How Does Fitzgerald Use Religion In The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald utilizes religion, God, and theology to represent the moral corruption of the Jazz Age and the tragedy of the American Dream. The novel is set in the 1920s, and follows several characters including Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who is determined to win back the love of Daisy Buchanan, a woman for whom he is willing to make any sacrifice. The moral corruption of the era is represented through the characters’ disregard for morality and their attempts to defy God and traditional Christian beliefs as they live lavishly. Through the characters’ actions, Fitzgerald implies that the pursuit of pleasure and wealth leads to the tragedy of the American Dream, which can be seen through the tragic fate of some characters.Religion,

Nick, the narrator, first meets Myrtle while on a trip with Tom. Myrtle lives in The Valley of Ashes which represents the death of American dreams. "Myrtle Wilson's husband, who was retreating swiftly into the background, knew nothing except that he was in some manner in Myrtle's company and that he had no right to be there," (Fitzgerald 7). According to this quotation, the characters have given up on the moral obligations of marriage and adopted the hedonistic way of life of the Jazz Age. Additionally, Daisy, Nick's cousin, is immediately attracted by Gatsby the moment she meets him and learns of his wealth. Well, I've had a very difficult time, and I'm fairly pessimistic about everything," Daisy says (Fitzgerald 86). As it is a prevalent subject of the Jazz Age, this implies that Daisy has forsaken conventional morals in favor of financial luxury and pleasure. Fitzgerald thus uses religious themes to illustrate the moral decay of the

It was a question of luck that I should have rented a house in one of the oddest communities in North America, Nick reflects on his stay in the East (Fitzgerald 2). This phrase paints a dismal picture of the American Dream by implying that the protagonists live in a society where pursuing wealth has substituted pursuing virtue and religion. Additionally, while Gatsby and Nick are talking about his past, Gatsby says, "Can't repeat the past? You can, of course (Fitzgerald 111). This suggests that Gatsby is making an effort to reject conventional Christian values, which is a tragic rendering of the American Dream. Therefore, Fitzgerald utilizes theology to portray the tragedy of the American