ground. In the opening pages, Nick establishes himself as someone who has had many advantages in lifea wealthy family and an Ivy League education to name just two. This makes Daisy sound like the princess that the hero gets to marry at the end of a fairy talein other words, she's a high-value prize. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you However, despite her airs, she matters very little to the "old money" crowd, as cruelly evidenced first when Tom breaks her nose with a "short deft movement" (2.126), and later, when Daisy chooses to run her over rather than get into a car accident. The epigraph of the novel immediately marks money and materialism as a key theme of the bookthe listener is implored to "wear the gold hat" as a way to impress his lover. Characters such as George and Toms wives exemplify the rebellion that is characterized by dwindling moral standards. Readers may end the novel wondering if the American Dream is actually attainable at all. In contrast, the old aristocracy possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and elegance, epitomized by the Buchanans tasteful home and the flowing white dresses of Daisy and Jordan Baker. Copyright 2023 - IvyPanda is operated by, American Culture in the Novel The Great Gatsby. After all, if even wealth on the scale of Gatsby's can't buy you entry into America's highest social class, what can? So the American Dream, which in the first half of the book seems attainable based on Gatsby's wealth and success, reveals itself to be a hollow goal. Fitzgerald incorporates the topics surrounding his era into this classic of the American Dream, the contrasting cultures of the Midwest and East, the struggles under Prohibition, and the immoral behaviors exemplified throughout the nation. In fact, it seems that the accident may have brought them closer. He is guided by a culture of gathering more wealth for individualistic gains than he already has (Zeitz 13). You can connect modernism withthe novel's descriptions of East Egg and West Egg extravagance. . (Even if she's not actually engaged, the fact she chooses to tell Nick that suggests she does see engagement as her end goal in life.). IvyPanda, 12 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/american-culture-in-the-novel-the-great-gatsby/. IvyPanda. Read more about how the American Dream is treated in The Great Gatsby and whether the novel is ultimately optimistic or pessimistic about the dream. In addition to the perception of the American Dream, the opposing cultures of the Midwest and Eastern regions of the United States are depicted by Fitzgerald and embody the characters morals. At the time when the novel takes place, the U.S. was in the middle of a tremendous economic boom and a soaring stock market that seemed to be on a permanent upward swing. Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment and as she expanded the room grew smaller around her until she seemed to be revolving on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air" (2.56). Gatsby's business partner Meyer Wolfshiem is a gangster who is affiliated with organized crime and is based on the real-life crime boss Arnold Rothstein, who was indeed responsible for fixing the World Series in 1919. Most suppliers of alcohol during Prohibition were highly esteemed since one who could live on the edge and without restraint was admired (The Great Gatsby Literature 151). Despite the fact that only few women precisely fitted this description of 1920s flapper, such a description was common in the media. (1.14). However, the quest for contentment changed with time to become the search for wealth through excessive insatiability. Gatsbyis now seen as both a product of and a record of the 1920s. A reinterpreted version of the story about Jay Gatsby's endeavor to become rich, achieve status in the high-society of 1922's Long Island, New York, and get back together with the love of his life - Daisy Buchanan. First of all, he makes it clear that he has "an unaffected scorn" for the ultra-rich, and eyes both new money and old money critically. Though all of its action takes place over a mere few months during the summer of 1922 and is set in a circumscribed . The Great Gatsby portrays three different social classes: "old money" (Tom and Daisy Buchanan); "new money" (Gatsby); and a class that might be called "no money" (George and Myrtle Wilson). It was full of moneythat was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it. Before the end of 1930, 12 million homes in the US had already bought radio cassettes while the numbers of those who were connected with telephones increased by 50 percent (10.5 million in 1915 to more than 20 million by the end of 1930) (Scherer and Ross 93). Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? So how exactly does materialism reveal itself as a theme, how can it help us analyze the characters, and what are some common assignments surrounding this theme? Daisy representing money also suggests money is as alluring and desirableor even more sothan Daisy herself. . What Does The Great Gatsbys Ending Mean? . 146-152. One of the major topics explored in The Great Gatsby is the sociology of wealth, specifically, how the newly minted millionaires of the 1920s differ from and relate to the old aristocracy of the countrys richest families. He spends his life believing that if he makes enough money and acquires enough possessions, he can transcend his lower-class birth and become equal to Daisy and Tom. #3: How their final outcome is shaped by their wealth status and what that says about their place in the world. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes the culture of materialism and greed amongst people in the higher social classes. Suppose you wanted to analyze the importance of cars in The Great Gatsby. Nick Caraway, a native of Minnesota and an advocate of Midwestern values, narrates it in the first person. Only after amassing a large fortune does he feel able to make his move. Myrtle explains that she married George because she thought he was a gentleman, suggesting she hoped hed raise her class status. When his dream crumbles, all that is left for Gatsby to do is die; all Nick can do is move back to Minnesota, where American values have not decayed. By Matthew Walther Mr. Walther is the editor of The Lamp, a Catholic literary journal, and a . Print. In this context, Gatsby is a representation of a fallen American dream due to the rising immorality that characterizes the culture of the 1920s America. SparkNotes PLUS Although the story is told with grace and beauty, its events are intended to be shocking. The first nickname points toAmerica's post-WWIeconomic prosperity and the country's greater influence abroad. Gatsbys dream is ruined by the unworthiness of its object, just as the American dream in the 1920s is ruined by the unworthiness of its objectmoney and pleasure. F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby, written in 1925, depicts a portion of Nick Carraway's life characterized by the time he is influenced by the mysterious Jay Gatsby and his extensive pursuit of his former flame and Nick's cousin, Daisy Buchanan. You should know about WWI (and its aftermath) because: The war and its devastating after-effects, particularly in Europe, fed into the creation of a new artistic movement: modernism. Why does Gatsby arrange for Nick to have lunch with Jordan Baker? If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points, How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer, Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests. to reacquaint himself with Daisy through massive parties instead prove to be areas where those yearning for liquor could obtain their desired alcohol with little to no regard toward their host; this is exemplified in the fact that Owl Eyes is the only character other than Nick to attend both Gatsbys lavish parties and his funeral. Ed. However, all positive traits aside, there are aspects of Jay Gatsby that call into question that admiration. F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby, written in 1925, depicts a portion of Nick Carraways life characterized by the time he is influenced by the mysterious Jay Gatsby and his extensive pursuit of his former flame and Nicks cousin, Daisy Buchanan. They are highly materialistic in nature. August 12, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-culture-in-the-novel-the-great-gatsby/. This speaks to her materialism and how, in her world, a certain amount of wealth is a barrier to entry for a relationship (friendship or more). A Comprehensive Guide. Caroline Brown . Just as Americans have given America meaning through their dreams for their own lives, Gatsby instills Daisy with a kind of idealized perfection that she neither deserves nor possesses. Some of the rumors swirling around Gatsby point to how fresh the war was in everyone's mind (that he was a German spy during the war, or that he is related to Kaiser Wilhelm, who ruled Germany during the war). "It makes me sad because I've never seen suchsuch beautiful shirts before." The Great Gatsby Themes Wealth A Comprehensive Guide. Learn more about The Crucible, The Cask of Amontillado, and "Do not go gentle into that good night" with our expert analyses. Luckily, FreeBookSummary offers study guides on over 1000 top books from students curricula! In the world of The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is synonymous with money and statusnot so much success, career (does anyone but Nick and George even have a real job? ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? Getting a deeper grasp of character. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. Vol. Sometimes it can end up there. Renews March 11, 2023 This situation resulted in corruption of the ideal American dream. We're using this system since there are many editions of Gatsby, so using page numbers would only work for students with our copy of the book. "Old money" families have fortunes dating from the 19th century or before, have built up powerful and influential social connections, and tend to hide their wealth and superiority behind a veneer of civility.