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Universal Issues In The Great Gatsby Essay

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Time does not heal all wounds. Society has drastically transformed over time, but some problems have stayed the same. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are several universal issues that take place. Universal issues are open ended problems that do not have direct correlation to any human categorization; this includes gender, ethnicity, religion, time period etc. The universal issues present in The Great Gatsby relate to deceit, false love, and gender discrimination. Firstly, the concept of deceit is a universal issue presented in The Great Gatsby. Gatsby is a prime exhibitor of this issue, as he lies about many things. For example, he lies to Daisy when she asks him "I thought you inherited your money" (Fitzgerald, CH 5, Para 97). He replies with “I did, old sport, [...] but I lost most of it in the big panic – the panic of the war" (Ch 5). He lies about his background in order to help formulate a character in which Daisy can have a relationship with, which in this case is a man with “old money.” Furthermore, Tom is an ideal representative of the issue that is deceit. He takes part in an issue that is very common in today’s society, adultery. His affair becomes apparent in chapter 2 when Nick states that he “met Tom Buchanan’s mistress” (Ch 2). This is a grand form of deception, as he is married to Daisy but is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, another married woman. …show more content…

Society’s evolution has abolished many social issues, but not all. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays several themes that were applicable to the 1920s, and are still apparent today. Fitzgerald refers to issues from before the publication of the book, as they are universal problems and will relate to generations to come. In conclusion, although published in 1925, The Great Gatsby does make profound comments concerning the basic problems of the 21st

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