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F Scott Fitzgerald's Use Of Satire In The Great Gatsby

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Throughout his career, F. Scott Fitzgerald was deemed one of the great chroniclers and satirist of the culture of wealth, extravagance and ambition that emerged during the affluent 1920s, which came to be known as the Jazz Age. One of the famous lines of the time came from Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald which stated “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, it was an age of satire” (Pakenham, 1998). It was during this time that he wrote his greatest novel titled “The Great Gatsby,” which is told from the point of view of the character Nick Carraway and follows his strange friendship with the mysterious Jay Gatsby. Throughout the story, Fitzgerald uses satire to depict American ideals during the time of the Jazz …show more content…

Fitzgerald uses this within the story to characterize Gatsby in a way that damages the dream. For instance, in the years after Gatsby loses touch with Daisy, and the fact that she marries Tom, Gatsby begins to dedicate his life to making his fortune. The fact that Gatsby was able to take the life that he had, which was basically living in poverty, and change it for the better to rival that of Tom’s was an embodiment of the American Dream within the story. The way that he damages it is because in the end Gatsby realizes that everything he has done to achieve this dream is not enough. To quote Tom Buchanan, Gatsby is “…Mr. Nobody from Nowhere…” (Fitzgerald, …show more content…

He is in pursuit of it because throughout his lifetime, he is one of the only few honest people he has known. In a book by author Donald Noble he states “Nick thought he was chasing the American Dream, the central mythological structure at the heart of life in the New World the Puritans established. His objective proved not only elusive, but destructive a depraved goal certain to yield an outwardly successful appearance concealing an empty core of superficial values” (Nagel, pg.113). F. Scott Fitzgerald, in his own mindset, credits the destruction of the American Dream to wealth, privilege and the lack of humanity that those aspects

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Is Fitzgerald writing a love story that embraces American ideals, or a satire that comments on American ideals? “The Great Gatsby” was written in 1925, during a time period that brought tremendous changes in the way the society worked in America. After World War 1, the stock market started to rise consistently, which resulted in an increased national wealth. The sudden boost in the economy created many new wealthy citizens and popularized materialism, a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values, as people wanted to show off their wealth (Oxford). Fitzgerald uses satire to criticize the American dream, that hard work will bring success and wealth no matter your social status and to

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(Fitzgerald

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The first them addressed is symbolism. In chapter 7 it is addressed “like silver items washing down their white dresses”. Here it is seen how Fitzgerald compares two characters to idols, making them synomous with a symbol of materialism. This addresses his audience, and the time period of the Roaring 20’s.

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At the end of The Great Gatsby, Nick reflects upon Gatsby’s life and pursuit on the beach where “the green light” at the end of Daisy’s dock can be seen. As a significant metaphor, “the green light” represents Gatsby’s dream which guides him to keep pursuing wealth and social status, while the position of the light, the distant and inaccessible Daisy’s dock, indicates the close connection between Gatsby’s unreal dream and Daisy, and as well the disillusionment of the dream. In the last three paragraphs, Nick explains the disillusionment of Gatsby’s dream, “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it” (162). Gatsby has always strived for his ambition and dream.

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The American Dream suggests that every American citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work. One of the major ways that Fitzgerald portrays this is by alluding to outside events or works of literature specifically from that time period. Another major relationship that develops in The Great Gatsby is between Tom and Daisy. F. Scott Fitzgerald alludes to things such as the World’s Fair and “The Love Nest” to display the eventual dismantling of Tom and Daisy’s relationship. Both of these separate plots consolidate under the idea of Gatsby trying to become the epitome of the American Dream, as seen through his strive for a “perfect life.”

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Gatsby is a perfect example of what Fitzgerald shows as the American dream. He is rich and popular, however he is not happy. He wants to go back to a time when he believed he was truly happy. “His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy's white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.”

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In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is very meticulous on how the novel is shown as more satirical rather than romantic. The visionary of the American Dream is the most coveted life during this time period, so Fitzgerald used this lifestyle to mock and expose the vices of others. Fitzgerald uses certain aspects of this lifestyle to show characters satirical impulsiveness or materialism, which ridicules them and the ideals of the 1920s. During the time period in which this novel took place, the American Dream was perhaps the most sought after lifestyle. The American Dream during the roaring twenties is the pursuit of wealth regardless of morals.

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"The negative side of the American Dream comes when people pursue success at any cost, which in turn destroys the vision and the dream." In this quote, by Azar Nafisi, it explains how dreaming can be tainted by reality, and that if a person doesn’t compromise they may suffer. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the American Dream is one the many themes present. The American Dream that most people in this book hope to have involves wealth, status, a fun social life, and someone to lust after. It is the life they all strive to have until they obtain it and see its meaningless composure.

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Gatsby has the American Dream of being successful and wanting to marry the girl of his dreams. However, Fitzgerald argues that The American Dream is a paradox because dreams aren’t supposed to be achieved, and are better off to remain in one’s imagination. For example, Gatsby wants to marry the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan. Sadly Gatsby sets such a high standard for her that she will never be able to live up to. Gatsby envisions Daisy as the golden girl, and once he put his plan into action, he realizes

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