Complexity Of The Human Condition In The Great Gatsby

Stories are often a vessel for conveying an important message or lesson. Through an entertaining narrative, an author can express themes to delve into universal truths and societal issues in a palatable way for audiences. Themes are the backbone of literature, inviting the reader to think critically and reflect on their own lives. From the fables children read to teach them to never give up, like the tale of The Tortoise and the Hare, to more complex topics, such as the disillusionment of the American Dream from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, themes stand to address the various complexities of the human condition. The Great Gatsby takes place and is written in the 1920s, a time of rapid economic growth and societal change known as the “Roaring Twenties”. The novel follows the enigmatic Jay Gatsby and his obsessive pursuit of

Causing destruction wherever they go, the Buchanans’ American Dream is a far cry from prosperity and success. Their lives are more akin to unfulfillment, and immorality covered in a heavy layer of gold. Jay Gatsby is a mysterious but incredibly wealthy man known for his elaborate parties. No one knows how he got his wealth; some say he is “a bootlegger,” (Fitzgerald 61), and others claim that he is “nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil” (Fitzgerald 61). Regardless of his mystique, it is clear to see that Jay Gatsby has “made it” in life. He is the pinnacle of the American Dream because, through hard work and dedication, he rose the social and economic ladder to become one of the richest men on Long Island. However, like Tom and Daisy, Gatsby’s lifestyle is not what it seems. Gatsby tells Nick that he is, “the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West (.), educated at Oxford,” (Fitzgerald 65), and came to money after his parents’ deaths.