Theme Of Hollowness In The Great Gatsby

From the first glimpse of the cover, it looked as if it were to be a love story filled with high values, beautiful people, and adoring fashion. However, when the time came to close the novel The Great Gatsby, it had yet to captivate me as ‘Great’. F. Scott Fitzgerald was born in 1896, where he coined the name ‘jazz age’ and created a novel that was influenced by this era, through a generation seen to be godless and free. The first publication was in 1926, where the novel’s theme took place in the roaring 20s, a time when people were finally coming out of hardship caused by World War 1, where everyone created new identities for themselves. Americas most famous jazz age novel, explores major concepts such as the American Dream and The Hollowness

Fitzgerald uses characterisation to explore the concept hollowness of the upper class. The further through the novel characters such as Tom, Daisy and Jordan are shown more in depth where their true hollow personalities surface, becoming more despised of by readers as they reveal their identities as careless by causing trouble and retreating into their money at Gatsby’s funeral and Myrtles Murder this is the most hollow and empty thing anyone could do. The hollowness of the upper class is highlighted by Daisy and Tom Buchannan whom are from the established class, both coming from a long tradition of wealth strongly believing that the grass is greener on the other side. Their hollow personalities cause them to commit adultery, corrupting their marriage as they desire money and new materialism. This is shown at one of Gatsby’s parties Quote – ‘and if you want to take down any addresses here’s my little gold pencil.’ Tom and Daisy are positioned to

Gatsby’s parties, The Green Light and the Eyes of Doctor T.J Eckleburg, which it is perceived that the eyes are staring down upon American society, judging it to be a wasteland, showing hollowness and corruption. Fitzgerald connects symbolism with events, weather, location, social values, images of time and enormously pompous parties to prove his point about Americas hollow society. The Green Light at the end of Daisy’s dock, symbolises a guide that will lead Gatsby to Daisy, but Daisy empty personality compares Gatsby (a bootlegger) to Tom whom has a long tradition of wealth and is seen to be of more class. Fitzgerald’s inspiration for this novel was events that happened to him, much like Gatsby Fitzgerald did everything for Zelda whom is depicted as Daisy in the novel. Quote – “Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce for her too, Till she cry ‘Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must have you!’.” This captures Zelda and Fitzgerald corrupted marriage much like Tom and Daisy. They were both inconsiderate and filled their hollow lives with materialism. Just like Zelda and Fitzgerald, Gatsby also tried to fill the void and escape into established rich to be exquisite, free, and careless, but the light is later covered by fog that separates Gatsby from