Understanding The Great Gatsby is different for every reader according to the reader's-response theory. In this reflection I will examine how my critical reading, who the implied reader is, my past experiences, and the feminist lense have effect my interpretation of the novel.
As a critical reader I have a read The Great Gatsby with an experiential approach. When I read a book, I start to envision the book almost like a movie, except I am the narrator. I see, feel, and experience the events of a novel though the narrator. As I was reading The Great Gatsby, i would imagine myself in replacement of Nick Carraway. I was experiencing the events myself, instead of reading about though Nick. This made The Great Gatsby for me, come to life in my …show more content…
The implied reader of The Great Gatsby were middle class Americans during the mid-1920’s. As Fitzgerald describes Tom Buchanan's as, “two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 7), an aggregant and intimidating rich white man. Illustrating a lack of respect and tolerance of the wealthy though Nick Carraway, the narrator of the story, or in the eyes of Scott F. Fitzgerald. A wealth white male wouldn’t like to read about himself as arrogant and aggressive, these negative qualities are not how the rich view themselves. After Nick's first interaction with Tom’s wife, Daisy Buchanan, he make the comment “she laughed again, as if she has said something witty” (Fitzgerald 8). In this moment it almost seems to be describing Daisy as an uneducated fool, a rich women wouldn’t want to read about herself as a fool. These two negative descriptions of the upper class at the beginning of the book, would limit an upper class mid-1920 male or female a reason to distant themselves from the novel. Also, since the upper class would not be an ideal reader of the The Great Gatsby. Leaving the reader, with background information on Fitzgerald's dream to become right, would leave the mid-1920’s e can assume that the middle class of the 1920’s would be able to afford his book. Also, Fitzgerald's …show more content…
The feminist lense allowed me to see how Gatsby portrayed women as objects, instead of people. Fitzgerald uses symbolism on page 137 to illustrate what women mean to him, “they saw that left breast was swinging loose like a flap, and there was no need to listen for a heart beneath. The mouth was wide open and ripped at the corners.” The growling description of the breast illustrates how Fitzgerald has little to no respect for women. That they can be torn and beat, and it will not be a concern to anyone. The ripped mouth represent how women are just filthy liars, who uses their mouths to commit signs of disloyalty, and to endlessly wine for a better life. As a metaphor, this quotation shows that women can be disrespected, and deserve no second chances. Reading The Great Gatsby though a feminist lense, has given me the understanding that Fitzgerald sees women as disposable object rather than human
As a critical reader I have a read The Great Gatsby with an experiential approach. When I read a book, I start to envision the book almost like a movie, except I am the narrator. I see, feel, and experience the events of a novel though the narrator. As I was reading The Great Gatsby, i would imagine myself in replacement of Nick Carraway. I was experiencing the events myself, instead of reading about though Nick. This made The Great Gatsby for me, come to life in my …show more content…
The implied reader of The Great Gatsby were middle class Americans during the mid-1920’s. As Fitzgerald describes Tom Buchanan's as, “two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward” (Fitzgerald 7), an aggregant and intimidating rich white man. Illustrating a lack of respect and tolerance of the wealthy though Nick Carraway, the narrator of the story, or in the eyes of Scott F. Fitzgerald. A wealth white male wouldn’t like to read about himself as arrogant and aggressive, these negative qualities are not how the rich view themselves. After Nick's first interaction with Tom’s wife, Daisy Buchanan, he make the comment “she laughed again, as if she has said something witty” (Fitzgerald 8). In this moment it almost seems to be describing Daisy as an uneducated fool, a rich women wouldn’t want to read about herself as a fool. These two negative descriptions of the upper class at the beginning of the book, would limit an upper class mid-1920 male or female a reason to distant themselves from the novel. Also, since the upper class would not be an ideal reader of the The Great Gatsby. Leaving the reader, with background information on Fitzgerald's dream to become right, would leave the mid-1920’s e can assume that the middle class of the 1920’s would be able to afford his book. Also, Fitzgerald's …show more content…
The feminist lense allowed me to see how Gatsby portrayed women as objects, instead of people. Fitzgerald uses symbolism on page 137 to illustrate what women mean to him, “they saw that left breast was swinging loose like a flap, and there was no need to listen for a heart beneath. The mouth was wide open and ripped at the corners.” The growling description of the breast illustrates how Fitzgerald has little to no respect for women. That they can be torn and beat, and it will not be a concern to anyone. The ripped mouth represent how women are just filthy liars, who uses their mouths to commit signs of disloyalty, and to endlessly wine for a better life. As a metaphor, this quotation shows that women can be disrespected, and deserve no second chances. Reading The Great Gatsby though a feminist lense, has given me the understanding that Fitzgerald sees women as disposable object rather than human