The Great Gatsby questioned the American Dream and how real it was. Although the literal tragedy in The Great Gatsby was Gatsby’s death, the real tragedy is that Gatsby’s death represents the failure of the American Dream. The American political ideals of equality among people, was inconsistent with the existing societal situation. Gatsby was an extreme American idealist, and the fact that he who had lived his whole life trying to achieve something and failed to do so and that this reflected on society in that era, was the major tragedy in the novel. “There must have been momen

Fitzgerald uses The Great Gatsby to question the society of the 1920’s. He shows the corruption of the American Dream, the moral destruction of society, the social ambition and discrimination, and the contrast between the two extreme lifestyles of the upper-class in that era. He uses symbolism to subtly illustrate the society to the reader, which gives the novel depth.

Gatsby’s countless extravagant parties created an illusionary atmosphere much like the lifestyles of the guests. Many had not even been invited and some came and went without ever meeting Gatsby. The peoples’ behaviour was an illustration of their careless and indulgent lives; for example, Nick writes “…they conducted themselves according to the rules of behaviour associated with an amusement park” (pg 43). Also Jordan’s careless driving and the fact that Tom and Daisy moved away after Myrtle’s death shows their lack of responsibility for their actions. The aimlessness of characters such as Tom, Daisy and Jordan can be seen through the dialogue, for example, “What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?” cried Daisy, “and the day after that and the next thirty years?” (pg 113). This shows how empty their lives are and that they have nothing too look forward to. This explains the large focus on social life during this time and in the upper class.

Fitzgerald also uses juxtaposition to show the contrast between the two extreme ways of life in an upper-class society in the 1920’s, namely Gatsby’s constant goal to fulfill his dream, and Tom and Daisy’s superficial, materialistic lifestyle. He d

Some topics in this essay:
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