And The Home of the Greedy
As Matthew J. Bruccoli noted: "An essential aspect of the American-ness and the historicity of The Great Gatsby is that it is about money. The Land of Opportunity promised the chance for financial success." (p. xi) The Great Gatsby is indeed about money, but it also explores its aftermath of greed. Fitzgerald detailed the corruption, deceit and illegality of life that soon pursued "the dream". However, Fitzgerald entitles the reader to the freedom to decide whether or not the dream was ever free of corruption. Fitzgerald used several patterns to develop the theme surrounding the lost dream. One such pattern included the emergence corruption in relation to honesty. We first witness the symbolic aspects of this when we meet Jordan Baker. We learn through Nick that she is a golfer and he further indulges that "at her first big golf tournament there was a row t
The West egg is where Nick and Gatsby live, both former westerners, both familiar with the traditional life, the life associated with the dream. The East egg is where the corrupt reside, like the Buchanans. hat nearly reached the newspapers-a suggestion that she had moved her ball from a bad lie in the semi-final round. Also, it is learned that America's pastime, baseball, was also corrupted. Fitzgerald even implies that those who serve and protect us have also been corrupted. However, in association to the New World we are told that this "green breast" of hope and prosperity has vanished. Another pattern that is rather distinct is Fitzgerald's suggestion that potential, life and beginnings have also been ruined. However, once Nick Caraway moves to the East he is soon caught up in the corruption and destruction associated with the region. Our narrator's last name, Caraway, is a seed, a symbol of life and beginnings. We are also told of "a fresh, green breast of the New World. Our setting, the Egg Islands, is also symbolic. Both of these examples support the idea that all birth and beginnings have ceased and are now instead filled with death and grief. This further imbeds the notion that the dream and its rebirth are dying.
Common topics in this essay:
World's Series,
Myrtle Wilson,
Land Opportunity,
Jordan Baker,
Nick Gatsby,
Buchanans West,
Nick Caraway,
Egg Islands,
Matthew Bruccoli,
Nick West,
learn nick,
green breast,
dream pattern,
life beginnings,
west egg,
east egg,
|
Acceptance Essays
