Corruption In The Great Gatsby

The early 1900s was a time filled with legislative acts such as the Prohibition Act of 1919 that prohibited the sale and consumption of alcohol, and the Immigration Acts that limited the number of immigrants coming into the United States. These spur major issues in the U.S. but, also came a prosperous time for the industrialists and businessmen of the country. F. Scott Fitzgerald crafts personificated symbolism, minute details, and biblical allusions in The Great Gatsby to exhibit the influx of wealth and social class, ultimately revealing an extensive commentary on the moral corruption in the 1920s. Without a doubt, the American dream changes Jay Gatsby's life, coinciding with Gatsby's changing narrative. His father proclaims, "If he'd of

Most notably in an initial observation we see the reference to Dr. T. J. Eckleberg as the eyes of God throughout the book. The irony of this is that the eyes preside over where the Wilsons live and the Valley of Ashes as a whole, condemning the place as a breeding ground for sin, specifically infidelity. The eyes target the affair between Tom Buchannan and Myrtle Wilson. Though Pearson claims in his article, "Rather than an "inverted Christ'' or God, Gatsby is a perverted God; one who is dedicated to the physical rather than the spiritual world," unlike many other scholars (Pearson 369 to 370). Pearson is unable to see a meaning in other theories and finds the connection of Gatsby as an allusion to God. This theory introduces a new lens that gives Gatsby a debauched character that means he does not live for the entertainment of others but instead, uses others for his own censored pleasures. This further plays into the idea that people of higher status cared only for themselves, idolized themselves, and their desires. Alternatively, some scholars theorize that Gatsby was written as a character never meant to succeed despite his efforts, but written to

Much like how the 1920s was spent pompously and ended in an economic depression. The article quotes, "'the unfairness of a poor young man not being able to marry a girl with money. The theme comes up again and again because I lived it.’" from Fitzgerald himself (Bechtels 121). From this we learn that Fitzgerald incorporated his own experiences with love, relationships, and his life as a whole into the book. The Great Gatsby was not written as an autobiography, but many aspects of the book parallel his life. Seeing that those attempts never ended in success, perhaps Fitzgerald wanted to reflect the universal message of failure. Had Gatsby married Daisy he would have completed his journey and ascended to the top of the hierarchy but that can not be allowed in society for that would defy all laws concerning social structures. It is written into the book and his life that it is impossible to truly rise to the top of the social hierarchy if you are not bred into it. Though the book is named after Gatsby, we must remember that the novel was written through the eyes of Nick Carrway. So what is his