The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of the most important and well known works in the American literary cannon. The novel depicts America both at its most glamorous as well as showing the rotten core that hides below its guided exterior. During the events of the novel our narrator Nick Carraway immerses himself with Long Island high society and meets the incredible but mysterious Jay Gatsby who gained his wealth and prestige in a single minded goal of winning over Daisy, a former lover who is now married to the wealthy John Buchanan. The Great Gatsby is in many ways a critique of the social and economic conditions of America in the roaring 1920’s. the wealthy and powerful individuals that Nick meets are corrupt and shallow and anything truly beautiful is just an illusion. Gatsby’s vision of Daisy as a pure woman who truly loves only him is a lie only he truly believes and his single minded quest to win her over ends in disaster and death. This tone reflects a growing sense of disenfranchisement and cynicism that was appearing in America at the time. The first world war had destroyed a generation and in many ways killed off the hope and promise of the progressive era. At the same time, growing income inequality had led many Americans to question the legitimacy of the American dream.
6 thoughts on “The Great Gatsby and disillusionment”
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I agree that The Great Gatsby is a critique of the social and moral values of the 1920’s in America as well as the economic affluence that emerged on the east coast during this time. Although Fitzgerald showed the great wealth and luxuries of this time period, he also exhibited the lack of ethics that came with it. He showed the greed of the time through the many people who came to Gatsby’s wild parties but failed to attend his funeral. He exposed the lack of honor within marriages as Daisy and her husband Tom were both having affairs. He also displayed the the increase in organized crime as Gatsby had made his entire fortune from bootlegging alcohol which was illegal because of prohibition.
I like how you mentioned Gatsby’s funeral and the lack of attendance. So many people drunkenly arrived uninvited to Gatsby’s lavish parties and they had so many assumptions about who he was. However, upon his death no one seemed to care other than Nick Carraway. Even Daisy, who loved Gatsby didn’t send flowers or even call Nick.
The moral ineptitude of the wealthy class Nick comes to know is shown at Gatsby’s funeral. None of the characters introduced as belonging to this class are present. Interestingly, Owl Eyes decides to attend. He showed interest in learning some truth about Gatsby and his house when he is introduced in Gatsby’s library, perhaps that’s what he is still looking for when he decides to come to his funeral.
Fitzgerald did an excellent job of defining the true Roaring Twenties by writing this novel. Organized crime was increasing, people were getting richer, and the parties were bigger. The 1920s were a fun time to be young, but was incredibly corrupt and flawed, as shown by characters like Gatsby. Those that would show up to his lavish parties never came to his funeral. Nobody knew who he really was or knew about his past life.
I agree that Gatsby is delusional in his and Daisy’s relationship. In the pivotal scene in which Gatsby and Tom fight over Daisy’s affection, she admits that she did love Tom at least at one point, which devastates Gatsby as he believes himself to be the only man she could ever love. He has a very romanticized idea of their relationship, aspecting her to leave her husband for him. Instead he dies and she leaves with Tom.
The commentary can be seen as a critique of the lack of personal connections and separation of people in an increasingly materialistic world. Even the relationship we are to think of as the most real, the one of Gatsby for Daisy, is still based on a relationship that existed prior to WWI.