Issues of Hospitality

The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is written by Fitzgeral in which he has focused on the conditions leading the American dream to break, highlighting the issues of hospitality. If seen from a superficial point of view, The Great Gatsby is a story of dissatisfied love between a couple. The major theme of the novel revolves around a scope which in front of which romance is nor greater. Although all the events in the novel took place within a few months, during the summer time of the year 1922, and is limited to the geographical location of Long Island, New York, the novel still represents a high degree of symbolic rumination on the America of 1920s. However, the novel, in particular, focused on the collapse of American dream, during a time of material excess and exceptional prosperity (Fitzgerald, pp. 77-90).

The Hollowness of the Upper Class

Amongst the major issues identified in the novel one is the sociology of wealth, in particular, how the newly rich people of that time were different from, and how they relate to the aristocrats belonging to the most riches families of the United States (Oliver, pp. 1-4). The West Egg represent the group of people who were self-made rich; whereas, the East Egg represented the aristocrats, such as Daisy and Tom. The author have portrayed the rich people as ostentatious, vulgar and gaudy, they also lacked social taste and grace (Fitzgerald, pp. 77-90). For instance, Gatsby lived in a horribly decorated mansion, drives a Rolls Royce, wears a pick suit; however, he was unable to catch a small social signal like the insincerity of the lunch's invitation sent by Sloan. On the other hand, the aristocrats had everything, subtlety, grace, elegance and taste, exemplified by the tasteful house of the Buchanans and the graceful white dresses of Jordan Baker and Daisy (Oliver, pp. 1-4).

Although the aristocrats possessed taste; nevertheless, they lacked is soft heart. The author asserts that because East Eggers were used to of easing their mind through money, that they never felt any pain in hurting someone; thus, proving themselves to be nothing but a bunch of insensitive bullies and carless people. The stereotype of Buchanans is the best example of this claim, when they shifted to another house somewhere far away rather than disgracing themselves to attend the funeral of Gatsby (Fitzgerald, pp. 77-90). In contrast, Gatsby, who gained the recent riches through organized crimes, possessed a loyal and sincere heart and proved this by staying outside the window of Daisy's room till 4 a.m. just to ensure that Tom does not hurt Daisy. Unluckily, the good qualities which Gatsby possessed such as love and loyalty led him towards death because he took the blame of murdering Myrtle instead of letting Daisy to face the punishment. After this, the Buchanans bad traits such as egocentrism and inconsistency not only helped them to confiscate themselves from the situation physical, but psychologically, as well (Levinas, pp. 50-76).

The Decline of the American Dream ...