Setting and Characterization to Explore the Major Themes

In this essay, I will analyze how the writer uses backdrop and horizontally to explore the major themes in the novel, which are as headspring as the intrinsic issues that arise in the particular social context of his time. Fitzgerald sets the story in his contemporary society, an era known as the Roaring Twenties when the post-war the States was experiencing an unprecedented financial boom. Despite the economic prosperity of the upper class, Fitzgerald criticizes the object lesson decay of the Ameri raises such(prenominal) as the prevalent superficiality and physicalism in The undischarged Gatsby.When myrtle Wilson reappears after her initiative encounter with Nick, Fitzgerald writes Multi he set of the dress her personality had also undergone a change. The writer reveals myrtle superficiality with her dependence on appearance to seek confidence. As Myrtle recounts how she was impressed by Toms dress suit and patent strap shoes and cheats on her preserve only because she c an be check provided with Tom, Fitzgerald shows the materialistic nature of Myrtle, who chooses appearance over personality, wealth over loyalty. another(prenominal) character that is depicted as shallow and materialistic is Daisy Buchanan.Her luxurious modus vivendi is shown by her snow- face cloth dress and white roadster where the color white connotes a sense of royalty. To support herself financially, she marries Tom With much pomp and concomitant than Louisville ever knew before even though she loves Gatsby. Degenerate thus reveals Daisys materialism as she treats her marriage as a means of obtain great wealth and denies her true emotion. However, when she reunites with Gatsby, she is amazed by his shirts and says It kick ins me sad because Ive never seen such such beautiful shirts before. Her shallowness is shown or her emotion is easily touch by materials resembling shirts. Her love for either Gatsby or Tom is also in question(predicate) as she hesitates between the two out of consideration that which can provide her a rich, classy life. Using the first person narrative, Fitzgerald criticizes the righteous decay and worship of materialism in his contemporary society through Nicks voice. After Myrtles death, Daisy leaves Gatsby to take the blame and flees with Tom. Nick calls the Buchanan couple careless tidy sum who smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast airlessness. Fitzgerald shows his own contempt towards those who think money can positioning everything and take no responsibility for their acts through Nicks disapproval of Tom and Daisy, the typical of that kind. In addition, Fitzgerald examines the changes in gender subprograms in the sass America, as well as the challenges women faced in gaining emancipation as a firmness of purpose of socio-historical changes. The post-war setting highlights an increasing social status of women because more(prenominal) of them joined manpower while many men went to fight at the front overseas telegram in World War l.Also, the 19th amendment to the US constitution passed in 1 920 guarantees all American Women the right to vote. These two changes are reflected as emancipation Of women in The Great Gatsby through characters like Myrtle and Jordan Baker. However, in his novel, Fitzgerald still describes the female characters mostly submissive and inferior to men in one way or another. This little discrepancy between received life and literature shows both the social changes and the writers own opinion. Fitzgerald sheds light on emancipation of women in the 1 sass through Myrtle, who cheats on her husband in order to seek her own pleasure.This rebellious nature of Myrtle reflects the changing role of women in the society as she challenges conservative value for her own interests. Women became more independent in the sass America and more confident about their own pursuit of freedom and happiness. Such null can also be seen in Fi tzgerald description about Myrtle, an outright perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smoldering. The phrase perceptible vitality depicts Myrtles liveliness that can easily felt by people around her, while smoldering connotes a sense of ever-lasting affection about her personality.Fitzgerald also depicted her as a determined, clear-minded woman when she claimed, Ive got to make a list of all the things Ive got to get. She is the only female character in the novel who dares to chase after what she wants, unlike Daisy who gave up Gatsby when Tom appeared with greater wealth and ability to afford her luxurious life. As a master copy golfer, Jordan Baker is the only female character who has her own career. However, through Nicks voice, Fitzgerald reveals the societys doubtful attitude towards womens success rather than recognition when he writes l (Nick) comprehend some story of her too, a minute, unpleasant story. As the words critical and u npleasant connote negative attitudes towards Jordan Baker, Fitzgerald shows the bias towards women even whey they were trying to strain certain kind of independence such as pursuing a professional career. Furthermore, when Nick comments on Cordons cheating in her first game, dishonesty in a woman is a thing that you can never blame belly, it ultimately shows the society lower expectation of women and whence a subservient role that they were expected to play.This is different from the real dash in the 1 sass America society where womens achievement was more recognized and their individual rights were also addressed. In fact, female characters in The Great Gatsby are mostly submissive and dependent on males. For example, when Nick first visits Daisy, Fitzgerald describes her and Jordan as anchored balloon. This simile shows the hollowness of the two women and how they are empty-minded just like a balloon. Worse than the purposeless drifting like a balloon, they are anchored and n ot able to leave according to their own will.This shows a loss Of freedom of these two Women. Fitzgerald also writes they Were both in white. As the color white connotes weakness and paleness, it shows the incapability of the women to take verify of their own lives. The motif of white is used throughout the novel to pay back the idea of weakness of these women. To conclude, even though Fitzgerald holds different views on womens role in he society, The Great Gatsby still remains largely accordant with his life experience in his contemporary times.