The Great Gatsby! What a misleading novel to read! All along, I had been thinking that Jay Gatsby was the perfect man, adored by all just as much as how Mrs. Clark adored Atticus from "To Kill a Mockingbird"!
The title of F. Scott Fitzgerald's most famous novel, "The Great Gatsby," sounds just like the great magician Harry Houdini's stage name, The Great Houdini! This clever title symbolizes Jay Gatsby's magical-like abilities to conceal his true identity as a weak and nervous individual. From his dirt-poor and hopeless character of James Gatz, he has transformed himself into the affluent and well-connected Jay Gatsby. He manipulates almost everyone into believing in his vast wealth, creating a mystical illusion in the New York community. He hosts extravagant parties like advertisements for all of New York to see his infinite wealth and even (attempts to) speak like an Englishman to assert his luxurious background. However, even though Gatsby claims to have good standing like an East Egg resident, he is actually a young, insecure man who finds his fortunes only through illegal activities like bootlegging alcohol. Mr. Carraway, the honest and tolerant narrator, later reveals that Gatsby continues to live in the past as he hosts all these parties to capture the attention of his former lover Daisy. "The Great Gatsby" is a legend and a theatrical performance, but also an allegory that teaches us that the path of greed and wealth are intertwined with the path of loneliness and suffering.
No comments:
Post a Comment