HISTORICAL CONTEXTS AND LITERATURE

Historical Contexts and Literature



Historical Contexts and Literature

Theme #1 Human Condition in the Context of Modern Cultures

"The Great Gatsby", Scott Fitzgerald's novel, is a monument to the twenties of last century, its entire glamour, its music, its fashion and its excesses. It is essentially a cautionary tale about the "American Dream" and warns that there are things money cannot buy. Fitzgerald describes the postwar period in America as a moral and corrupt. In essence, it is tries to make us aware that a society is thrown headlong into the pursuit of hedonism without appealing to moral and social values ??that form the foundation of pre-war America. Gatsby's story is told through the calm, firm voice of Nick Carraway. Unwitting participant in his story, and incidentally a neighbor of Gatsby, Nick is entangled in this tale of mystery, intrigue and unrequited love set on the backdrop of the elegant Long Island New York. Gatsby Hedonism dissipated part of this week for organizing lavish parties swarms of parasites that do not even know your host, but the purpose of Gatsby is more complex than that of the revelers who come to their parties.

Gatsby is mostly a man shaped by the poverty of his youth and decided, however innocent it may seem, to rekindle their relationship with the perfect Barbie doll figure of Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby's past is uncertain, contributing to the atmosphere of mystery surrounding Gatsby by Fitzgerald created in the first chapters of the novel. Who is it exactly, is something that we never know. Certainly, Gatsby is not his real name, we never know for sure how he has built his empire and made his fortune, although there is certainly a dubious past linked to the Jewish mafia and smuggling, among other criminal activities. But Gatsby is in love with Daisy, the narrator casually raw, has spent his entire adult life creating a world for it. This is a world of luxury gaudy, decadent party, gossip and glamour, a world that Gatsby believes that his beloved Daisy attract to his side.

The author uses Daisy as the cliche woman in the 1920s in order to make a point about them. Women in the 1920s were experiencing a new freedom. They became more sexually liberated, but still were much under the dominance of men. They tried to marry as far up in the social status as possible in order to be successful. This gave women a reputation for not being very smart, and more so going along with whatever people (namely their husbands) said. Fitzgerald uses Daisy Buchannan as a perfect example of this. When she is first introduced in the book she is shown lounging out with her friend Miss Baker. Tom greets her and she leans “slightly forward with a conscientious expression,” she then laughs, “an absurd, charming little laugh…” (Fitzgerald, 1995, 13)

This gives the reader a first impression of Daisy as being there for charm or to look nice, rather than for input ...