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Complexity Of The Human Condition In The Great Gatsby

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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 …show more content…

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.

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In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author uses many differnt retorical devices to add a personal flare to his work. He uses diction, symbolism, and irony to adress many different themes. These themes include Materialism, The American Dream, and includes a sharp and biting ridicule on American society in the 1920’s. The main point of Fitzgerald, arguement is one where he sharply criticizes the Society of the time.

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“A child called Noah” written by Josh Greenfeld, is a story of a family with a child called Noah that is considered to be autistic. This unique story is all written in journal entries, in which the author expressed his daily challenges with his autistic son. Noah Hiro is a child born on July 1, 1966 in Westchester, New York to mother Foumi, father Josh and brother Karl. Noah seems to be okay until he stops talking at the age of two and withdraws himself from what is going on around him.

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This ethos slogan has appealed to people all over America, embedding the idea that economic and social success can be achieved through hard work and determination. Events portrayed in The Great Gatsby contained many aspects of this widespread dream. Common aspects of the American dream portrayed in the “Great Gatsby” includes “rags to riches” and climbing social status for many of the characters. Within chapter 6 an important story is told by Gatsby about

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The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald addresses the themes of following dreams and human nature through the narrative of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy and enigmatic man who organizes expensive parties to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald explores the theme of chasing unrealized aspirations throughout the novel, the darker sides of human nature that can cause people to act in harmful ways. He also offers commentary on the American society and humanity by using symbolism and characterization to construct his argument. Fitzgerald illustrates the perils of obsession and the weaknesses in American culture and human nature by employing symbolism and characterization to show Gatsby's pursuit of irrational dreams. One of the most significant

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V. Revealing the Complexities of Class System A midway point between the highest in society;the Buchanan's and those like them, and the lowest in society, the social climbers, such as Gatsby and Myrtle is Nick Carraway. Carraway's bungalow acts as a midway between the two extremities also; the house, which lies “ at the very tip of the [west]egg, only fifty yards from the sand), is juxtaposed to Nick's position in society. He does not belong in East Egg, with fashionably rich and powerful of New York, but he does not quite belong in the West egg, with the newly rich; he did go to school with Tom Buchanan, and in reponse to this, his is teetering on the edge of both worlds.

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He is portrayed as someone who has achieved the American Dream and is a successful man overall. Nick describes Gatsby after hearing about his past, saying, “Anything can happen now…” I thought; “...anything at all…” Even Gatsby could happen, without any particular wonder” (69). Nick is suggesting that if Gatsby can get wealthy from humble beginnings, so can everybody. This furthers another element of the American Dream, especially in relation to wealth because Nick is saying that while getting social status and wealth from nothing is improbable, it can be achieved

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Although, unlike the majority of the characters in the novel, including Nick, Tom, and Daisy, Gatsby was not born rich, he envisioned a prosperous future for himself and dedicated his life towards achieving it. As said by Nick, “he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end” (98). He wasn’t born into wealth, whatever Gatsby had, he acquired himself. He represented achieving the American Dream, the concept of building oneself from nothing, and reaching a point of happiness, whether that exist in money, a person, or a job. Gatsby embodied the definition of greatness, which can be defined as intense and grand, his parties, his house, the facade of his lifestyle, and him in general represented this flamboyant being, that was always talked

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His use of money is exaggerated and in poor taste” (Tate 9). Unlike Tom, whose generational wealth gave him an air of respectability, Gatsby’s association with the nouveau riche and his excessive flaunting of his wealth deprecated the value of any money he earned. However, the incorruptibility of Gatsby’s dream prevents him from accepting that it is impossible to achieve the same social status as old-money members of society like Tom Buchanan. No matter how hard Gatsby tries to overcome his lower class background to gain both riches and Daisy, the rigidity of class differences prevent him from achieving either aspect of his American Dream. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald exposes the impossibility of an American Dream when, like Gatsby’s, it is developed in one’s imagination and ignores reality.

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Ryan Johnson Ms. Conlon English 11CP 26 February 2018 The Nature of Man Frederick Buechner once said, “Lust is the craving for salt of a man who is dying of thirst.” In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald depicts the nature of man with the actions of two truculent and cowardly characters: George Wilson and Tom Buchanan. With first glance, the two characters seem to be on different ends of the spectra, with Tom living a lavish life in the upper class and George struggling to survive in the lower class, however, these characters are more similar than different. Through Tom and George’s violent acts, inhumane attitudes toward women, and shrewd personalities, these characters contribute to Fitzgerald’s view of the cold-hearted nature of man.

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Gatsby says,”. “I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West — all dead now.” (Fitzgerald, 48). This shows Gatsby was creating an image of himself as a person who comes from a higher-class background. which also assimilates with the materialistic ambitions of the American dream.

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Writers use storytelling elements to explore timeless themes, helping readers gain a deeper understanding of the world. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby," we are immersed in the extravagant lifestyle of the 1920s Jazz Age. Through Nick's narrative, Fitzgerald uncovers the complex elements of 1920s culture while exploring the myth of the American Dream, the superiority of the old money class in comparison to new money and the working class, and the dangers of living in the past and becoming obsessed with it. As responders, we are prompted to consider the relevance of the American Dream in modern society, reflect on the unfair advantages that come with old money status, and the need to not long for the past as it can become

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Gatsby was more than just a mundane character in the story, he was a man who was known to be living his dream, and to many, it seemed like he had it all. Fitzgerald was able to use Gatsby as a symbol and figure to portray a very important theme in this story, which is The American Dream. Gatsby was living the common, lavish version of the American Dream throughout his lifetime. He started with nothing, as an ordinary poor man, but he manages to climb his way up through hard work and determination. Nick’s description of Gatsby suggests that Gatsby was not an ordinary person when he said:

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Gatsby was a man who came up from essentially nothing by gaining his money through bootlegging and other illegal acts in order to gain a reputation in society. Gatsby’s constant desire to accomplish more in his life demonstrates the corruption of the American Dream. It is evident that Gatsby has had a thirst for the American dream since a young age, this is shown when Gatsby’s father says: “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something. Do you notice what he’s got about improving his mind?

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Gatsby is a self-made man who made money through illegal bootlegging and gambling. Even though he throws lavish parties and shows off his wealth, he still doesn't belong in the circle of the old-money elite. Despite all his wealth, he is not accepted by the upper class and is ultimately rejected by Daisy due to his working-class upbringing. It can be seen as a critique of the American dream, which promises that hard work and consistent effort will lead to success and social mobility. However, class barriers and inequality often stop this from

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Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is the author of the twentieth century American classic, The Great Gatsby. It is a story of the American dream, settled down in the 1920’s, with issues of the time period being, prohibition, women, class structure, crime, and many more, The Great Gatsby has a taste of each. Fitzgerald incorporated subjects of his time and his very own experiences into the story to portray an era of social and moral values. The 1920’s were a time of breaking morals Class structure and wealth were among the highest pleasures achievable. The 20’s were an era of Jazz; with extravagant music playing throughout all hours of the night.

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