Satire In The Great Gatsby

To those who have only heard the story of Gatsby in passing, it may seem like its position as a classic great American novel was acquired due to its drama and grandiosity. Words of love shared between Daisy and Gatsby are posted on Tumblr in decorative fonts and parties are planned across the globe that hope to replicate the merriment of Gatsby’s with all the glamour and flair of the 20s. What these romantic interpreters of The Great Gatsby fail to see is that all of this is still merely the mask these characters wear. When you see past the cover of the book, The Great Gatsby is a satirical take on the romanticized life of the rich, with its content exposing the true nature of life behind a shroud of wealth. By highlighting every great thing

Gatsby and Daisy’s failure of a love story and the carelessness and the misplaced priorities of the wealthy all serve as examples of ways money and romanticism can negatively affect one’s life. The only character who seems to have any perspective is Nick, who had his father’s words of wisdom to guide him as he entered the new world of East and West Egg. “In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had,’” (1). He serves as a basis to judge the rest of these characters, as his less distorted view of the world contrasts so heavily from that of Gatsby and the Buchanans. Seeing the world through his eyes allows the readers to not get so wrapped up in the qualms of the upper class and be able to see clearly the satire of their situations. This wise decision on Fitzgerald’s part is effective and beneficial to the reader, who is able to see past the summary of the story and think deeply about aspects of American society and culture that have stayed relevant for centuries, making this story the great American novel we still study