The Great Gatsby Cultural Analysis

are there because he is too polite to tell them to leave. Additionally, the term, “old sport” is used repetitively throughout the book. It is Gatsby’s attempt to utilize the terminology of the Old Rich, a class he so desperately wants to connect with. Much to their chagrin, two characters, Nick and Tom Buchanan, take note of this overused term. As members of the ruling class they are able to recognize the insincerity of his language. The modern age was creating economic opportunities that were allowing individuals to ascend class but Gatsby was fueled by something more. He was fueled by a kind of impossible fantasy that drew him away from rural beginnings and having the luxury and lavish lifestyle was not enough. The book is also a story of lost love. While an officer of the military, Gatsby fell in love with Daisy. Though they grew apart, he continued to search newspapers …show more content…
Paul du Gay believes that “Literature is a cultural artifact. Thus cultural artifacts come to be through a combination of processes and linkages that emerge from particular times and places.” In 1919, Prohibition, the 18th amendment, effectively prohibited the sale of liquor in the United States. This was one of the main reasons that Gatsby was able to amass a great deal of wealth. This example helps to illustrate the kinds of social conditions that existed in the time that this book was made and what about these circumstances the book attempts to communicate. The book also takes place at the end of World War 1. The opulent parties, like the ones at Gatsby’s home in West Egg were an exaggerated reflection of the prosperous and optimistic times prior to the stock market crash of 1929. The roaring 20s would end at the close of the decade and end symbolically for the stock market crash would set off a domino effect of events that resulted in the great