The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, explores themes of class disparity, the American Dream, and societal superficiality in 1920s America. Despite initial poor reception, it has become a timeless classic, reflecting the complexities of human desires and societal values.
Great works of literature stand the test of time, and one such work is The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although it took years for its impact to be fully recognized, it now enjoys immense popularity and staying power among readers worldwide.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota. His family lived off of his mother's sizeable inheritance. Fitzgerald left Minnesota for Princeton and later moved to New York City at the age of 22. During this time, he fell in love with Zelda Sayre, the daughter of a prominent Southern family. It wasn't until Fitzgerald published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1920 that Zelda deemed him appropriate to marry.
As Fitzgerald's writing career blossomed, he and Zelda enjoyed a celebrity lifestyle. However, this lifestyle came with a price. For years, Fitzgerald struggled with alcoholism and depression, which wreaked havoc on his career and health. Ultimately, these factors contributed to his heart attack that killed him on December 21, 1940, at the age of 44.
Many aspects of Fitzgerald's life are mirrored in The Great Gatsby, with details scattered throughout his work in the form of character traits, story settings, and conflicts.
When The Great Gatsby was first released, it received mediocre reviews and sold poorly. By the time of Fitzgerald's death, he was largely forgotten. However, during World War II, the U.S. Army distributed copies of The Great Gatsby to soldiers to improve their morale. In 1944, the book had only sold 120 copies, but today it regularly sells 500,000 copies per year.
The Great Gatsby is set in 1920s America, an era marked by tremendous change in the country's culture and lifestyle. Known as the Roaring Twenties or the Jazz Age, this period was characterized by a free-spirited and fast-paced lifestyle. The economy began to grow rapidly, spurred by mass production and a burgeoning consumer economy. People left the countryside for cities, resulting in urban populations outnumbering rural populations for the first time.
This societal shift created a stark chasm between the haves and have-nots. Frivolous spending and recreational leisure were prevalent among the wealthy, while those in the middle and lower classes suffered greatly. Luxuries such as automobiles, planes, radios, and phones were beyond the reach of most Americans.
The themes in The Great Gatsby echo and scrutinize the societal influences prevalent during this time period. The characters embody various classes, values, behaviors, and customs, as well as the ideals and ethics—or lack thereof—of the time. The collision of these factors, especially the two polarized classes chasing the American Dream, lies at the heart of the novel.
The Great Gatsby is rich in symbolism. For example:
For generations, readers around the world have enjoyed The Great Gatsby because of its beautiful writing, insightful narration, multiple themes, and layered symbolism. The novel allows us to question and explore who we are in relation to our dreams. Because of this, The Great Gatsby will continue to capture the hearts and minds of readers for many more generations.
