Literature Analysis #5

Literature Analysis #5

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

*Briefly summarize the novel you read.

The novel begins with Nick at West Egg in Long Island where all the wealthy people live. He lives next to the most known guy in New York, a guy named Jay Gatsby. Anyways, he goes to see his cousin Daisy, her husband Tom Buchanan, and Jordan. Nick finds Jay Gatsby very interesting when he first sees him, to the point that he really wants to talk to him. He also finds out that Tom has a lover named Myrtle who is married to Wilson. The day comes when he actually does talk to Gatsby and him, Daisy, Tom, and Jordan all begin to hang out more and go to all of Gatsby's parties. Little by little, Gatsby and Nick become really close, so close that he tells him about his love story with Daisy. Daisy and Gatsby have also become so close that it seems like the love they once had for each other is coming back. Tom soon becomes suspicious of their relationship and begins to accuse Gatsby of many things, they get in an argument. Daisy and Gatsby leave and while she's driving she accidentally runs over Myrtle. When Wilson finds out it was Gatsby, he decides to murder him and then kills himself. They make a funeral for Gatsby and then Nick decides to leave West Egg,

*Theme of the novel.

The theme of The Great Gatsby would be impossible love and the ranking of social classes. Impossible love is shown throughout this novel because Gatsby is deeply in love with Daisy but having Tom Buchanan in the way, their love cannot happen. On the other hand, the ranking of social classes is shown because Gatsby lied about his life so that Daisy will fall in love with him all over again and he will be able to meet her parents requirements since before he didn't and Tom did.

*Describe the author's tone.

The author's tone in The Great Gatsby would be a tone of confusion or better said, contradiction. At times Nick will admire Gatsby for all the luxuries he has and for the guy being but at the same time he really doesn't like the way he is a lot of the times and everything he has. Nick really does not know what he thinks of Gatsby.

*Describe five literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the theme and/or your sense of the tone.
Flashback: The author of the novel tends to alternate the story from present to past and it is an element that strengthens the understanding of the theme because it shows why Gatsby is so in love with Daisy.
Antagonist: Tom Buchanan I would consider to be the antagonist. By him being the antagonist, the theme of the novel is better understood because he is one of the reasons why Gatsby and Daisy are not able to be together which is what Gatsby really wants.
Setting: F. Scott Fitzgerald made this novel take place in West Egg and East Egg so ti strengthen the readers better understanding of the them because each of those places represents two different social statuses in which the characters belong to.
Archetypes: In the novel, Fitzgerald describes Daisy like if she was a young girl while her being an actual mother and Myrtle is more described as an older woman, woman like figure, when she isn't a mother.
Symbolism: The novel has different types of symbolism. One example would be the weather, as the weather changes, the mood of each character seems to change which ends up giving understanding to the authors tone.