1. The American Dream is to continue to strive for greatness and happiness. Gatsby is a self-made man who earned his money. However, he doesn't have everything he thought wealth would bring a man - love, happiness, acceptance. The novel illuminates that money cannot buy you everything. Those who were born rich lack moral character and Gatsby is unable to enter into the high society despite his mansion, cars, and wealth. The American dream is still the same. People want a better life and they think that money is the key to paradise. Fitzgerald is simply trying to illuminate that it may be impossible to achieve your fantasy.
2. The Midwest and the East are separated physically and socially. Self made men live in the Midwest and the high society live in the East. Money no longer represents the barrier as it is now a geographical barrier separating people born rich from others. Both Nick and Gatsby could never live in the East or really belong among those people.
3. Tom and Daisy Buchanan were born wealthy, married wealthy, and live wealthy. Gatsby loves Daisy and they had once dated, but Daisy would never leave her high class marriage for Gatsby's home in the Midwest.
4. Nick is the story teller. As an objective third party viewer, the story is more "believable" through him. He paints himself to be objective, at least.
5. Gatsby wishes to recapture the days when his uniform made him good enough for Daisy to step out with. Now that the war is over and the class system is reinstated, Daisy no longer can see herself marrying "beneath her station". He is unsuccessful is fully prying Daisy away from her husband.
6. The title of the Great Gatsby is in irony. Gatsby thinks he is great now that he is wealthy and he projects that persona. However, he lacks happiness and love.
7. Jordan is Nick's tie to East Egg. As they date, Nick realizes the emptiness in Jordan and the superficiality that runs rampant through all of East Egg. Through their relationship he is able to sympathize with what Gatsby goes through with Daisy.
8. Daisy's great light is a beacon for Gatsby. It symbolizes her and Gatsby yearns for the light as he does for Daisy who would complete his quest for the American Dream. The valley of the ashes show the lack of regard for others as the wealthy pursue wealth in business. It also represents the lack of life in the poor inhabitants such as George. George also views the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg as God glowering at him in his grief. They could also represent the neglect of the wealthy (since it is a fading, abandoned billboard from an optometrist) or how God sees everything - Daisy running down Myrtle, Myrtle having an affair with Tom, George's despair - and yet nothing changes.
9. I honestly think The Great Gatsby is a little overrated. A better commentary on failing to achieve the American Dream would be Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. It's more relateable to the middle class struggles. I suppose the Great Gatsby is more of a "be careful what you wish for because when you'll get it you will probably get murdered" novel.
10. The Jazz Age was the height of American success. The roaring twenties were a decade full of fast music, innovation, invention, and speak-easies. Men got rich in the first war if they became high ranking officers or through owning weapons manufacturing companies. It explained why Gatsby was able to jump the social ladder from middle class to high class society financially.
1. The American Dream is to continue to strive for greatness and happiness. Gatsby is a self-made man who earned his money. However, he doesn't have everything he thought wealth would bring a man - love, happiness, acceptance. The novel illuminates that money cannot buy you everything. Those who were born rich lack moral character and Gatsby is unable to enter into the high society despite his mansion, cars, and wealth. The American dream is still the same. People want a better life and they think that money is the key to paradise. Fitzgerald is simply trying to illuminate that it may be impossible to achieve your fantasy.
2. The Midwest and the East are separated physically and socially. Self made men live in the Midwest and the high society live in the East. Money no longer represents the barrier as it is now a geographical barrier separating people born rich from others. Both Nick and Gatsby could never live in the East or really belong among those people.
3. Tom and Daisy Buchanan were born wealthy, married wealthy, and live wealthy. Gatsby loves Daisy and they had once dated, but Daisy would never leave her high class marriage for Gatsby's home in the Midwest.
4. Nick is the story teller. As an objective third party viewer, the story is more "believable" through him. He paints himself to be objective, at least.
5. Gatsby wishes to recapture the days when his uniform made him good enough for Daisy to step out with. Now that the war is over and the class system is reinstated, Daisy no longer can see herself marrying "beneath her station". He is unsuccessful is fully prying Daisy away from her husband.
6. The title of the Great Gatsby is in irony. Gatsby thinks he is great now that he is wealthy and he projects that persona. However, he lacks happiness and love.
7. Jordan is Nick's tie to East Egg. As they date, Nick realizes the emptiness in Jordan and the superficiality that runs rampant through all of East Egg. Through their relationship he is able to sympathize with what Gatsby goes through with Daisy.
8. Daisy's great light is a beacon for Gatsby. It symbolizes her and Gatsby yearns for the light as he does for Daisy who would complete his quest for the American Dream. The valley of the ashes show the lack of regard for others as the wealthy pursue wealth in business. It also represents the lack of life in the poor inhabitants such as George. George also views the eyes of Dr. Eckleburg as God glowering at him in his grief. They could also represent the neglect of the wealthy (since it is a fading, abandoned billboard from an optometrist) or how God sees everything - Daisy running down Myrtle, Myrtle having an affair with Tom, George's despair - and yet nothing changes.
9. I honestly think The Great Gatsby is a little overrated. A better commentary on failing to achieve the American Dream would be Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. It's more relateable to the middle class struggles. I suppose the Great Gatsby is more of a "be careful what you wish for because when you'll get it you will probably get murdered" novel.
10. The Jazz Age was the height of American success. The roaring twenties were a decade full of fast music, innovation, invention, and speak-easies. Men got rich in the first war if they became high ranking officers or through owning weapons manufacturing companies. It explained why Gatsby was able to jump the social ladder from middle class to high class society financially.