The Great Gatsby Literary Analysis

The plot of The Great Gatsby deals with the thwarted love of Gatsby, a wealthy West Egger of humble origins, and Daisy, who comes from a traditionally wealthy background. Although the novel elaborates on the story of Gatsby, a broader interpretation of The Great Gatsby reveals F. Scott Fitzgerald’s critique of both the opulent lifestyles of the American elite in the 1920’s and the unfeasible nature of the American Dream.
Through the perspective of the narrator, Nick, the reader experiences many of the excesses such as Gatsby’s parties that characterized the 1920’s elite, which Fitzgerald portrays as superficial. For example, Gatsby tries to exhibit his education through a large library, which may seem impressive until Owl Eyes points out that none of the books have been opened. Additionally, Fitzgerald satirizes the attempts of the middle class to emulate the wealthy through the scene at Myrtle’s apartment, which contains absurdly large furniture coupled with Broadway scandal magazines and childish paintings.

For instance, George Wilson’s dream of living a stable life with a loving wife is shattered when he discovers that Myrtle has been having an affair. Ironically, Myrtle’s affair represents an attempt to realize her own dream, which is to be connected with an affluent man. Finally, Gatsby’s vision of a new life with Daisy falls apart after Daisy refuses to leave her husband. Furthermore, all three of these characters die by the end of the novel, and so Fitzgerald reveals the impossibility of the American Dream through the personal tragedies of the Wilsons and