Research Paper On The Great Gatsby

Great Gatsby (1925), written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, can be seen as a social critique of the flaws in American society during the 1920’s. The novel explores the themes of modernism and consumerism, toxic masculinity, and the development of feminism during this time period. It follows the journey of a young man, Nick, who observes the lives of elitist New York society, especially that of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, who’s life goal is to pursue Daisy Buchanan. Through applying various readings of the text, the audience can interpret the text differently, and shine light on the complexities of society during the roaring 20’s. By placing the novel into a Marxist, feminist, and masculinity lens, it exposes the excessive consumeristic nature

This description prepares the audience to recognize the effect of capitalism on people in the 1920’s: they lost their sense of purpose in life, and ‘drifted’ aimlessly, always seeking for more, but never becoming fully satisfied. Moreover, the consumerism and obsession with materialistic items is brought to life when Nick outlines the excessiveness of Gatsby’s parties, which were: “glistening hors-d’oeuvres, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold.” Fitzgerald utilises syndetic listing in various parts of the text to demonstrate the

Fitzgerald explores the negative attitudes towards women regarding their intellectual ability and independence. While Daisy explains her happiness with having a daughter, she says: “And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool”. Daisy’s remark encourages the reader to understand how ‘beauty’ is a large part of a woman’s worth, and her being a ‘fool’ would make life much easier. At the time, women were expected to not be curious, and stay submissive to their husband and society’s standards. Women were meant to be ‘ditzy’ and ‘dumb’, to emasculate their man, and this is further displayed by Daisy’s behaviour throughout the text. She constantly agrees with and supports her husband: “Tom’s getting very profound” and says: “We’ve got to beat them down [other races]”. She encourages her husband’s racist ideologies and ‘plays dumb’, to keep her husband happy, and keep herself safe from being criticized. Moreover, Fitzgerald highlights how a woman’s worth was degraded to her looks, through the sexual description of Myrtle, Tom’s mistress, Tom remarks that she “carried her flesh sensuously” and had an “immediately precipitable vitality about her”. This sexual and sensual imagery