The book tells the story of an extraordinary millionaire named Jay Gatsby as narrated by Nick Carraway. Gatsby lives in a huge mansion next to Nick’s humble home. Nick develops curiosity about his neighbor following an invitation to one of his extravagant parties. Nick’s cousin, Daisy, is married to Tom Buchanan. Buchanan and Carraway were acquainted at Yale. One day, Tom takes Nick for a drive in the city and reveals that he has an affair with Myrtle Wilson, who is married to George. Meanwhile, Gatsby is intent on befriending Nick to get closer to Daisy. This is despite the two having been in love once, before the Great War when he was Jay Gatz. When Daisy married Tom, Gatz assumed the new identity Gatsby and amassed a fortune being assisted
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This was a prosperous age where Americans enjoyed the good that came with consumerism and excess. However, it all came crashing down on them with the onset of the Great Depression around 1929. As Carraway narrates, Gatsby’s beachside mansion including the epic parties he threw, served to portray this era’s opulence. Similar to the “Roaring Twenties” life in Jay Gatsby’s shadow was an enigma. Considering the context in which the author wrote, the 1920s America was experiencing dynamic changes. In fact, from 1921 to 1924, the nation’s GNP (gross national product) went from sixty-nine to ninety-three billion even as aggregate wages rose from approximately thirty-six to fifty-two billion. In retrospect, the US was rich, which was evidenced in people’s …show more content…
The thrilling novel with its deeper symbolism portrays Fitzgerald as an avid chronicler of his time. The author both avidly participated in, and stringently criticized the prosperity culture and decadence, which marked the 1920s decade. I also liked the book for its relevance to the American society even today with insurmountable convenience and comfort levels. We seem to overly adore opulence and celebrity, despite the striking wealth inequalities. I think it is a beautiful piece of literature that brings out the imaginative superiority of Fitzgerald, which reflects real life situations and events. Undoubtedly, The Great Gatsby is one of the most glamorous literary pieces in history that portrays the elusiveness of the “American Dream,” which is still a promise and hope to many who fantasize about wealth and the good life. From this project, I have learned that history is versatile and can be subtly hidden in places such as fictional novels that are literary pieces with deeper meaning when thoughtfully
This was a prosperous age where Americans enjoyed the good that came with consumerism and excess. However, it all came crashing down on them with the onset of the Great Depression around 1929. As Carraway narrates, Gatsby’s beachside mansion including the epic parties he threw, served to portray this era’s opulence. Similar to the “Roaring Twenties” life in Jay Gatsby’s shadow was an enigma. Considering the context in which the author wrote, the 1920s America was experiencing dynamic changes. In fact, from 1921 to 1924, the nation’s GNP (gross national product) went from sixty-nine to ninety-three billion even as aggregate wages rose from approximately thirty-six to fifty-two billion. In retrospect, the US was rich, which was evidenced in people’s …show more content…
The thrilling novel with its deeper symbolism portrays Fitzgerald as an avid chronicler of his time. The author both avidly participated in, and stringently criticized the prosperity culture and decadence, which marked the 1920s decade. I also liked the book for its relevance to the American society even today with insurmountable convenience and comfort levels. We seem to overly adore opulence and celebrity, despite the striking wealth inequalities. I think it is a beautiful piece of literature that brings out the imaginative superiority of Fitzgerald, which reflects real life situations and events. Undoubtedly, The Great Gatsby is one of the most glamorous literary pieces in history that portrays the elusiveness of the “American Dream,” which is still a promise and hope to many who fantasize about wealth and the good life. From this project, I have learned that history is versatile and can be subtly hidden in places such as fictional novels that are literary pieces with deeper meaning when thoughtfully