How Does Fitzgerald Use Prohibition In The Great Gatsby

As depicted in the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, prohibition is being introduced to the face of America. The sale of liquor is prohibited in hopes to eradicate the problems that come with alcohol; this issue ultimately made liquor more desirable amongst law-defiant citizens. The ban on alcohol did not prevent people of East and West egg from having fun. Parties at the Gatsby residence teems with people, dancing, and drinks brought in by the barrel. Residents of mainly the wealthy and elite flaunt their rebellious nature and went against many laws. Prohibition in the novel leads to the carrying out of illegal activities such as Gatsby bringing Nick to the elusive speakeasy. With the increased amounts of reckless behavior,

One of his main goals is his attempts to win over Daisy Buchanan's love. As he hosted another one of his popular gatherings, he kept Daisy in mind, hoping deep down inside that she would notice and attend as Jordan explains, “I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night” (Fitzgerald 62). Gatsby’s primary goal is to reunite and reconnect with Daisy. After meeting her many years ago, Gatsby develops an infatuation with her, to the point where his whole life revolves around getting her back. On top of this persona Gatsby creates to appeal to Daisy, he hopes that through his parties funded by his illegal bootlegging business, that she would one day reappear and give him a chance to rekindle the romance they once had. The rekindling of their relationship is moving forward when he invites Daisy to his mansion and flaunts his wealth in the form of clothing as, “He took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel” (Fitzgerald 71). Although it is never outright stated, Daisy slowly shifts towards the appeal of Gatsby. One of these events occurs when Gatsby threw his shirts around his room, driving Daisy to tears. On the surface, it may seem odd as to why Daisy began to cry, but by looking at the string of ordeals leading up to this, the shirt situation shows how

In contrast to his tremendous achievements and high status he gains from his underlying business, these illicit crimes lead to his downfall. He builds a toxic dependence on using alcohol as a gateway in hopes to obtain Daisy’s love. He throws parties, hoping she will attend and makes a name for himself through bootlegging and adding to the prohibition rebellion, all to achieve this one main goal. In the process of working towards this goal, he broke many laws and is involved in the murder of Myrtle. Tom Buchanan eventually finds out about the affair, and an array of emotions from Gatsby are exchanged regarding how he feels about the situation as he blurts out, “She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!” (Fitzgerald 100). Prior to Daisy marrying Tom, her and Gatsby were entangled with each other. Gatsby unfortunately was poor and had little status under his name, which causes Daisy to disregard the importance of their relationship. A couple years pass and Gatsby has a name for himself. He uses bootlegging and the hosting of his flashy parties to build his status up, which leads to his accumulation of his wealth and popularity. Now that he is well known throughout the community, he strongly felt that Daisy made a mistake by