The Great Gatsby

1. The Great Gatsby By Mason Seymore

2. Frances Scott Fitzgerald’s Family • Father, Edward Fitzgerald • had an allegiance to the Old South and its values • failed as a manufacturer of wicker furniture • Mother, Mary (Mollie) McQuillan • became wealthy as a wholesale grocer in St. Paul. • Dominantly Catholic

3. Frances Scott Fitzgerald’s Early Life • Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on September 24, 1896 • 1911-1913 he attended the Newman School • met Father Sigourney Fay • encouraged his ambitions for personal distinction and achievement • Princeton’s class of 1917 • neglected his studies for a literary apprenticeship. • Entered the army in 1917 • convinced he would die in war, but was released in 1918 before being sent over seas • Met Zelda Sayre

4. Frances Scott Fitzgerald’s Adulthood • Finished his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1919 • Published March 26th, 1920 • Became famous overnight •  Frances Scott (Scottie) Fitzgerald was born in October, 1921 • Moved to France in 1924 • Part of the American expatriate circle • Included Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemmingway and John Dos Passos • Reputation as a drinker inspired the myth that he was an irresponsible writer • The Great Gatsby was published in April, 1924 • Received critical praise, but weak sales

5. Frances Scott Fitzgerald’s Death • Returned to America in 1931 • Zelda suffered from mental breakdowns and was hospitalized in February 1932 • wrote Save Me the Waltz • Recovered until 1936 • Under stress, Fitzgerald fell in love with Sheilah Graham • Fitzgerald fell further into debt and alcohol • Died December 21st, 1940 of a heart attack • Believed to have been a failure • Zelda died in a fire in 1948

6. Significance One of the few authors to write about the social era of the 1920’s Automatically identified with the 1920’s He is regarded as an exemplary figure for decade embodying and expressing its charm, ebullience, waste, genius, dissipation, confidence Reflected historically to his success in the 20’s and downfall in the 30’s Unwillingness to distinguish between reality and fantasy • Novels • The Love of the Last Tycoon (unfinished) • Tender is the Night • The Great Gatsby • The Beautiful and the Damned • This Side of Paradise • Stories • “Bits of Paradise” • “The Basil and Josephine Stories” • “The Pat Hobby Stories” • “Taps at Reveille” • “Six Tales of the Jazz Age and Other Stories” • “Flappers and Philosophers” • “The Stories of F. Scott’s Fitzgerald” • “Babylon Revisited and Other Stories” • “The Short Stories of F. Scott Fitzgerald” • Stories and Essays • “Afternoon of and Author” • “The Fitzgerald Reader” • Letters • “The Letters of F. Scott Fitzgerald” • “Letters to his Daughter” • “Dear Scott/Dear Max” • Comedy • The Vegetable

7. The Great Gatsby Historical Context • The Roaring 20’s • Optimism • Freedom • Celebration • The Jazz Age • The Flapper Era • The creation of the automobile • Prohibition • Gambling • World War I • Post Great War • Physical strength and freedom • Disregard for pre-war values • Financial Freedom

8. The Great Gatsby Setting

9. The Great Gatsby: Plot Summary • Nick Carraway moves to West Egg, New York • His house is located right next door to Gatsby’s mansion • While there, he attends a dinner hosted by his cousin Daisy and her husband, Tom, who lives in East Egg • East Egg houses the sophisticated aristocratic society • He meets his future love interest, Jordan, that night • Jordan enlightens Nick about the affair between Tom and Myrtle Wilson • Tom and Nick travel to New York and go to a party • Myrtle taunts Tom about Daisy and he responds by breaking her nose

10. The Great Gatsby Plot Summary • Time passes; Nick is granted an invitation to a party hosted by Jay Gatsby • Nick finally meets Gatsby through Jordan • Jordan enlightens Nick by telling him Gatsby is irrevocably in love with Daisy • Gatsby asks Nick to figure out a way to arrange a meeting with Daisy • Nick invites Daisy to tea at his home • Gatsby’s and Daisy’s rekindled love instigates an affair • Tom grows suspicious of Gatsby • Gatsby stares at Daisy throughout an entire luncheon

11. The Great Gatsby Plot Summary • Tom is furious at Gatsby…EVEN THOUGH he is having an affair with Myrtle • Confronts Gatsby at the Plaza Hotel • Daisy realizes her allegiance lies with Tom • Both parties return to East Egg with Daisy and Gatsby leading in his Car *END?*

12. The Great Gatsby Plot Summary • Gatsby’s car strikes and kills Myrtle Wilson • Daisy was the driver • Tom tells Myrtle’s husband Gatsby was the driver • He kills Gatsby, and then kills himself • Gatsby’s funeral is held later that week • No one but his father and Nick go to the ceremony • Disgusted with the eastern way of life, Nick moves back Midwest • He ends his relationship with Jordan • Discovers that the true “American Dream” is dead

13. Character Analysis: Nick Carraway • Moves to New York in 1922 to learn the bond business • Daisy’s cousin • Provides a connection between Gatsby and Daisy • Novel’s narrator because of his position and temperament • Secondary role • Prefers to observe and comment rather than take action • Inner conflict between his attraction to the bustling life of the east verses damaging and ugly way of life • Brought through the novel in his relationship with Jordan • Returns to the Midwest at the end of the novel • Represents Fitzgerald’s quiet, Midwestern personality

14. Character Analysis: Jay Gatsby • Character of around 30 that grew up in impoverished America • Always dreamed and perused a life wealth • Fell in love with Daisy in 1917 during World War I • His extravagant parties, luxurious home and life style are all used to impress her • Mysteriously characterized with an “untouchable” sense through his mass of wealth • Expressed through the Fitzgerald’s use of an ambiguous entrance • Theatrical approach to life • Dichotomous depiction of Fitzgerald psyche. • His love for a life extravagance and luxury • Without the mask of wealth, Gatsby persona is the opposite: • Insecure • Hopeful • Innocent • By the end of the novel, he realizes he has become corrupted by wealth

15. Character Analysis: Daisy Buchanan • Partially based off of Zelda Fitzgerald • IN love with wealth, leisure and luxury • Gatsby’s main drive throughout the novel • A popular, wanted woman during the Great War • Chose Tom because he could provide her with the lavish lifestyle she desired • Symbolizes a figure of “gilded” perfection • Beautiful and charming • Fickle, shallow, bored and careless • Indifferent to her child • Lacks loyalty • Represents unethical values of the aristocratic East Egg

16. The Great Gatsby Motifs • Wealth • Geography • Leisure • “Sport” • Green light • Hope and dreams of the future • Valley of Ashes • Social decay • The Eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg • Judgment of God

17. The Great Gatsby Themes • Decline of the American Dream • The novel begins with an aspect of hope as Nick move out east, however begins to deteriorate as the story progresses and eventually “dies” with the death of Gatsby • Gatsby's immoral and unethical attempts to gain inner peace • Hollowness of the Upper Class • The pristine group of the wealthy become “untouchable” • Daisy and Tom refer to themselves as above Nick • a pseudo belief of being superiority to the rest of society • Lonely • Living in the past • Gatsby refuses to let go of daisy • Driving force behind his death • Nick hopes to escape it

18. The Great Gatsby