The Great Gatsby
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Introduction
Terence Landman Prose Essay The Great Gatsby Look closely at the details presented, the snatches of dialogue, and Nick's comments, in order to explain how Fitzgerald renders this episode in both positive and negative ways. The two-page extract from the Great Gatsby has various themes, motives and symbolism running at its roots. This essay will attempt at deciphering these symbols and clearly expressing their true meaning, as well as the course they help to create in Fitzgerald rendering this episode in both positive and negative ways. Gatsby's house is compared several times to that of a feudal lord, and his imported clothes, antiques, and luxuries all display nostalgia for the lifestyle of a British aristocrat. Though Nick and Daisy are amazed and dazzled by Gatsby's splendid possessions, a number of things in Nick's narrative suggest that something is not right about this transplantation of an aristocrat's lifestyle into a democratic America. Nick creates, through visual imagery an imaginary representation of Gatsby's house in his readers. He expresses the beauty embedded in the gardens, "the sparkling odour of jonquils and the frothy odour of hawton..." ...read more.
Middle
Fitzgerald attempts at affirming a new balance through the reader's realization that Gatsby's deliberate expressions of wealth and materialism in everything he does, is clearly driven by a far nobler cause: love. Gatsby then seems to be a man willingly found entrenched in a foreign environment, driven by love and sustained by materialism. "He hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes." (88) This quote seems to encapsulate everything that Gatsby had hoped his materialism would attract, solely and most importantly Daisy. It can then be argued that this brings light to various positive aspects within Gatsby's life. However materialism is Gatsby's mediator between Daisy, a glorified dream, and Gatsby himself. Suggesting, and as proven in Gatsby's earlier years, that without the luxury and comfort of materialism, the love he seeks may evade, as well as elude him. Bringing about the question as to whether the love Daisy may have had for Gatsby is real or not, amongst other different negative aspects. ...read more.
Conclusion
This not only describes Gatsby's condition but more over his condition in relation to Daisy and his na�ve attempts at winning Daisy over and allowing himself to release a harbored dream in exchange for her love. Lastly and probably the most severe realization is Daisy's understanding that regardless of all the material goods that have deliberately found their ownership to Gatsby, there may never be a absolute rekindling of their past feelings and emotions. This is illustrated with Daisy's response to the various arrays of shirts that were tossed in a final attempt by Gatsby, through materialism, to re-grasp a common emotion shared between one another: "They're such beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before." (89) Daisy's crying "stormily" just seems to amplify this belief and her understanding in Gatsby's life being a pitiful waste of time, perusing a dream far after it was meant to be pursued. In concluding it is clear to say that Fitzgerald incorporated within this episode and the entire novel, both positive as well as negative aspects. But it seems that the positive aspects merely suspend the final conclusion of both this episode and the novel: delusion. ...read more.
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Response to the question
This is a response to a question asking candidates to discuss how page 88-89 of 'The Great Gatsby' are presented in positive and negative lights and what this says about the characters Daisy and Gatsby. The candidate here displays an ...
Read full reviewResponse to the question
This is a response to a question asking candidates to discuss how page 88-89 of 'The Great Gatsby' are presented in positive and negative lights and what this says about the characters Daisy and Gatsby. The candidate here displays an unbroken focus on the question, commenting consistently with a profound level of depth into Nick Carraway's narration and also the character interactions. There is a large number of literary devices used by Fitzgerald identified and analysed suggesting this candidate is comfortable operating at a secure A* grade for GCSE.
Level of analysis
The Level of Analysis here is extremely good. The candidate constructs a clear essay response that outlines first and foremost what it aims to do, but then completely follows it through, rather than chucking any old rubbish into an introduction to fatten out the opening paragraph. There is a very detailed analysis of both Fitzgerald's narrative and how he manipulates the readers into believing Gatsby is coming anywhere close to Daisy. I also like the ways the candidate shows an acute attention to detail with regard to character and what their action within the given extract say about them. The candidate has done well to draw upon a number of quotes from the soucrce text in order to answer the question in a well-evidenced, well-informed manner. All throughout there are links to the question, and whilst the conlusding paragraph could be deemed short in comparison to the number of excellent points made earlier in the essay, it nicely rounds off the essay with it's direct addressing of the quesiton once again, although some examiners may demand a more holistic conslusion whereby the candidate incorporates more of the points made earlier.
Quality of writing
The Quality of Written Communication is very high. I enjoy this persons use of a range of vocabulary to express their answer in various interesting methods that do not tire buy using the same word twice (unless it relates to the question; in which case this is a good practice).
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Reviewed by sydneyhopcroft 12/03/2012
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