The Great Gatsby: Theme

1. By Fitzgerald using the theme of illusion consistently throughout the whole story I
believe he is trying to display society as a mixed group of people. He displays
mankind as a corrupt society that is split from many things such as greed, lust,race,
status and wealth. We as people will always be different and will not always share
the same ideas and beliefs. He is trying to say that we will be different and will not
always get along.

2. Illusion is a real idea for teens because social status is a big thing in school. This
ties in with self esteem and the way you want yourself to be presented. Many
People in popular groups may choose to change themselves to fit in. This can be
Considered illusion as they are alluding them to the fact that they are cool or funny
or have some sought of quality that makes them popular. This often can cause the
person to lose control of who they really are. They create there own illusion for
others approval. They re-invent themselves to the point they believe that they are
that person, like Gatsby.

The Great Gatsby: Symbols

The symbols I will be using for this symbol analysis is the use of the colour green, the use of flowers and the use of the colour yellow or gold.

The green light/Use of the colour green:
The green light is an important symbol in this novel and very significant in Gatsby’s character. The light was located across the river at the the front of the Buchanan’s mansion. This represented Gatsby’s hope for a new beginning with daisy. He placed his hope on the light. It had consumed him as the light was strongly seen as a future with Daisy. His desire to have daisy had consumed him in a way that he had to recreate himself just for daisy. The light had illuded him to believe there had not been 5 years between them.

Flowers:
The use of flowers in the story and text is significant as it represents Daisy and how she is represented as pure as flower or Daisy for that matter. Daisy’s are primarily white and yellow. The Daisy being white and yellow means that Daisy is alluded to seem pure and the ideal women but is besides that a corrupt individual. Yellow alluded that wealth is a valid status symbol and makes you a better person. She is displayed as wealthy, posh, well mannered individual but shows how shallow she really is towards the end of the story.

The colour yellow/gold:
The use of the colour yellow or gold in the story is significant because yellow or gold can represent wealth or a status symbol. East Egg has been described with the colour gold or yellow. This means that East Egg is displayed or seen as a wealthy or pure place to reside. This could be that East Egg is seen as a desirable area to live as it is a status symbol to live there. West Egg is just another place to live where as East Egg is a major contributor to the Old money reputation.

The Great Gatsby: Setting

The four main settings that I have chosen to analyse are East Egg , West Egg
, ‘town’ or the inner city New York and The Valley of Ashes.

East Egg:
East Egg is represented as a place where ‘old’ money men and women reside. Old money is a term which means that he or she has inherited a large sum of money from older and generations which have been passed down. The behaviour displayed there is of an upper class manner and are portrayed as well mannered. They are seen as the the past in terms of the wealthy or rich scene. We can see this in the following quote. “ I lived at West Egg, the – well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them”.

West Egg:
West Egg is represented as a place where ‘new’ money men and women reside. New money is a term which means that he or she has worked to produce their own wealth.
Often are new money people looked down upon from old money people. The behaviour displayed from these individuals is reckless yet well portrayed. They are seen as the forefront of the wealthy. West egg is displayed as the less fashionable were as east egg is more desirable. We can see this in the following quote. “ I lived at West Egg, the – well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them”.

Inner city New York (town):
Inner city New York is displayed as the centre of the wealthy where new money and old money come to spend their money. It is displayed as the heart of the city where all the change is happening. New and old money individuals come to engage in drinking which was illegal to consume alcohol at the time. The social expectation surrounding the whole of the city is that it’s the hub of all types of classed men. This is where they mix. We can prove this by this quote from Nick. “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.”

The Valley of Ashes:
The Valley of Ashes is displayed as a place of construction and griminess. It is where the lower or middle class come to work and live. It is located in between the city and west and east egg. The social expectation surrounding the valley of ashes tends to be a poor or middle classed It theme. It’s as if people that can’t or struggled to make a living can go and find refuge. It opposes the likes of West/ East egg and New York city who have a rich or successful reputation. We can see the type of environment, The Valley of Ashes is from the following quote. “This is the valley of ashes – a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; rising smoke and, finally, with a transcending effort, of ash-grey men, who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.”

Illusion in settings:

I will use West egg and East egg to describe the use of illusion in the novel. The use of illusion in settings surrounding West egg and East egg. West Egg and East egg represents illusion in this novel by creating a social barrier between ‘new’ and ‘old’ money. This can particularly seen in Daisy’s and Gatsby’s relationship. We can prove this from this quote from the following quote. “Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of East Egg glittered along the water.” The use of ‘white palaces’ means the type of status East Egg has compared to West Egg. The fact that Nick can afford a house at West Egg next to a man like gatsby shows how easy it is to claim a piece of land in West Egg. It shows that East Egg is much more desirable than West Egg. No wonder East Egg or Old Money people look down at West Egg or New Money people. If middle classed people like Nick can rent a property at West Egg, East egg wouldn’t be as desirable.

The Great Gatsby: Character

I will be analysing three characters from the great gatsby. The characters being analysed is Gatsby, Nick and Daisy.

Gatsby:
Jay Gatsby is the main character in the novel who resides in West egg, New York. At the beginning of the story Gatsby was seen to be a mysterious man and not many knew the truth about him. In the beginning of the story he was displayed as a gentleman who has a reputation for hosting large parties. Throughout the beginning of the story we see Gatsby as a refined man but starts to deteriorate as the story progresses. We can see this in this quote, This is mainly because of his desire to share his love with Daisy. At the beginning of the story he is unable to grab her attention himself, so he uses parties and Nick to draw her attention. When Daisy is invited to Nick’s place by request of Gatsby, Gatsby is unable to confront Daisy. This shows a side of Gatsby which is slowly cracking. Nick can see this but chooses to ignore this as it is a small slip. Nick chooses to look at his better qualities. This alludes Nick to the fact the Gatsby is a plentiful man. His qualities have been exaggerated.

Nick:
Nick plays the narrator in this novel. He resides in West egg, New York. At the beginning of the story Nick is portrayed as a newcomer to New York. He moved to New York because of the booming industry on wall street. He rented a house on West Egg beside the soon to be introduced, Gatsby. Nick was displayed a young, intriguing man that we soon begin to understand more as he narrates the story. He questions people’s personalities but is also accepting of higher classed individuals. We can see it in this quote. “Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.” Nick is alluded to the fact Gatsby is an interesting person. His qualities have been over exaggerated but able to be believed. His qualities had been accepted by Nick as he was looking to engage in social interaction as he was settling into the New york social circle. We can see it in this quote. “He smiled understandingly – much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” He trusted Gatsby with his

Daisy:
Daisy plays the role of giving the story a purpose. Daisy gives Gatsby’s character a drive and purpose. Gatsby has created his reality to better his chances of acquiring Daisy’s love and affection. Daisy Is married to Tom Buchanan and lives with him across the river from Gatsby at West egg. Daisy’s story had become a major problem in Tom and Gatsby’s relationship and actions later on in the story. She is displayed as wealthy, posh, well mannered individual but shows how shallow she really is towards the end of the story. This an illusion as she hides behind her reputation and status. This can be explained by this quote “Her voice is full of money” he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money”.