Great Gatsby :: essays papers

Great Gatsby Two prevalent themes portrayed in The Great Gatsby are money and social precondition, both which coincide with the apologues four settings East Egg, WestEgg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York. As Natania stated, these differentlocations are used to show the absurdities of modern life, as intimately as todictate social divide from the upper royal status of the East Egg community tothe common folk of New York. Fitzgerald uses these settings and theactions of characters within them to define and set boundaries betweenfinancial and social status of the flourishing 20s. An example of Fitzgeralds technique lies in the comparison of myrtleWilsons troupe in her New York apartment to one of Gatsbys many summerparties in his West Egg mansion. Through descriptions of guests climaxand going frequently, and the obnoxious drinking and wild conversationgoing on at the New York and West Egg parties, the reader can ceasethat neither of these locations are above the socia l standing of an upper severaliseparty of East Egg, such as one at tom turkey and Daisy Buchanans without theslight insanity of their dysfunctional family. However, the differencesbetween myrtle and Gatsbys parties are great and relevant to Fitzgeraldstheme.For example, the physical description of guests attention the party inNew York gives knowledge to the reader of their lower class standing. Myrtles sister arrives with a sticky bob of blood-red hair and wild, unnaturaleyebrows and makeup, and Mr. McKee with lather showing on hischeekbone. His wife is set forth as shrill, languid, handsome, andhorrible, quite the opposite of guests attending Gatsbys party, and even the forces himself. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby as a very clean cut, proudpostured, gentlemanly feel man with hair which looks like it weretrimmed every day, just as a stereotypical member of the social upper classshould appear. Myrtles party included obnoxious, almost insane guestswho were quick to utter their rude, blunt opinions and provide proof toJordan Bakers statement that at small parties there isnt any privacy. Infact, Tom Buchanan was so uncivilized a guest as to punch Myrtle, his loverand the partys hostess, and cause a bloody mess.