The Great Gatsby AO5

References "Gatsby turned out all right in the end" - despite his failures he attains a form of greatness
Nick is able to look beneath the American Dream and sees him as the embodiement of national impulse
The ending contradicts Gatsby's characterisation throughout the novel where he is depicted as a corrupt force
The ending assumed readers will forget the problematic aspects of Gatsby's character
When Nick erases the words written on Gatsby's steps, he is repressing the version of Gatsby in the rest of the novel - most of the book he is a criminal, bootlegger etc.

He is a retired historian who studies American cultural history
1920s were a period with heightened ethnic concern
Tom talks about "superior white race and the inferior coloured races"
Nick diapproves of prejudice
Nick's awareness is rooted in physical distinctions and mannerisms. He details Wolfsheim's Jewish appearance
Gatsby's ethnicity is vague

Was generally unpopular - critics complained about its writing style and the underdeveloped characters
Harvey Eagleton - it showed a lot of promise but was likely "to go unfulfilled"
Fitzgerald's friends were disappointed in the book
Journalist HL Mencken - The Great Gatbsy should not be considered a piece of serious literature. He focused too much on narratice structure instead of characterusation

Write The Great Gatsby to show the American Dream and its achievability
Lived during the Jazz Age but struggled to fit in and gain wealth and success
Fitzgerald gave Nick and Gatsby his own struggles and disadvantages of having "new money"
Was written in 1924 while FItzgerald was in Paris
Daisy was based on his early life - he wasn't allowed to marry the woman he wanted to due to class
Tom was inpired by his first loves father, who wouldn't let him marry her
Fitzgerald spent majority of his live struggling with wealth, success and alcohol

More popular today than it was on release
The book used to analysis social class and self made weath. Also shows gener and race among other things
Its popularity rose in the 50s and 60s
It has had 6 film adaptations

Differences in the begiining of the film - Nick checks into a mental asylum after being diagnosed with alcoholism. In the book, Nick had "bben drunk just twice in my life"
The film omits Nick and Jordan's relationship
Luhrmann preserves passages about race. Wolfsheim is cast as an Indian actor to avoid stereotypes
At the end of the film, Gatsby's murder is shown instead of the butler hearing gunshots
Gatsby's father doesn't attend his funeral
The setting is retained, but some modern music is also used
Vibrant colours and the green light is still used

Gatsby is as much a victim as an exploiter of the time period. “Gatsby himself embodies in a grotesque way the desire to transcend time”

Fitzgerald gives multiple contrasting descriptions of Daisy’s hair. Darkness, temptress, light, pure. Represents Gatsby’s fantasy vs reality

The American Dream keeps men from becoming too cynical / wise. Gatsby is the mythic embodiment of the American Dream

The Great Gatsby documents the truism that money can’t buy you love

Gatsby is a “modern Icarus”

“When his dream of love is destroyed, he is nothing but his extravagent props”