Analyze the importance of the setting in this work. Consider the ways in which it affected plot, characterization and meaning in this work.
Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby presents a vivid image of America in the 1920s. The setting is a vital part of the plot. It could be argued that unlike some other classic novels, the plot of The Great Gatsby is inextricably linked with the time and place in which it is set. The early 1920s in North America is a unique setting for a number of reasons: there was a huge economic expansion; the idea that through hard work, anyone could become rich and successful; finally, the emotional toil of World War One created a hedonistic ‘live for the moment’ attitude. Fitzgerald develops the plot, characters and themes by focusing on the impact that the setting has on novel’s characters. Fitzgerald examines the hedonistic aspects of this time as well as the gritty and corrupt undercurrents, which ultimately lead to the tragic ending of Jay Gatsby. The geography and the major characters of the book all correspond to the sections of …show more content…
It is inferred that Gatsby was a bootlegger during prohibition, which is an occupation unique to this era, yet it is also the reason why Daisy fears and rejects him. Fitzgerald introduces three main areas in the book: West Egg, East Egg and Valley of Ashes. The affluent areas of West and East Egg are located on opposite sides of a lake, symbolizing the opposing relationship of old and new money. In contrast to these prosperous areas, the Valley of Ashes is poor and industrialized. It is introduced as grey and grotesque region where the people who live there seem lifeless and unimportant. The triangle that is created between these three locations is similar to the conflict of the characters in the book: Gatsby, Tom the Wilsons, all at the vertices of the
Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel The Great Gatsby presents a vivid image of America in the 1920s. The setting is a vital part of the plot. It could be argued that unlike some other classic novels, the plot of The Great Gatsby is inextricably linked with the time and place in which it is set. The early 1920s in North America is a unique setting for a number of reasons: there was a huge economic expansion; the idea that through hard work, anyone could become rich and successful; finally, the emotional toil of World War One created a hedonistic ‘live for the moment’ attitude. Fitzgerald develops the plot, characters and themes by focusing on the impact that the setting has on novel’s characters. Fitzgerald examines the hedonistic aspects of this time as well as the gritty and corrupt undercurrents, which ultimately lead to the tragic ending of Jay Gatsby. The geography and the major characters of the book all correspond to the sections of …show more content…
It is inferred that Gatsby was a bootlegger during prohibition, which is an occupation unique to this era, yet it is also the reason why Daisy fears and rejects him. Fitzgerald introduces three main areas in the book: West Egg, East Egg and Valley of Ashes. The affluent areas of West and East Egg are located on opposite sides of a lake, symbolizing the opposing relationship of old and new money. In contrast to these prosperous areas, the Valley of Ashes is poor and industrialized. It is introduced as grey and grotesque region where the people who live there seem lifeless and unimportant. The triangle that is created between these three locations is similar to the conflict of the characters in the book: Gatsby, Tom the Wilsons, all at the vertices of the