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Examples Of Modernism In The Great Gatsby

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, the concept of modernism is on display throughout depictions of art, architecture, speech, and, most notably, Fitzgerald’s use of Nick’s narration to break common literary tradition. Due to the normalization and unspoken nature of this abnormality that runs throughout The Great Gatsby, modernization creates a contrast between what is happening in reality versus what is being put through this motive’s lens. Nick’s narration exemplifies this as well as the desire, craving for modernism yet demonstrates the unattainability of this longing, Western wish. Nick Carraway, Fitzgerald’s chosen narrator of the story, exhibits and entraps the idea of modernism through his narration and omniscience which …show more content…

This display comes into play heavily when Nick begins describing other character's feelings as well as objects that he would not otherwise known about. For instance, while standing outside the Buchanans’ household Nick describes the two sitting parallel to each other with “a plate of cold fried chicken” and bottles of ale between the two (145). From his small viewing spot, “a rift at the [window] sill,” Nick would have little to no way of knowing the temperature state of Tom and Daisy’s fried chicken (144). Moreover, Nick can not only understand and describe those unknown to him but he continues this by exploiting it to change and manipulate the reader’s view as well as comprehension of the story and its characters. Nick uses this power to create the illusion that he is not merely just a character but actually the author of this fictional story --- “reading over what I have written so far, I see I have given the impression that the events of three nights several weeks apart were all that absorbed me” (55). Nick states that he has the ability to reread, review the past and even recognizes that some of his writings can become misinterpreted due to his unusual syntax. Moreover, this idea that Nick is creating his own

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