The novel shows the emergence of a mass society with pressure placed upon individual integrity from advertising and fashion to American ideals and history that are put together using cross-cultural comparisons. There is a recurrent theme throughout the novel about the importation of European fashions, manners, and habits into the American context with are put as a disadvantage to American way of life. When Gatsby meets with Daisy, he wears his best outfit; “the front door opens nervously and Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt and gold coloured tie hurried in” (p81). To Gatsby his clothes create a vision of power and happiness that his money can buy. Modernistic techniques can also be seen in the way symbolism is used in the obvious interpretation of Gatsby’s longing for Daisy, the green light. This multi-faceted piece of symbolism proves Daisy is just a part of it and tells us Gatsby has spent his whole life longing for some-thing better. The green light stands for all of Gatsby’s longings and wants money, success, acceptance and Daisy. Nick talks about the green light at the end of the novel and says, “it eluded us then, but that’s no matter – tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms our farther…” (p172). He connects the green light to all people because everyone has something they long and hope for.
The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald is a portrayal of life in the 1920’s. Fitzgerald told the story in first person, which help give the story a realistic account of the characters. The use of first person made the story easier to follow and helped structure the plot. “The Great Gatsby” is an interesting novel because the story line is good, the characters are likeable people, and it gives an overview of a different generation. One of the most important parts of the story is that they lived life in there own style and did things like they wanted to. All of the major characters had there own unique traits that were only common to them. “I’m inclined to reserve all judgments” (page 7) and on the same page “Reserving judgment is a matter of infinite hope” (page 7). With these two statements you get the idea that Nick is trying to put forward the idea that he does not judge people on how they look and act when he first meets them, he holds back all judgments until he has gotten to know and understand them better. It also shows that Nick hopes that if he holds of his judgments the person will change to what he thinks they should be like. Moreover, Nick was positive thinking and likeable which is Nick know that his wife, Daisy be unfaithful but he still be fine. It may be he understands the position both of them.
The novel was written in the 1920’s and gave a good comparison of what life was like in those days compared to our generation. Society back then did not have all the technology that we have today. The 1920’s were called the roaring twenties. Everyone was living life to the fullest not carrying about anything. Which the 1920's gained the name of "Roaring Twenties", the time of prohibition, jazz, and finally the "Great Depression." The "Lost Generation", people left in shock after the War, trying to compensate, led the wild and wasteful lives. America became a country where accompanied by the "black rhythms", flourished organized crime, catering for alcohol to whoever wanted it.
As one of the main characters, Daisy started out in the novel representing all that seemed to be attractive and beautiful about America of the East in the 1920s. Descriptions of her were all associated with elegance, innocence and wealth. Fitzgerald used imagery such as "white... dresses rippling and fluttering" and "french windows, glowing and reflected gold".
The novel itself is centered on his life while entwined with a love story. Jay Gatsby is a true American hero. He sticks to nearly all of the qualities of anyone’s idea of a hero. Jay Gatsby along with strength, intelligence, and power, he achieved the American dream. Throughout the trials of his admirable life, he achieves what would seem to be the impossible.
In conclusion modernism can be noted throughout the novel especially through Nicks modernist sensibility and the way he reflects on his experiences. It breaks away from what most previous novels had been about. Fitzgerald achieves this by dealing with pessimism and brutality but with the gaiety of the time to make what would seem very negative into a non-depressing novel. Also, the characters all rebel against society with Gatsby leading a secluded life and people who were married acting as though they weren’t. Furthermore nobody seemed to work and if they did so it wasn’t very important since it was rarely mentioned. This could be because modernism includes a reluctance to rely on society because of its failures.
