Contect And Genre Flashcards
Who portrays the American dream?
Jay Gatsby
How did Gatsby make his fortune?
Exactly how Gatsby made his fortune is not clear but it is clear that he is or was involved in some illegal business.
How does Gatsby succeed in changing his life?
he goes from having nothing to being very wealthy.
How does Fitzgerald demonstrate the American dream?
- Fitzgerald shows that the American Dream is achievable but by adding the illegal aspect to Gatsby’s success he also problematizes the American Dream.
-Gatsby’s success is dependent on the fact that he did not follow the rules of society.
-As Gatsby turns to an illegal business to achieve his American Dream, the fact that everyone does not have the same opportunities to succeed is demonstrated by Fitzgerald.
Tell me about the Emeraonian dream
wealth is not the main purpose of the dream,unlike the Franklinian dream,but a means in the struggle of achieving the true purpose of the dream. Gatsby’s dream can be seen as an Emersonian Dream, as his wealth produces the opportunity he needs in his attempts to win back Daisy.
How does Fitzgerald show that class is a strong factor when it comes to dividing people?
-by the unequal relationship between Tom and Myrtle, a woman who belongs to the working class.
-By paying for an apartment in the city and spending money on Myrtle, Tom is the dominant one in their secret relationship.
- Tom’s superior status is displayed when he argues with Myrtle about Daisy and it ends with him breaking Myrtle’s nose
-Myrtle’s city life is dependent on Tom and his money. Without Tom she would lose it all. This creates an unequal relationship between them and puts Myrtle in an inferior position.
Does Nick belong to the upper or lower class? How does this help him understand a variety of characters?
-Nick belongs to neither the upper class of Tom and Daisy nor the working class of Myrtle.
-Because of his background he has enough knowledge about both worlds to be able to see both Daisy and Myrtle clearly. Because of his ability to see through both worlds he becomes a source of clarity
What changed women’s attitudes in the 1920s?
-At the end of the World War I the role of women as housewives changed dramatically.
-They were forced to work and to earn their own money which was the first step towards their independence.
- By earning the right to vote in 1920 women made their biggest step in being accepted as equal members of society.
Tell me about new woman in the 1920s
- In spite of numerous differences of female characters, Daisy Buchanan, Jordan Baker, and Myrtle Wilson, are all versions of the New Woman.
-Women share much of the focus that the men do in this book; however, they are not always shown in a positive light. - they are often seen as negative things.
-Fitzgerald presents very contrasting roles for women in The Great Gatsby, making distinct challenges to both Flappers and the traditional woman.
Tell me about Jordon Baker
- represents the new woman of the 1920’s, who is characterised as androgynous and therefore oddly desirable for Nick, the narrator.
- Jordan is a symbol for the principles of the Flappers, as she is arrogant, unemotionaland often irresponsible.
-Fitzgerald criticises Jordan in The Great Gatsby.
Tell me about Daisy and how she relates to the new women in America
-Daisy abandons love and Gatsby and settles down with Tom, a man who is wealthy and can provide for her financially.
-Daisy embodies some Flapper values of irresponsibility and detachment, in her treatment of her daughter, as well as irresponsibility for her actions.
-To Fitzgerald, Daisy may have embodied the 1920’s woman in transition between old and new values.
Tell and about Daisy and her baby and how this shows women’s values in the 1920s
-Daisy is seen as a pessimist when mentioning her newly born female baby.
-When she first offhandedly mentions her daughter, she doesn’t even specify the gender.
- she is disappointed in having a female child
-When Daisy is explaining to Nick her daughter’s birth, she explains how she wept and said of her daughter, “… I hope she’ll be a fool - that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”
-This not only shows Daisy’s cynical criticism for the world they live in, but also her idea of women in the world.
- In her eyes, women have no place in this world to be intelligent, only beautiful and stupid.
What women are foolish in the novel and how?
-Myrtle’s foolishness is that she saw what she wanted to see, a man who was providing her lavish gifts because she thought he loved her.
-She thought Tom would leave Daisy for her sake. In reality Tom was using her.
-Daisy is foolish. Her foolishness is also rooted with her unfaithfulness, Tom and Gatsby fight as Tom knows of their adultery.
-Daisy is also foolish in the context that if she had waited for Gatsby to come back from the war and married him instead of Tom, she would not have regretted marrying him.
What contributes to the idea that men back then had control and power over their wives.?
-Tom bruises Daisy’s knuckle. Tom’s aggressiveness is also shown when strikes Myrtle.
-Tom’s display of physical power over Daisy and Myrtle reflects that in both relationships they are powerless.
- It was mentioned before that Myrtle was locked in her room by Wilson.
Who represents anti semitic views at the time?
Wolfsheim
