Gender Roles In The Great Gatsby

When he first meets her and they date Gatsby figures that it is not serious and that he won’t get attached to

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he captures the alluring niche of the American Dream. Fitzgerald delves into the Roaring Twenties, exploring the era’s instability and immersion in greed and pleasure. In his novel, he reflects personal events and experiences being lower class along with his desire to attain wealth for the means of happiness. Presented through his cast of characters and the realities they face, Fitzgerald criticizes the American Dream. Pairing symbolism and diction, he demonstrates the tragic tales following the glamorized American Dream as a result of the extent individuals resort to in order to achieve this ideal.

1920’s America was, perhaps, the most influential and prosperous time period that the United States has ever experienced. Not only was Wall Street climbing up higher and higher, but egos grew larger, lifestyles became more peculiar and less traditional, and physical possessions became an intrinsic part of life. It is in the midst of the chaotic and flashy 20’s that Jay Gatsby, the main character of The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald, finds himself. An affluent and cultured man, Gatsby has built up a dream around him full of physical objects and goals.

Since he was born, Gatsby’s dream had been to deliver himself from poverty and make something of himself. He moves away from home, changes his name, enlists in the army, doing everything in his power to create a distinct separation between his past and his desired future. As a result, he begins to covet, and carry out an affair with, married ‘old-money’ debutant, Daisy Buchanan, the physical embodiment of Gatsby’s Dream. In the context of 1920’s America, ‘old money’ refers to the elite society to which Daisy and her husband Tom belong, made up of families of incredible generational wealth whose aristocratic grace may only be achieved through breeding.

There are numerous differences between today’s society and society from 100 years ago; nevertheless, Fitzgerald’s vision of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby is similar to today’s ideals of the famous fantasy. While the dream can come from inherited wealth, the reality is it generally comes from working hard to become successful. Based on the analysis of The Great

‘“Oh, you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now — isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly’

Unfortunately, these great attributes are also his tragic traits. As Gatsby is a hopeless romantic, he uses his wealth to attract his long-lost love, Daisy, “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.” (Fitzgerald 61). Gatsby’s persistent measures to get Daisy’s attention, such as buying a mansion across from her house and throwing loud, night-long parties, reflect his greatness as he does it all in the name of love. Said parties also showcase that he is living in the moment with his accomplished riches, which presents him as having an extravagant lifestyle.

The ever-hopeful end result of pursuing the American dream is the aspiration of achieving a substantial amount of money and successfully building the white picket fence. Many talk about the famous accounts of successful dream chasers, however, hidden under their feet are countless Americans anxiously waiting to climb up the ladder. In contrast, several get caught up on earthly desires believing it will lead them to eternal satisfaction, but often, it decides their own fate. In The Great Gatsby, American author F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the tragedy found within numerous characters. This novel reveals all social classes striving to achieve the American dream, showing how even the most wealthy struggle to live an authentic, happy life.

Introduction The American Dream has been chased by many; however, discrimination consistently hinders one from achieving their American Dream, impeding the opportunities for the marginalised based on gender, class, and race. Societal norms during the 1920s and 1960s define the American Dream as the equality of every American, allowing anyone to achieve wealth, fame and happiness. The novel, "The Great Gatsby" (1925) and the film, "Hidden Figures" (2016) expose discrimination and how it has hindered the American Dream throughout the 1920s and 1960s.

Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy, a member of this privileged class, is a reflection of his desire to advance socially and obtain acceptance from the privileged classes. Tom Buchanan, a member of the Old Money, serves as a vehicle for Fitzgerald to stress the sense of entitlement that comes with being born into a well-off family. Tom embodies the arrogance and cruelty of the upper class, using his wealth and power to control and manipulate those around him. Fitzgerald also critiques the American Dream through the character of Gatsby, who’s despite all his effort he is unable to escape his lower-class trappings, suggesting that the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to moral decay and disillusionment. Gatsby's obsession with his past and his longing for the unattainable Daisy ultimately leads to his tragic demise.

The 1920’s was a very interesting time in United States history. After all World War I had ended and many Americans did not realize that the Great Depression was in the near future, so the 1920’s fell between these two dramatic events. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby teaches many morals, but none more important than the duality of the 1920’s. Duality is evident in Gatsby's dreams, his death, his lover Daisy, his wealth, and his parties, which all reflect the duality of the 1920’s. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald makes the concept of achieving the American dream seem improbable.

The American dream states that any individual can achieve success regardless of family history, race, and/or religion simply by working hard. The 1920’s were a time of corruption and demise of moral values in society. The first World War had passed, and people were reveling in the materialism that came at the end of it, such as advanced technology and innovative inventions. The novel The Great Gatsby exploits the theme of the American Dream as it takes place in a corrupt period in history. Although the American Dream seemed more attainable than ever in the 1920’s, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby demonstrates how materialism and the demise of moral values in society leads to the corruption and impossibility of the American Dream.

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the main idea, the American Dream is demonstrated through the presence of material items and the objectification of women. First, society is portrayed in a flashy way, hinting that guests at Gatsby’s parties only cared about his wealth. Each guest embodied the idea that this is what they wanted to achieve. By coming to these parties, they were able to live their American Dream through Gatsby without even really knowing him. Women are prevalent in this novel as their connection to men controlled their destiny.

The novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald was set in the 1920s during the aftermath of world war one. It is a reflection on the era’s prosperity, social change, and the concept of the American Dream. The novel portrays the negative side of the American Dream, as the characters in the novel are corrupted by their wealth and success. The impact of the American Dream on the characters within the novel are heavily impacted throughout the novel.

The American Dream is an all-consuming idealistic dystopia. The dismantling of said fantasy is tough to swallow, yet necessary to truly understand the message of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. One is presented with a 1920’s New York setting, touching on topics of sensitivity, all while utilizing an unreliable narrator. The title character, Jay Gatsby, is stuck in a delusional fantasy in which he can achieve his american dream with the main female protagonist, Daisy Buchanan. In pursuit of this life, he, and many other individuals, commit acts most would consider immoral, whether directly or indirectly.