Examples Of Lost Generation In The Great Gatsby

The Lost Generation: The Great Gatsby

How does an entire generation get lost? The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells the story of a group of people with conflicting personalities living in Long Island during 1925. “Lost Generation... The term stems from a remark made by Gertrude Stein to Ernest Hemingway... The generation was ‘lost’ in the sense that it’s inherited values were no longer relevant in the postwar word… The term embraces Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Dos… and many other writers activities in the ‘20s” (Britannica) In the same sense that Fitzgerald lost his values the cast of characters has too. One character who is an example of this is Mr. Gatsby himself. “‘Did you start him in business?’ I inquired.‘Start

I got him to join up in the American Legion and he used to stand high there. Right off he did some work for a client of mine up to Albany. We were so thick like that in everything—’ He held up two bulbous fin-gers ‘—always together.’” (Fitzgerald) This quote from Meyer Wolfshiem tells us that Gatsby didn’t start off as the rich successful man he was. Originally he started off as a not so well of man. He was able to change his own life with Wolfshiem. Gatsby was able to get a better and more successful life through questionable implied methods such as bootlegging. “He hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes. Sometimes, too, he stared around at his

‘You did it, Tom,’ she said accusingly. ‘I know you didn't mean to, but you did do it. That's what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a– ‘’I hate that word hulking," objected Tom crossly, even in kidding.’"Hulking," insisted Daisy.’”(Fitzgerald) You can see how their relationship is very rocky, from this quote. He hurts her knuckles and doesn’t apologize. She keeps bringing it up even though it was an accident. They are both unwilling to be cooperative with each other. Daisy is ignoring her own values for money. She is a good example of the lost generation interpreted as a loss of values, and she seems to be a good example for another discussed interpretation that the lost generation just meant a waste of a generation. “Suddenly, with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. ‘They're such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed, her voice muffled in the think folds. ‘It makes me sad because I've never seen such – such beautiful shirts before.’” (Fitzgerald) She just as easily falls for Gatsby since he’s a wealthy man. She is admiring his shirts. She is admiring his nice shirts and how beautiful they are. Gatsby is a wealthy man so of course his clothes are most likely expensive and good looking clothes. Daisy probably wouldn’t be paying attention if they were just part of the average run of the mill clothing, but as they are expensive she is fond of