English 1302
Spring 2014
Azano
Bright Dreams and Dark Realities
The story “The Great Gatsby”, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940), is a classic piece of American literature, published in 1925. It is a novel of tragedy and conquest, Fitzgerald’s work is recognized for the way it captures American society. The story takes place in the 1920s in West Egg, Long Island. Nick visits Daisy and her husband Tom across the bay in the more elegant East Egg. Gatsby ask Nick if he could be arranged to see Daisy. A fight in a hotel between Daisy, Gatsby and Tom eventually leads to the death of Myrtle, Mr. Wilson and Gatsby. A funeral was held for Gatsby, where not many people attended. After all of this nick returns home to live the simple peaceful life he had before.The theme of the story is a commentary of how wealth destroys people. The characters help convey the theme of the story because they show to be very self -obsessed and caught up in the wealthy life style. Elements in character that help support the theme would be flat or round characters, antagonist and minor characters.
Nick Carraway is the narrator and the point of view of which the story is told. Nick rents a small little house next to Gatsby’s mansion in West Egg. Over several events, Nick helps Gatsby reunite with Daisy, who happens to be Nick’s cousin. Nick’s Midwestern sense finds East Eggs a bit unsettling.Nick is a round character because the change in personality he has in chapter nine. In chapter nine Nick assumes Gatsby funeral arrangements is his responsibility. “At first I was surprised and confused; then, as he lay in his house and didn’t move or breathe or speak, hour upon hour, it grew upon me that I was responsible, because no one else was interested-interested, I mean, that intense personal interest to which every one has some vague right at the end.” (164). At this point in the story Nick realizes, after seeing all the news reporters and paparazzi, that no body is genially...