Old vs. NewMoney

In the Novel, Jay Gatsby is represented as new money. Jay had been making his profit selling alcohol illegally. He earns his money very quickly and throws big parties to show off his money and luxury's. Since Jay is receiving his money from a new source and being illegal. Jay resp resents the new way to make money and become successful

While Tom Buchanan represents old money and the traditional way to make a hard earned dollar. While Jay is making a profit from something illegal while Tom is making a profit the old way, through sweat and hard work.

However both characters are both following their dreams. Jay's dream is to become very wealthy after spending time with the wealthy Dan Cody. While Tom is leading a wealthy life with his profession. Both characters represent money but Jay is one of being illegal.

The Green Light

There are many symbols in the Great Gatsby that are used to represent the ideas and meanings of characters and settings. The most prominent one is the Green Light, which is located on the edge of Daisy's dock. This green light represents Gatsby's dreams and hopes for the future, and his longing for Daisy's love.

Gatsby has everything money can buy; nice clothes, expensive cars, and the nicest house on West Egg. But the one thing he longs for most is what lies just beyond the Green Light across the sound. This green light has occupied Gatsby's dreams for just under five years, and when he finally gets the courage to arrange a meeting, the green light becomes little more than just that: a green light.

One common ideology during the early to mid 1900's was the concept of the American Dream. The idea that anyone can obtain riches and fame, and all it required was a little effort, and an endless amount of hope. The green light also represents this idea, but into perspective with Gatsby's love for Daisy.

Jealousy

Jealously in the Great Gatsby is very prominent by Tom, and the many attendants of Gatsby's parties. For example, Tom is married to Daisy, Daisy is in love with Gatsby while in love in Tom at the same time. During one chapter, when Tom bursts out saying what is going on between Gatsby and Daisy( having an affair). Jay Gatsby tries to persuade Daisy to tell Tom the truth about who she loves. While Tom is beginning to wonder who Daisy loves. Tom was beginning to feel jealously over Jay and how she might be leaving him.

While Gatsby is throwing big parties on a weekly basis, the people attending the parties are overwhelmed by jealouly. In the beginning of the book, its tells the quiick story of a group of attendees at the party. These people began to gossip about the infamous Jay Gatsby, creating ridiculous rumors. For example saying that Gatsby killed a man etc. These people were jealous of his sucess and with anyone that becomes sucessful or does something extraordinary, people have a tendency to counter it with negative feedback.

Source: The Great Gatsby

The women of Gatsby

During the 1920s, women a were giving a new role and faced a new social change during this era. In the Great Gatsby women are defined defiant and foolish. Since the new age was underway, women began to drink and portray themselves as wildly as men do at parties. Daisy, was one of the women often oppressed by tradition is one who frees herself from Tim. But then liberates herself with she has an affair with Gatsby. However, Women are also very foolish in the book. Often being used frequently by men in the novel. For example, Myrtle is being used by Tom constantly. Myrtle is having an affair with Tom, while Tom on the other hand has no intentions of leading a serious relationship. He goes to her when he wants to, and Myrtle was always there waiting for him. Tom treated her with no respect and yet Myrtle stays at his side. Women during the novel gossip constantly. Jordan, is almost always between Tom and Myrtle's marriage. She gossips to Nick about the ordeal frequently.

source: The Great Gatsby, chapters 1-7

Dan Cody

While rumors about Gatsby began to fill the atmosphere, Nick begins to experience a moment where Jay gets to revisit his past. During his college years, Gatsby was attending St. Olaf's college in Minnesota. Jay was remembering his humiliating job of being a janitor and decided to work at Lake Superior to help pay his tuition. Well one day while working on the Lake, he saw a yacht that was owned by a man named Dan Cody,a wealthy copper mogul. Dan sailed up to Jay and warned him about the upcoming storm. Cody was caring enough to pick up Jay and actually gave him his name of Jay Gatsby. Since a yacht is filled with wealth and luxury, Gatsby fell in love with the idea of becoming successful and not lead a life of poverty. Dan was a caring man, but he was a heavy drinker. One of his jobs was to look after Dan while he was drunk. Jay realized that leading a life of alcohol was not a life worth leading. This gave Jay the personal commitment to never become a drinker. When Dan died, he left a total of about $25,000 of inheritance. However, Cody's mistress denied his claiming of the money, but it did not make Gatsby lose his love for money. He decided to commit to himself to becoming a wealthy and successful man.

Source : The Great Gatsby

The various men of The Great Gatsby

While The Great Gatsby is full of many unique characters, some female, some male, there are three substantially main, male characters. The first is Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is a man, around the age of 30, who is extremely rich. He lives in a mansion on West Egg, just next door to Nick. How he acquired these riches is unknown for now, only adding to the mystery behind this character. There are numerous rumors floating about him regarding his wealth, lifestyle and even his childhood. All of these rumors and stories lead the reader to confusion and suspense, and the mystery of Jay Gatsby only gets better and better. Nick Carraway, the main character, is a young man who migrated East from the midwest. He attended Yale University, and became a bondman in New York, moving into a humble little house on West Egg, just footsteps away from the luxurious Jay Gatsby. Also Daisy Buchanan's cousin, he is a middleman between Daisy and Jay's relationship. Tom Buchanan, husband of Daisy Buchanan, lives on East Egg in a large red mansion. He is a large man, the stereotypical football player. Although married to Daisy, he has an affair with a woman named Myrtle. Tom is also connected to Nick, as they attended college together.

Source: The Great Gatsby, chapters 1-7

East Egg Vs. West Egg

While in the city of New York, Fitzgerald describes two different cultural and social barriers. East Egg and West Egg. In the book West Egg is personified as the country of “wide lawns and friendly trees” "prairies” and “lost Swede towns” . In West Egg, agriculture is a major economic standpoint that serves as a vital necessity of the west side. Where, during winter, they get "real snow" and the temperature reaches 0 degrees Celsius. The people living there seem to have a very strict and conservative lifestyle and not to be changed. While East Egg is where the "real" aristocrats live. The people with class, style and more importantly money. The East favored a lifestyle that focused on preserving the idea of fancy living and prosperity. East Egg and West Egg represent the split between soiceity and true moral and virtues in life.

Source: The Great Gatsby Chapters 1-4

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, born Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, was born on September 24, 1896 in St. Paul, Minnesota. He had one sibling, a sister named Annabel. F. Scott Fitzgerald had an unstable childhood, hopping from place to place as his dad struggled to hold down a job. One thing that held him together, however, was his love for theater. This love fueled his writing career, which led him to writing books such as The Great Gatsby and The Mystery of the Raymond Mortgage, his first piece. In 1917, his passion was forced aside as he was drafted into the army. After two years, he was honorably discharged, and returned to his writing career. A member of the "lost generation", a group of writers during the 1920's who looked down upon the new counterculture, and will always be looked upon one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. F. Scott Fitzgerald was a heavy alcoholic, and died of his second massive heart attack on December 21, 1940, at the age of 44.

Source: http://www.online-literature.com/fitzgerald/

Gangster and the Mafia during the 1920's.

During the 1920's, prohibition was a common cause for high crime rates in the inter cities. Bootlegging, speakies and smuggling became popular, and with these practices, there came a need for someone to run them; that's where the mafia came in.

The Mafia caused an uproar of organized crime in the United States, and led to theft, assault and even murder. Gangsters often started fights with each other over territorial and smuggling rights, and bribery of local official became rampant so gangsters could run their business without political interference. Al Capone, as the leader of the Mafia during the 20's, at one time had over 500 gangsters at his command, as was making millions of dollars a year in alcohol sales.
















source : America's History, Sixth Edition, by James A. Henretta, David Brody and Lynn Dumenil

The Flappers

The most famous symbol for the Roaring Twenties was the creation of a new social rebellious class,the Flappers. "a young woman with bobbed hair and short skirts who drank, smoked and said what might be termed “unladylike” things, in addition to being more sexually “free” than previous generations." Wearing excessive makeup was one thing the Flappers usually did as well. However, this form of social rebellion was not quite followed by all women, in fact most women did not, but in the 1920s women gained unimaginable freedoms. The 19th Amendment to the Constitution guaranteed the right to vote. Women of the 1920s began to hold "white-collar jobs" as well. The Flapper was the ideal symbol for the 1920s because it showed a new style to the women who had been oppressed by men since ages before and now were able to rebel again est social assumptions and oppression.

Prohibition - A help or a hindrance to life in the 1920's?

Prohibition had been a largely debated topic dating back almost to the early nineteenth century. It was finally passed with the 18th amendment in 1917. It made the production, transfer, and consumption of alcohol all illegal under federal law. This led to the popularity of the "counterculture", the blatant disobedience to all things considered proper. Resulting from this were flappers, gangsters, and even helped in the creation of jazz.

Although prohibition was passed in 1917, it never really had any beneficial effects. It was passed to prevent crime and alcohol-related incidents. Ironically, the exact opposite happened; crime rates skyrocketed as speakeasies, bootlegging and illegal alcohol became even more popular. The federal government finally recognized this and, under the supervision of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, repealed the 18th amendment with the 21st amendment, ending prohibition.

The Roaring Twenties

( originally posted at http://thegreatgastbyorthegreatestgatsby.blogspot.com/ )

The 1920s brought upon a new age of social and poetical diversities. It was the first time where Americans were living in cities rather than farms. The economy was highly stimulated and economic growth began, resulting in a change of “consumer society” People from across the nation began buying the same products, only accessible through the use of advertising and “chain stores”. Teens were listening and dancing to the same music. However, most Americans were uncomfortable with the dramatic change in the social aspect of life. For example, the new women, the effect of mass culture, to the Jazz Age and prohibition. Many Americans, if not most, brought more conflict to the nation rather than celebration. It was the youth of the nation that brought this time period to be known as “The Roaring Twenties”