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Examples Of Modernism In The Great Gatsby

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Modernity and Modernism engage in a dialectic in early 20th-century American literature, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." The conflict between the promise of advancement and the disappointment that results from the failure to realize the American Dream is explored in this dialectic. The phrase "Lost Generation," popularized by Gertrude Stein, also perfectly captures the generation's sense of disillusionment and aimlessness after World War I. We can enlighten ourselves more on these issues by looking at specific examples from both "The Great Gatsby" and Seckin Ergin's analysis in "F.S. Fitzgerald'n iki Amerikas." In "The Great Gatsby," the pursuit of the American Dream is a major subject. The main motivations …show more content…

The emptiness and moral degeneration that accompany the American Dream are highlighted by Fitzgerald, who offers a critical assessment of it. This criticism is best shown by Gatsby's parties, which are rife with excess and materialism. This claim is supported by Ergin, who claims that Fitzgerald characterizes Gatsby's parties as "empty spectacles of consumption" in his book (Ergin, 2013, p. 150). The contrast between the lavish parties and the hollow lifestyles of the individuals depicts the disappointment with the modern world and the demise of the American Dream. Fitzgerald contrasts this ideal with the harsh reality of the time, highlighting its emptiness and impossibility. The conflict between Fitzgerald's characters' demands for worldly wealth and the accompanying emotional and spiritual emptiness is discussed by Ergin in his book (Ergin, p. 87). One illustration …show more content…

With their hedonistic lifestyles, lack of direction, and sense of moral degradation, the characters in "The Great Gatsby" are representative of this lost generation. Jordan Baker is a personification of this principle in a fictional character. Jordan is described by Ergin as being "aloof and indifferent to moral concerns" as a member of the Lost Generation (Ergin, 2013, p. 157). Her freewheeling demeanor and contempt for social mores are a reflection of the generation's lack of purpose and direction following World War II. The novel's narrator, Nick Carraway, is one well-known representative of the Lost Generation. Nick is well aware of the hollowness and moral bankruptcy of the society he meets, even if he is not as dejected as some of the other characters. Page 6's description of Nick as "within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repulsed by the inexhaustible variety of life" perfectly captures the mixed emotions of attraction and repugnance that the Lost Generation felt in the contemporary

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