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Who Is Fitzgerald's Madness In The Great Gatsby

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Fitzgerald continues to critique and emphasize the corrupt madness induced by the desire for wealth, and its effect on the surrounding environments. Fitzgerald creates environments that clearly mirror the corruption and craziness of wealth. Environments like The Valley of Ashes represent the corruption of wealth and lack thereof; the “valley of ashes— a fantastic farm where...ashes take the forms...of men who move dimly and already crumbling through powdery air” (27). The Valley of Ashes has become a haven, of sorts, for those who can not afford life in the city or the suburbs; it is a place for the poor who want to move up in life, but can’t. The use of the word fantastic— here, meaning nightmare-like, as in a fantasy— displays the horror of The …show more content…

he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg... ‘God sees everything’” (167). Wilson worships a billboard which symbolizes materialistic wealth and consumerism, and he believes this God is watching “everything” (167). An average, level-headed person would make the clear assumption that this is a billboard, not a god, and that one should not worship objects; a wise and intelligent individual would have the position that one should not worship consumerism and wealth due to its innately corrupt nature. Therefore, by worshipping a billboard and by default, the consumer God, George Wilson is corrupted by the obsession and driven mad. Another environment displaying the corrupt madness of wealth through the critique of the carelessness of those who have wealth, are Gatsby’s parties. Gatsby’s parties are a menagerie of people of all walks of life. Gatsby’s parties are exotically, delightful experiences: upon entrance “the lights grow brighter...laughter is easier, minute by minute,” and “once [one arrived] there they were introduced by somebody who knew Gatsby and after that they conducted themselves according to the rules of behavior associated with amusement parks” (44,

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Gatsby hosts extravagant parties in an effort not only to boost his social status, but also to look for Daisy. Many wealthy, and often wild people attend these large social events held by Mr. Gatsby. Some of the guests even come lacking an invitation, “Sometimes they came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission.” (41)

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Symbolism Of Money In The Great Gatsby

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The 1920s was a time of flamboyance and wealth in the upper class. Jay Gatsby, a man of old money, threw over the top parties, in which he would spend his money very nonchalantly. The ambiance of his parties greatly illustrated the upper class of the time. The author uses symbolism and characterization to support the central idea that the upper class was very careless, wealthy, and extravagant. Gatsby’s parties are luxurious, glamorous, and over the top.

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In the novel The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald depicts the theme of “wealth can breed carelessness” using the literary devices and/or techniques of irony, irony, and point of view. From Nick 's perspective, the wealthy characters of this story tend to act ignorantly and care nothing else besides themselves, which would impact others, including the actions shown by Gatsby, Tom, Daisy, and Jordan. First of all, F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the theme of “Wealth can breed carelessness” using irony. In the text, a conversation between Jordan and Nick, “‘They’ll keep out of my way,’ she insisted.

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“The American Dream” is an idea integral to the work ethic and overall ideals of the United States; simply put: the idea is that through hard work, the opportunity for prosperity and success is possible for anybody in America. F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote the 1925 novel The Great Gatsby as a critique of the rampant materialism and declining moral values he witnessed post-World War I. The novel tells the story of a man named Nick Carraway, who gets a glimpse of the frivolous, lavish lifestyles of New York’s elite, including that of the hopelessly hopeful Jay Gatsby; Gatsby is willing to do anything to win over the heart of the woman he loves, the unattainable Daisy Buchanan. Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too, Sing America” was published in pre-Civil Rights United States (a hotbed of racism) and serves as his patriotic declaration that African-Americans will one day achieve equality in the United States and also be able to live the American Dream.

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Society In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

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