1 / 15

The Illusion of the American Dream: Corruption, Symbolism, and Love in "The Great Gatsby

Explore the themes of corruption, symbolism, and love in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as characters chase the elusive American Dream amid moral decay and lost ideals. Delve into the symbolic landscapes and tragic relationships that paint a poignant picture of the roaring twenties. Uncover how the contrast between past ideals and present materialism shapes the characters' destinies and the nation's identity.

prodgers
Download Presentation

The Illusion of the American Dream: Corruption, Symbolism, and Love in "The Great Gatsby

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Gatsby Chapter 7-9 The end

  2. Theme: American Dream • Gatsby still thinks Daisy is going • Gatsby’s dream is a spiritual search for the Holy Grail, but his faith is misplaced because of the corruption of his goal (Daisy’s “Realness”). • How is this related to America’s capacities as a nation? • What do American’s dream for? • How is it corrupt?

  3. The illusiveness of Daisy • Daisy “vanished into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing.” • Gatsby “watches nothing.”

  4. Symbolism • Autumn comes which symbolizes the end…how? How do seasons correspond with life? • Spring: • Summer:

  5. George and the Everyday man • He has no religion or spirituality • seeing Eckleburg’s eyes as God (not a symbol!!!)—flat and superficial. • He kills the wrong man after being encouraged/fooled by his wife’s lover. (IRONY!) • He becomes synonymous with his wasteland—ashen • He’s suicidal—killing ourselves for materialism?

  6. What is love? • Tom for Daisy • Tom for Myrtle • George for Myrtle • Daisy for Tom • Daisy for Gatsby • Nick for Jordan • Nick for “girl back home” • Jordan for Nick • Gatsby for Daisy

  7. Let’s read chapter 9 Together…if we can

  8. Gatsby’s Childhood • Symbolizes? • Gatsby’s boyhood schedule • hardworking • ambitious • romantic thirst for adventure • A real American hero • Father?

  9. Tom and Daisy • Flee • Take no moral responsibility • Live lives of lies

  10. Nick and Jordan • Jordan gets irritated with Nick’s “carelessness”—ironic! • Nick realizes he is not as honest as he once believed—takes some responsibility for the events—only character who does so.

  11. What makes Gatsby Great? • To Nick? • To You? • Bootlegger • Sells stolen bonds (ironic given Nick’s job) • Fallen hero?

  12. American Dream • Before Industrialism and materialism? • After the corruption?

  13. Encompassing Theme • Destructive nature of materialism • Ideal can never be realized in the gross materialism that has made a moral valley of ashes of the green freshness of America.

  14. Contrasting symbols • Dutch Sailor and Eckleberg (EYES) • America can produce the Valley of Ashes and Daisy (unworthy recipient of a true, passionate dream) • Many forms of destruction • True dream lies in the ideals of the past not the destructive and moral corruptness of the present

  15. Modernism

More Related