Bella Rawitz Lisa Cook AP English Language and Composition March 6, 2023 The Great Gatsby: Critique a Critic Essay An American masterpiece that shines a light on life in the Roaring Twenties, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s historical fiction The Great Gatsby is a critique of the reality of the American Dream and upper elite, narrated by Nick Carraway. Nick recounts his summer observing the extravagant lives of the 20th century gentry and the significant differences between social classes of wealthy and poor, as well as the influence one’s class has on the way one lives their everyday lives. He watches as a blooming relationship between Jay Gatsby, a new-money elite who worked his way up from seedy beginnings, and Daisy Buchanan, both Nick’s old-money …show more content…
Lillian C. Ford’s review of The Great Gatsby accurately depicts Gatsby’s true character as being, “a restless, yearning, baffled nobody…an odd mixture of vanity and humility” because of his willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve his dream; however, Ford lacks that accuracy when she describes Daisy as “humiliated, discomfited, [and] wearied” because of her acceptance Tom’s affair, disregarding the emotional maturity Daisy displays when she remains calm and collected in the face of the betrayal (Ford). F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby tells the memorable story of complex characters that are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve the unachievable American Dream. Our somewhat-reliable narrator is Nick Carraway, an upper-middle class bond salesman from the Midwest who moved to New York to establish himself. It’s here that he meets Jay Gatsby, West Egg’s residential mystery. The socialite throws huge flamboyant parties to draw in those from every walk of life, but despite being surrounded, no one seems to really know him or his intentions . Nick later finds out that Gatsby has been hopelessly in love with Daisy, Nick’s cousin, for five years after their brief fling and …show more content…
It soon becomes clear that his constant extravagant displays of wealth are an effort to regain Daisy’s affection. His continuous pining after Daisy represents the desire to get the American Dream, and how unattainable it is. Nick develops a deep interest in Gatsby after several mentions of him, and in a short time the two become friends after Nick finds himself at one of the famous parties. Later, he spends a lot of time with Daisy and gets to know not only her but also her British husband Tom Buchanan and her lighthearted friend Jordan Baker. Daisy is a radiant and charming woman who is often misunderstood because of her beauty. It is unfortunate that “her face was sad”, but it was also “lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth” (Fitzgerald 9). She may come across as shallow, but in reality, she is anything but, and keeps within her immense emotional depth and intelligence. Daisy’s husband Tom is a rough and aggressive man who lives a luxurious life free of work, and commands attention with his striking and loud topics of conversation. He feels the need to be on top and dominant,