The structure of the Great Gatsby

Introduction

Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" is one of the leading American literatures in the post-war period of modernism. It has reflected the some of the values from this period by his employment of a wide variety of symbolism and unique narrative structure. The novel is also considered an example of American dream in terms of its plot of character description and main theme. (Fitzgerald 15)

The structure of "The Great Gatsby" is narrated by the views of Nick Carraway, a mid-westerner who have just moved in New York, as an outsider he stands in a relatively objective position than any body else in the novel. The narration of the novel shows a steady character development within Nick as he fights to become more aware of his conscious and moral values. The novel is full of symbolisms regarding to different characters and landscapes. However, the two major symbols in the novel are the green light at the end of Daisy's dock and the watching eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg. The "green light" in the novel symbolizes Gatsby's dream for the future with Daisy and beckons him of everything he ever wanted. The eyes of Donaldson from the quote on pages 28-29, "I followed him over a low whited washed railroad fence"¦under Doctor Eckleburg's persistent stare". (Donaldson 45-48) Towards the end of the novel, it represents a moral need to which George Wilson perceives they are the eyes of watching God. In both cases the symbolism are meaningful only because specific character think they are meaningful. The novel is a good example of the fate of American dream similar to Gatsby's dream to pursue Daisy. It may seem so close to him that he can persuade Daisy to marry him. Nevertheless, his demise only proved the sudden shattering of this dream and his failure to acquire the unrequited love for Daisy. The social condition before 1920 in America was period of prosperity, everybody perceives it as a land of success and fortunes until the stock market crash in 1929, where the all the promises of the American dream have been shattered and became an unreality. This is one revolutionary step towards the inner struggle of Fitzgerald's mind that nothing is really a reality but reality itself. (Commager 37)

Analysis

Gatsby is the son of a poor farmer from Minnesota. He is an ambitious and determined man, who “had committed himself to the following of a grail", his only goal whatsoever is to regain Daisy's love. About Gatsby's idealization of Daisy, Nick says that "Daisy tumbled short of his dreams because of the colossal vitality of his illusion", showing how Gatsby's naivety and inability to deal with reality makes him fatally idealistic. Gatsby has an “extraordinary gift of hope” and his pursuit of his dream forced him to scrupulously make his way up from a lower class education, where he changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby and deserted his family because “his parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” ...