G.G Themes Flashcards
How does wealth play an vital role?
all characters driven by involvement in 1920s consumerist culture/ followed by post-WW1 eco boom
What does F not only focus on how much wealth and money a character has?
focuses on how they acquired it and what it represents
What does F’s focus on diff locations allow to describe diff levels of what?
wealth and overarching message of the book and how he critiques the flawed money-driven nature of 20s US
What are the 3 distinct classes in G.G?
Old M
New M
No money
What is Old Money?
Which characters is this explored by and how are they portrayed?
What type of people inhabited all of the New Eng states or original states such as Virg/NY
-Tom/Nick who are the elite and have fortunes dating back for generations,
Their privilege is inherited and needs no further justification for extravagant display as they hold undisputed family titles
Inhabited by wealthy families of EU descent
Tom portrayed as arrogant and selfish - often dismissive of those who are not wealthy as he is and is laos unfaithful
uses his wealth to manipulate those around him
What is new money ?
Who represents this and how?
What is conspicuous consumption?
How does G flaunt his wealth? (hydroplane,rolls royce,old sport)
People of the W E in hopes to gain wealth
Self-made rich people, with no aristocratic heritage - so they compensate through lavish displays of wealth (C.C)
Flaunts purchases and parading of his ‘hydroplane’ - Nick viewed as monstrous’
‘Rolls Royce’ - goal of integrating into elite is successful
Develops a tic by addressing everyone as ‘old-sport’ - forced attempt to appear and upper crusty and serves the opposite purpose of emphasizing G as nouveau riche
What is no money?
Who represents this?
Who are they in part of the American dream?
Why are they overlooked?
unable to acquire any of A.D’s monetary/social gains
overlooked by the new class conflict of new and old money embodied through Tom and G in their pursuit of D
Quotations - Chapter 8 ‘ her artificial world was redolent of orchids…cheerful snobbery…which set the rhythm of the year, summing up sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes’
What does the music serves as for Daisy’s affluence and what is this parallel to?
Metaphor for her affluent life and and direct parallel to many in US society during the Jazz age, snobbish superficial, sad but equally as pleasant
N frequent association of D w nature and musicality (her voice) indicates her natural beauty
doesn’t need to try hard or over compensate like others because of her position and is more attractive in more ways
Quotations - Chapter 1 ‘As if she asserted her membership, in rather secret society to which she and Tom belonged’
How is this more than Nick making a reference to E.E and U/C society?
awareness, (Myrtle and Gatsby lust/futile attempts, secrets of old money, status quo)
Show’s D’s awareness of her privilege but also aware of the exclusivity of being this rich and elite
People like M/G lust for her social advantages but they’re unobtainable
Both die from futile attempts between social calming and death
The secrets of old are not easily shared, codes are difficult hence G’s old sport faux pas and taboo in cross-class marriage helps keep status quo
Quotations - Chapter 8 ‘Daisy’s house always seemed more mysterious and gay than other…his idea of the city…even though she was gone…was pervaded w melancholy beauty’
What does G’s direct focus on Daisy house instead of her physical self shows about his awareness of what that appeal to him?
How is the romantic description contrasted with of what Gatsby’s?
awareness of her status and her possessions that appeal
Romantically describe but denotes selfish and materialistic aspects of Gatsby as the Louisville house d/G shared symbolises more than young love but also dream of wealth and materialism
Chapter 1 - ‘When they came east… they spent a year in france for no particular reason,drifted…unrestfully wherever people played polo and rich together?’
What does N question about D/T?
Daisy ‘I’ve been everywhere and seen everything…Sophisticated - God, i’m sophisticated’ - what does this show about D?
their empty purpose in life drifting where the affluent revolves and occupies himself w rich people activities
exhaustion of her lifestyle
Chapter 4 - Gatsby bought that house so Daisy would be across the bay’
What does G hope to cross the social boundary between?
What does the bay serves a a physical barrier of?
What does G underestimate?
What does G represnt to the reader as though?
cross social boundary between ‘new and old money’
Barrier (glass ceiling) between 2 classes
Underestimate the differences, the more he tries the closer to his tragic dooms becomes
as a dreamer, through the romaticaisaiton of living across Daisy reps the antithesis of what Tom and E/E reps
G’s house - spatial metaphor for his social aspirations - buying the house is attempt to cross it but will fail just as Daisy and her old money friends are so close ‘just across’ but forever operated by a body of water
Critics - How would a marxist critique Gatsby?
Losing Daisy
Class consciousness
longing for wealth
Phone Calls,white card,wolfsheim
Inability of losing D the 1st time in 1919 lead to his journey acquiring wealth to charm her and convince he is of an aristocratic
Class consciousness revealed as he tries to hide his blue collar bg, but its partial he was to conform to the social class to be ‘old money’ rather critique it
longing for extreme wealth and status makes him sacrifice everything and becomes his fatal flaw as he parakes in crime (wolfsheim)
Phone Calls creates an ominous tone as N presents the dark aspects of US and his white card to the policeman is a symbol of corruption and escaping justice using his status
How would marxist try and critique Myrtle’s NY apartment?
serves as a metaphor for social and material aspirations and Tom’s contempt for people of her class
Apartment - top floors signifies neglect in the relationship, top floor is often cheapest and is repeatedly described ‘small yet ‘crowded to door’
are inappropriately furnished w overly-large furniture
‘scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles’ as her visitors ‘stumble continually’ - comedic rep of Tom and myrtle affair and ep of of Myrtle’s outsized aspirations
But how does Myrtle ‘regla’ glance and adoration of her apartment highlight what?
What does Nick’s satirical tone contrast to Myrtle’s pride in her apartment?
Proudness of heer small apartment and her small achievement
Nick highlights the pathetic manner of apartment and extension of the affair which is little value to tom in contrast to her attempt of trying to appear more ladylike.
Portyas her dualistic life from ‘mrs wilson’ in the Valley of ashes to ‘mistress’ in new york
Myrtle’s aim of a higher social standing sets her out as ‘artificial’ and presentations and requires her to betray tom.
Wealth is a corrupting symbol which undermines traditional social institutions such as marriage
