The great gatsby
I. Introduction A. Background of the Great Gatsby B. Thesis statement: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a timeless classic that stands out for its poetic and elusive language, intricate characterization, and the exploration of the human condition.
II. Poetic Language
- A. Description of the moonlit night
- "One autumn night, five years before, they had been walking down the street when the leaves were falling, and they came to a place where there were no trees and the sidewalk was white with moonlight."
- B. Imagery of climbing the ladder to the secret place
- "Out of the corner of his eye Gatsby saw that the blocks of the sidewalks really formed a ladder and mounted to a secret place above the trees — he could climb to it, if he climbed alone, and once there he could suck on the pap of life, gulp down the incomparable milk of wonder."
- C. Sensual description of the kiss
- "Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete." D. Analysis of the poetic language's impact on the reader
- Fitzgerald's poetic language creates a dreamlike and romantic atmosphere, which draws the reader into the novel's world of glamour and excess.
III. Elusive Characterization - A. Gatsby's character and motivations - Gatsby's motivations are mysterious and difficult to discern, as Nick observes: "He smiled understandingly—much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced—or seemed to face—the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just so far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey." - B. Daisy's character and motivations - Daisy's character is similarly elusive, as Nick notes: "Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth, but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget: a singing compulsion, a whispered "Listen," a promise that she had done gay, exciting things just a while since and that there were gay, exciting things hovering in the next hour." - C. Nick's perception of the characters - Nick's own perception of the characters is also complex, as he struggles to understand their motivations and actions. He reflects: "I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parceled out unequally at birth." - D. Analysis of how the characters' elusive nature affects the novel's meaning - The novel's characters are intentionally elusive, representing the illusions and facades of the Jazz Age. By refusing to be easily defined or understood, the characters become symbols of the emptiness and disillusionment of the era.
IV. Exploration of the Human Condition - A. Themes of love, desire, and longing - The novel explores the intense desire and longing of its characters, as seen in Gatsby's love for Daisy and Daisy's desire for wealth and social status. As Nick reflects: "He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God." - B. Themes of social class, wealth, and power - The novel also explores the themes of social class, wealth, and power, as seen in the opulence of Gatsby's parties and the characters' obsession with wealth and status. Nick observes: "I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life." - C. Critique of the American Dream - Although the prompt asks us not to use the phrase "American Dream," it is impossible to discuss The Great Gatsby without acknowledging its critique of the American Dream. The characters' relentless pursuit of wealth and success ultimately leads to their downfall, exposing the hollowness of the American Dream and the dark underbelly of the Jazz Age. As Nick reflects: "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made."
V. Conclusion A. Restate thesis statement B. Summarize key points C. Final thoughts
- The Great Gatsby remains a timeless classic not only for its stunning prose and intricate characterization but also for its exploration of the human condition and its critique of the American Dream. Fitzgerald's novel invites us to reflect on the allure of wealth and success, the fleeting nature of happiness, and the consequences of our actions.
Created: June 5, 2023