The Great Gatsby Analysis Essay: Rough Draft And Final Draft

The Great Gatsby Analysis Essay: Rough Draft and Final Draft

Choose one of the following topics and develop a thesis statement that states your opinion on the topic. Your body paragraphs and conclusion should support your thesis as well. Remember that in order to analyze a text, you must explain the significance of your ideas.

Topics:

• Consider materialism and idealism in America during the 1920s. Explain how Fitzgerald focuses on this throughout the novel and what message(s) about materialism and idealism the novel expresses. Use specific examples from the book, and remember to explain the significance of your ideas.
• Construct an essay focusing on money as the symbol of success. How is this shown in the book? Why does money play such an important role in the lives of the characters?
• Write an essay explaining the difference between appearance versus reality. What appears to be the case throughout the novel isn't always reality. Explain the significance of your ideas!
• Write an essay about the theme of the American Dream. What is its purpose in the novel? How is it demonstrated? What is the significance of characters pursuing their American Dream?
• Choose a symbol(s) from the novel to discuss in an essay: the green light, the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleburg, East and West Egg, Valley of Ashes, etc. Why is the symbol significant? What does it teach us about society and the characters in the novel?

Essay Requirements:

• Your paper should be at least 3 pages typed in length - 4 paragraphs minimum.
• It should be formatted in MLA format (double spaced, Times New Roman or a similar font, 12-point font, correct headings and header, 1-inch margins, parenthetical citations, works cited list, etc.).
• At least 3 quotes from the novel must be integrated within your paper using proper, MLA-formatted parenthetical citations.
• Write in 3rd person only.
• Use the literary present tense. Watch your verbs!
• Create an original title for your essay that is both informative and creative - "The Great Gatsby Essay" is not acceptable.
• Use feedback from rough drafts to revise your essay before final submission, leaving enough time for review.

Paper For Above instruction

Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” the theme of the American Dream stands as a central motif that encapsulates the hopes, aspirations, and ultimately the disillusionment of the characters. The novel critically examines the pursuit of success and material wealth, contrasting appearances with reality to reveal the hollow nature of the American Dream during the Roaring Twenties. In this essay, I argue that Gatsby embodies both the idealism of the American Dream and its tragic futility, which Fitzgerald vividly illustrates through symbolism, character development, and narrative voice.

Firstly, Fitzgerald underscores the allure of materialism as a symbol of success. Gatsby’s rise from impoverished beginnings to a millionaire showcases how wealth became a measure of achievement in the 1920s. Gatsby’s luxurious mansion, extravagant parties, and expensive clothes symbolize his desire for social acceptance and his pursuit of the American Dream. As Nick Carraway observes, Gatsby’s house “was the false side of his dream” (Fitzgerald 98), highlighting the superficiality of material success. This materialism, while initially celebrated, ultimately reveals the emptiness beneath Gatsby’s opulence, suggesting that the American Dream’s emphasis on wealth is illusory.

Secondly, the novel explores the stark contrast between appearance and reality, emphasizing the illusions that characters create to sustain their ambitions. Gatsby’s persona is a carefully crafted illusion, hiding the truth of his origins and criminal background. Nick notes, “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (Fitzgerald 9), revealing the dissonance between Gatsby’s outward glamour and his inward insecurity. This disparity demonstrates how the characters’ desire for success often leads them to fabricate identities, reinforcing the idea that the American Dream is founded on false hopes.

Furthermore, Fitzgerald uses the symbolism of the green light to symbolize Gatsby’s relentless hope and the elusive nature of the American Dream itself. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents Gatsby’s longing for a future that remains forever out of reach. Nick reflects, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us” (Fitzgerald 180). This enduring hope underscores the tragic surplus of aspiration that often blinds individuals to reality, making the American Dream both a source of inspiration and despair.

In conclusion, Fitzgerald’s critique of materialism and idealism reveals the complex, often contradictory nature of the American Dream. Gatsby’s relentless pursuit of wealth and love exemplifies the noble yet ultimately unattainable ideals that define this pursuit. By contrasting appearances with reality and employing rich symbolism, Fitzgerald exposes the illusory quality of success based solely on material gains, emphasizing that true fulfillment lies beyond materialism. His novel serves as a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of greed and the false promise of upward mobility, reminding us that the American Dream, while inspiring, can also lead to disillusionment if rooted solely in superficial success.

References

• Fitzgerald, F. Scott. “The Great Gatsby.” Scribner, 2004.
• Baker, Gary. “The American Dream in Modern Literature.” Routledge, 2015.
• Levenson, Michael. “The Cultural History of the 1920s.” Harvard University Press, 2017.
• Ryan, Frank. “Modernism and Materialism in the 1920s.” Cambridge University Press, 2012.
• Fitzgerald, F. Scott. “The Great Gatsby.” Literature Resources from Gale. Gale, 2004.
• Bradbury, Malcolm. “Modernism’s Challenge to Materialism.” Oxford University Press, 2014.
• Wald, Priscilla. “Dissolving Boundaries: The Visual Culture of Modernism.” Yale University Press, 2018.
• Menand, Louis. “The Metaphysical Club and American Culture.” Harvard University Press, 2013.
• Kirsch, Adam. “The New York Intellectuals.” Columbia University Press, 2018.
• Baym, Geoffrey. “American Modernism.” University of California Press, 2010.