the great gatsby

What little I've accomplished has been by the most laborious and uphill work, and I wish now I'd never relaxed or looked back - but said at the end of The Great Gatsby: "I've found my line - from now on this comes first. This is my immediate duty - without this I am nothing."
F.Scott Fitzgerald

Great Gatsby is undoubtedly accepted as a masterpiece of American Literature which is a perfect example for American Dream conception. The novel is a fiction and describes social history of 1920s. The problem of American society in that time is money. Money is basically is linked to affection which means that they seem to believe money is the only thing they need to be happy. The only think people care is all about the materiality. This accordingly brings the question of morality. People do not care about morality norms. It is seen that people do not miss the parties Gatsby give but on the other hand they also always create rumors about his wealth which shows the hypocrisy of that society. Gatsby is basically a victim of his American Dream. He believes that he accomplished it, but he fails. This dream brings his tragic end. In reality he does not like the parties he arranges. His only aim is to reach Daisy again who is her big love in his past.

Masculinity is a very deep subject in American Culture. As it is seen Tom looks down on the people who are less wealthy than him. He believes that much money means much dignity. He also thinks that he has to have a distance between him and other people. For Nick Daisy is like a very precious object of the house. She also behaves very childishly.

Parties: are very important because they are simply symbol of American Dream. They give parties to show their wealth, also to socialize with others because they are alone in the world. Nick says to the reader that there are people in the parties who are not invited at all.

Daisy also mentions about it: "Lots of people come who haven't been invited."

In addition, at the beginning of chapter IV the reader learns how many dignified people come to these parties.

The only aim of Gatsby is to reach Daisy. He does all the wealthy he has for Daisy. To earn Daisy's love again is very important for Gatsby. That's why he wants to accomplish this thanks to Jordan and Nick. The greatness of his house and the things of the house are very important for Gatsby too, because in his inner world they symbolize the love of Daisy to him. What this means that Gatsby is actually aware of his situation, why Daisy is married with Tom. So he becomes so rich to take her love back. As Jordon says: "He wants to show his house."

So thanks to Jordan and Nick Gatsby encounters with Daisy again. He has a big desire to show his house. As it is seen Daisy gives so much important to the materiality like the other people. When she sees the house she gets mesmerized and thinks she loves Gatsby again.

"They are such beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I've never seen such - such beautiful shirts before." (Chapter V) Daisy thinks that she loves Gatsby I believe that it is because Gatsby is richer than Tom. So it is basically seen that in that time women calculates the love according to the wealth of men.

Daisy to Gatsby "I did love him once - but I loved you too." (Chapter VII)

Nick is the only character who is Gatsbys side because he knows the truth of him. Gatsby is a desperate man who followed his love and that brought his tragic end.

Gatsby as Jesus figure. It seems that Fitzgerald chooses him as a victim to sacrifice himself for the American Dream. He sacrifices himself for his great love. Throughout the novel while Nick talks about him as a God-like image. As it is also seen Gatsby behaves like Jesus by sacrificing himself for the sake of the love.

Gatsby means nothing for that society. It is seen that people do not care about Gatsby. When he dies everybody disappear. His father, Henry C. Gatz comes to New York West Egg but even he says he'll try to go to the funeral.

The American Dream in the novel:

* brings tragic end of Gatsby.
* changes the morality understanding of the society.
* makes people care only about the materiality.