The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald – A Classic Tale of American Decadence
It was the 2910’s in America. World War I was over and the party at home had begun. It was a time of great income gaps between the rich and the poor, and great societal gaps between the “old money” of traditional wealth and the “new money” of the industrialists, investors, and criminals, who were treated with disdain by the “old money” families. It was also a time of looser moral principles, materialism, and selfishness. Against this backdrop, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, the story of the newly rich Gatsby, a man who made his fortune bootlegging illegal booze and who must live in West Egg, because the old wealth of East Egg will never accept him.
Two Levels of The Great Gatsby Study
Most students first study this novel when in high school. Just like many of the students know the basic requirements of writing a review on the Great Gatsby. hey tend to like the plot, which is fast-paced, has interesting characters, and includes infidelity, crime, and lots of partying. The study at this level is a bit superficial, although most of them write Great Gatsby essays that deal with the historical setting of the work, the differences among the characters, and, occasionally the themes.
A second time for study may occur in college, if a student enrolls in an American literature course. At this level, the novel is explored and analyzed at a much deeper level, particularly as it relates to society, moral principles, income inequality, and both negative and positive aspects of human nature. Students at this level will also be required to write one or more essays, though these will be of the genre of The Great Gatsby literary criticism.
The Great Gatsby Essay – Some Great Topic Ideas
If you are looking for some suggestions for essay topics, here are some that may interest you:
- Fitzgerald himself believed that the American Dream had been corrupted by the values of the 1920’s. To what values do you believe he was referring?
- One of Fitzgerald’s themes was the shallowness of the upper classes. In what ways were they shallow in the novel? Is the upper class in America today just as shallow or not? Provide some examples from the novel and today.
- Gatsby lacks the social graces and will never be acceptable to the “old money” of New York society. Further, he is a criminal. Why then does Fitzgerald call him “great” in his title?
- How does each of the geographical areas in the novel – W. Egg, E. Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York City – correlate to the people who live there?
- Research Fitzgerald’s life. In what way is this novel autobiographical?
- As decadent and morally bankrupt a man as Tom is, why do you think Daisy chooses to stay with him rather than run to Gatsby, a man she clearly loves?
- There is great income inequality in the time of the novel’s setting. Are there parallels to the income inequality we have in America today?
These ideas should give you at least a place to begin as you select a topic for a Great Gatsby essay. Many students tend to stumble upob the assignments on literature. It does not have to be a distress. If it happens to be not your thing you can always ask to write your essay a professional writers and many smart customers at SmartCustomWriting.com do.