The Great Gatsby, In Review

The Great Gatsby can be viewed in one of three ways:

A veiled autobiographical account of Fitzgerald’s life

A bitter criticism of the American Dream

An allegory teaching the sinfulness of greed

Interpretation and Significance

Interpretation 1: Autobiographical

“To Zelda, As Always”

“Rich girls don’t marry poor boys”

Fitzgerald Military experience Zelda is muse and destruction. Initially rejected because he

was too poor and unsuccessful.

Wins her back with “This Side of Paradise” and affluence

Her shallow need for wealth and status ruin Fitzgerald and force him to compromise his values.

Fitzgerald drinks himself into oblivion.

Gatsby Military experience Daisy is muse and

destruction. Left behind for money and

popularity. Wins her back with his

beautiful mansion. Her shallow need for

security and her stupidity drive her back to Tom

Gatsby is killed by powers he cannot control.

Both men are haunted by women they could never fully have, women whose greed destroyed them.

Interpretation 2: Criticism of American Dream

“Gatsby had committed

himself to the following of a

grail.”

Grail is an unattainable, elusive mythical object.

Desire for the grail has driven countless men to ruin and death.

Fitzgerald uses the search for the grail as a metaphor for the pursuit of the American dream. It is elusive, unattainable, and mythical.

American Dream as “Grail.”

Tom has all the money he could ever want and a beautiful bride, but throws it away for a cheap affair.

Daisy has a huge house, a beautiful baby, and a wonderful life, but throws it away for nostalgia.

Jordan is a succesful, beautiful golf player, but cheats and loses her esteem.

Gatsby has worked his way up “from rags to riches,” but is senselessly murdered in his foolish attempt to realize his dream.

False Hope

Interpretation 3: Allegory For Evil of Greed

Allegory: a story meant to convey a moral lesson (like a parable of sorts).

Fitzgerald, like Nick, had an unpleasant taste of upper-class life.

We are meant to share in Nick’s “unaffected scorn” for the world he sees.

God watches us all, and judges us for our immorality.

The sinful are punished (Gatsby, Tom, Myrtle, Daisy) while the just are spared (Nick).

A Morality Tale

T. J. Eckleberg’s disapproving eyes, symbolic of God.

Great Gatsby is most commonly discussed in terms of its inventive use of symbolism.

Symbolism

Eyes of T. J. Eckleburg God’s judging, disapproving perspective on humanity.

The Green Light Longing and desire for those things which are most elusive.

The Valley of Ashes Empty, lifeless valley becomes a symbol for the empty, soulless

people who traverse it.Gatsby’s Rolls Royce

How appropriate that a symbol of Gatsby’s wealth becomes an instrument of death.

Pearl Necklace/Dog Collar Tom gives Myrtle a dog collar as a gift, but a pearl necklace to

Daisy. Myrtle is nothing but a pet to him; a plaything that he can mistreat. It emphasizes his greed; people are like possessions to him.

Key Symbols in the Text

“Gatsby paid a high price for living too long with a single dream.“

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

“I am one of the few honest people I have ever met.” “[her voice] is full of money.” “You see, I think everything’s terrible anyhow…I’ve been

everywhere and seen everything and done everything…sophisticated, God, I’m sophisticated!”

“Can’t repeat the past? Why, of course you can!” Gatsby “had committed himself to the following of a grail.” “They’re a rotten crowd…you’re worth the whole damn

bunch put together.”

Some Key Quotations in the Text