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Introduction

Beneath the Surface Glitter, 'The Great Gatsby' is a Profoundly Pessimistic Novel. Do You Agree? F. Scott Fitzgerald has created a very intricate world in 'The Great Gatsby'. It is a world that includes the exceedingly rich and also those who are much worse off. The novel focuses around the wealthier section of this world, those who live in East and West Egg. Fitzgerald is very thorough in his descriptions, in order to fully convey to us the glamour, sparkle and hope of that world. The 'glitter' is very present, but as the story progresses the surface begins to become translucent, and there are many clues leading to more pessimistic depths of the story. This is where we can see the collapse of The American Dream and all the hopes it brings. The glitter in the novel is presented in several ways. The state in which most of the characters live and the seemingly endless flow of wealth certainly are main contributors. East and West Egg are seeping with money; the houses are not merely houses but mansions, the cars are luxurious and the clothes worn are incredibly glamorous. The parties that Gatsby has are vast and magical. Vivid and colorful language is used to detail his parties, which all adds to the glitter effect. ...read more.

Middle

The second chapter includes Nicks symbolic vision of the state of the country. He describes the valley of ashes with such words as desolate, grotesque and ghastly. The valley of ashes show the decay of the American Dream as the ash represents corruption. The ash floats aimlessly around, much like many of the people in that area. As the men try to do their work, they are engulfed with this corruption, which impedes sight and the work trying to be done. Everything Nick describes is grey; the workers, the trucks, the track, the land and the air. The ash / corruption has engulfed everything in this part of the country. The huge sign of Doctor T.J Eckleburg's eyes that look over the valley of ashes gives us a powerful image. Some say that it represents the eyes of God. Pessimism is drawn from the fact that the sign is very old and very faded, forgotten about. We can see this as God having left the valley of ashes and given up due to it becoming too corrupt and unnatural and no longer having an interest. In contrast to Gatsby's party mentioned earlier, when Nick attends Myrtle's party he is surrounded by falseness and vulgarness. However even at Gatsby's party Nick realises that the people there are all materialistic, except the one person who does not participate in his own parties. ...read more.

Conclusion

end up dead. The gaining or maintaining or the dream also involves destroying many innocent lives along the way. The novel therefore shows us that the true American Dream is unreachable and incapable of being realised. It may already be a part of American history, and not a present day achievable dream. 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd cC:\Documents and Settings\tindall\Application Data\Microsoft\Word\AutoRecovery save of Gatsby 2.asd C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc C:\Alpha\Gatsby 2.doc Unknown�! Times New Roman Times New Roman Symbol Symbol QBeneath the Surface Glitter, QBeneath the Surface Glitter, 'The Great Gatsby' is a Profoundly Pessimistic Novel Beneath the Surface Glitter, 'The Great Gatsby' is a Profoundly Pessimistic Novel Normal Microsoft Word 9.0 Beneath the Surface Glitter, 'The Great Gatsby' is a Profoundly Pessimistic Novel Root Entry 1Table 1Table WordDocument WordDocument SummaryInformation SummaryInformation DocumentSummaryInformation DocumentSummaryInformation CompObj CompObj ObjectPool ObjectPool Microsoft Word Document MSWordDoc Word.Document.8 ...read more.

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