Comparing The Great Gatsby And The Crucible By Arthur Miller

In both The Great Gatsby and The Crucible, the authors delve deeply into the constructs of American society through the characters lives as they are influenced by social constructs and other’s moral values. From the extravagant Jazz age in Fitzgerald’s work to the hysteric times of the Salem witch trials, it is evident that the relentless prioritization of personal ambitions inevitably leads to moral decay and collective chaos. By evaluating these texts together, the continuous moral corruption that has persistently influenced American society throughout history becomes even clearer. The character’s in the Great Gatsby are constantly modifying their actions in order to conform to societal constructs built by the egotistical people around them. For example,

She lies about the people she lives next door to in order to save herself, to leave her reputation untouched and be able to walk the streets without shame. Like Daisy, these characters are molded by external pressure, their new personal ambitions of fitting in even more become their absolute priority, their only worry in life. Like Jay Gatsby states, “Life is much more successfully looked at from a single window,” (Fitzgerald 10). His window being his self defined ‘true love’ for Daisy affecting his decision that will impact the rest of his life. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay,” (Fitzgerald 78), he would choose where he ended up living and then ultimately dying in order to be closer to the facade of romance. This insane obsession constantly portrayed throughout history and continuously cementing values in American culture is greatly impacted by the death of Jay Gatsby. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things. . . and then retreated back into their money. . . and let other people clean up the mess they had made.,” (Fitzgerald 179), the moral decay displayed by their actions leads to an inevitable