Examples Of Modernism In The Great Gatsby

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby is based on the movement or the idea called modernism. Many authors have used the modernist movement during the early 19th century by incorporating the American Dream, having their own portrayal on the idea. This movement is the change in culture and trends. There is a sense in that modernism takes a step forward past reality by rejecting the reality. For example, “In modernism, science explains everything, which took away all the power of God…” (123HelpMe 1) making Him unknown in the world and everyone really only rely on science, where science is now the true entity; mainly that science is perfect for the world. Not only that this movement only looks at science and not God, but the behaviors …show more content…
The time period in which this book was written in takes part in a huge role for the plot of the book. On top of that, the plot, theme, and setting play an important role also because it is great for the reader to study the work and understands why the author sets up the book in this way. In The Great Gatsby, there are many examples of modernism used in the novel. Some examples of modernism that are seen in the novel are the corrupt modern world and the misusage of traditional values and subjects.
First, throughout the novel of The Great Gatsby, the idea of the modern corrupt world is seen in the beginning chapters of the book. With all the characters that the reader meets, we can see that most of them rich. They think that they are the best because they have the most money and that they are flawless or invincible. For example, Jordan Baker thinks that
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This talks about the respect concept of people even though there isn’t any in the novel. Misusages of these traditional values are the affair that a character committed, racism, and injuring women. One of the affairs mentioned in the book is the affair of Myrtle and Tom. It is mentioned in the book that Tom and Myrtle met in a train going to New York, “I went up to New York with Tom on the train one afternoon and when we stopped by the ash heaps he jumped to his feet and taking hold of my elbow literally forced me from the car” (Fitzgerald 27). Typically, the two would talk on the phone so no one knows about the ongoing affair. The use of racism is used in the book also. The one big example, who mainly uses this, is Tom. In the beginning of the book, he is open about his racial beliefs, mentioning the whites are more dominant than the colored. He fears that the whites will be taken over by the colored people in this country. His beliefs are disgusting in many ways possible. The injuring of women is seen in the book and, of course, the only character that is seen doing this is Tom. At a party, Myrtle keeps on saying “Daisy” repeatedly. This caused Tom to be filled with anger and decides to hit Myrtle causing her to have a broken nose, “‘Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!’ shouted Mrs. Wilson. ‘I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai——‘Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand”

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