Category: The Great Gatsby

Introduction

All people dream as this ability is human. Each nation dreams, but only one nation made up the dream that contains the way how to reach it. Of course, this is the American Dream. American Dream is the belief that if you work hard, you are creative and persistent; you will succeed and achieve prosperity.

To my mind, the reason why the American Dream is not dead is that it works. And there are a lot of examples of the American Dream realization in real life. Of course, it is also reflected in American literature, for example, F. Scott Fitzgerald paid a lot of attention to this in his Winter Dream and The Great Gatsby.

The American Dream in Fitzgeralds Novels

At the very beginning of The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald (through the narrator) claims that American Dream invented by our great-grandfathers is still in our minds. The narrator, Nick, mentions his great-uncle who started the wholesale hardware business, which

Nicks father proceeded to carry on (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 4).
Nicks great-uncle worked very hard and, finally, made the American Dream come true. And even after his death, his descendants benefit from his deeds. The other story beginning also reveals the success story of the main hero, who followed the American Dream.

He started his business: he bought a partnership in a laundry and studied thoroughly every detail which improved services he provided. He worked hard; he even made a specialty of learning how the English washed fine woolen golf-stockings without shrinking them (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 7). And in a few years he achieved prosperity, his persistent work led to the American Dream realization.

It is necessary to point out that there are different ways to achieve the American Dream realization. For example, Fitzgerald provides two separate stories: one story shows a transparent and quite exact way to succeed, and the other one shows an obscure way of gaining prosperity. However, the person made a lot of effort to have everything he (and many others) wanted.

To my mind, Winter Dream is a perfect example of the American Dream, since the main hero, Dexter, implemented each point of it, he was persistent and very hard-working, he was a very sensible and pleasant young man.

From his very childhood, everyone used to say that Dexter was the best in everything he did since he was willing, intelligent, quiet, honest, and grateful (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream2). Even being a caddy, he was very precise in his work; he didnt skip from work and never lost a ball (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 2).

The boy understood the importance of education and was a very assiduous student, and after graduation, he started his business at once. Dexter did everything thoroughly, and that is why in 4-5 years after buying a partnership in a laundry, he had a net of very profitable laundries.

All this makes Dexter an embodiment of the American Dream. Dexter was successful and respected. His clients insisted that their Shetland hose and sweaters go to his laundry just as they had insisted on a caddy who could find golfballs (Fitzgerald, Winter Dream 7).

Not only his clients respected him, everyone who knew his story recognized him for his persistent work. To my mind, this respect came from understanding that Dexter implemented the American Dream: he worked persistently, and he deserved to be prosperous. This example, people wanted and still want to follow because the American Dream is a perfect story of success, which can be real.

Gatsby can be suggested as another example of the American Dream, though in his case, his story is far from perfection. His way to prosperity is quite obscure. No one really knows the source of his income, no one knows what exactly he did to achieve such wealth, and no one knows whether he worked hard to win the prize.

I think that is the main reason why people thought Gatsby was connected with the criminal world. For example, one woman said that he killed a man once (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 29). Some other people thought he was some big bootlegger just like other newly reach people (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 69). And this is another side of the American Dream when some people also do their best to achieve success; they are very persistent, though they take some illegal actions.

This, of course, is not praised, this cannot be the genuine American Dream, that is why people dont like Gatsby, dont trust him; they only envy him. Such kind of deviated American Dream can do no good for anyone; that is the reason why, to my mind, Gatsby is murdered at the end of the book. Fitzgerald showed that such prosperity is a false one; only good deeds can bring good to ones life. Though I would like to add that Gatsby was quite a good person, he was kind and sincere with Nick, and he was a good friend.

The only thing Gatsby wanted was that the woman he loved was with him. He earned all those money for her. That justifies Gatsby in a way, and Nick even understands that all those people who accused Gatsby of being a criminal but still visited his parties and enjoyed his generosity, were even worse than Gatsby, they were a rotten crowd (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 98).

Thus, such an obscure example of gaining prosperity is not often called the American Dream, since this example doesnt reveal one of the constituents of it, which is hard work, and criminal efforts cant substitute honest work. To my mind, The Great Gatsby is a sad story of how the American Dream, being inverted and misunderstood, led to the death of a person.

Conclusion

The two fiction writings by F. Scott Fitzgerald prove that the American dream is still in our minds, and it is inspiring. Reading these great stories makes the reader learn what the American Dream is to be, what one should do to achieve success, and what mistakes one should never stay safe.

Of course, Fitzgerald is not the only one who reveals this idea in his works; a lot of different writers, poets, musicians, politicians, and many others keep mentioning it. The American Dream is not dead since every day we witness new stories of hard work and success in every field of our life.

Moreover, my firm belief is that the American Dream can never fade away since it gives us hope in success and shows the way how to reach it. Young people see that it is possible to reach the top by persistence and hard work; thus, they go on trying and never quit their efforts in achieving success.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. The Great Gatsby. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions, 2001.

Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. Winter Dreams. Whitefish, MY: Kessinger Publishing, 2004.

The Great Gatsby is a romantically tragic, social view of 1920s America that Fitzgerald created using the standard American dream as the storys foundation. In The Disillusionment of F. Scott Fitzgeralds Dreams and Ideas in the Great Gatsby, Fanimeh Keshmiri calls The Great Gatsby a genuine representation of America that radically criticizes a basic historic attitude of Americans to life (1296). The symbols the author used demonstrate two sides of the coin of the Jazz age. For example, Gatsbys big yellow car is almost golden but not quite, which symbolizes his inability to reach the upper class (Fitzgerald 89). The Dream of Gatsby was doomed to failure and corruption because it demanded too much (Keshmiri 1296). However, even though the novel is symbolic, the readers see the characters facing different consequences inherent to the real world. Gatsbys dream to become wealthy to gain Daisys attention is simply believable and is still a common dream of the current time (Keshmiri 1298). Keshmiri states that Gatsby is portrayed as the aloof, inexplicable, and standoffish host of the luxury parties, but gets more interesting and complex background later (1296). According to Keshmiri, Gatsby portrays one part of Fitzgeralds personality that is looking for his destiny (1296). At the same time, Nick represents the other part that fulfills the double vision by participating and commenting on the actions of the novel (1296). However, Gatsby is the storys main character and is a personification of the novels topic. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to portray the American dream from the outside and its rotten ethical and social values.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Francis Scott. The Great Gatsby. Wordsworth Classics, 1925.

Keshmiri, Fanimeh. The Disillusionment of F. Scott Fitzgeralds Dreams and Ideas in The Great Gatsby. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, vol. 6, no. 6, 2016, pp. 1295-1299. Web.

Introduction

Ethics is a field of study that defines human actions and behaviors. Scholars have presented different ethical theories to explain when an action should be accepted or condoned. In our modern society, actions are ethical or unethical, depending on their implications. While that is the case, very little research has been done to explore the ethicality of actions performed by characters in works of fiction such as films, novels, and television shows. In the book The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby decides to take Daisy Buchanans blame.

This happens after Daisy kills Myrtle Wilson, her husbands mistress. This was one of Jays efforts to win Daisys love. Jay and Daisy were lovers before he became wealthy. This paper describes Jay Gatsbys action and applies the utilitarian theory to establish whether Jays action was ethical or not.

Jay Gatsbys Action

As presented in the novel, Jay Gatsby was trying to win Daisy back because he firmly believed she was the love of his life. It was five years after Jay had lost the love of his life. At the same time, Daisy was jealous because her husband was engaged in an extramarital affair.

As a result, Daisy decided to kill Toms mistress in an accident. The accident took place in the presence of Jay Gatsby. Because of love and desire to reunite with his lover, Jay found himself in a dilemma. It was because of the difficulty that he decided to do anything to retain his lover.

As described in the novel, it is evident that Daisy would be in trouble after Tom realized that she had killed Myrtle. As well, it appeared that Gatsby was not sure of the possible outcome after the accident. With such kind of uncertainty and dilemma, Jay decided to take the blame on behalf of her lover.

In response to the dilemma, Jay Gatsby was the prime suspect, something that led to his death. Myrtles husband killed Jay and eventually shot himself.

Although the author of the novel did not clearly explain why Jay Gatsby acted in this manner, it would be agreeable that the character was trying to save his lover. He was on the path towards achieving his dreams.

At that moment, Jay Gatsby was sure of a reunion with his lover, and nothing was going to take her away from him. His financial position and wealth gave Jay the courage to take the blame. He was optimistic that he would deal with the issue later. However, Jays attempt to reunite with Daisy is what led to his death.

Assessing the Action Using Mills Utilitarianism

John Stuart Mill is one of the ethical theorists who presented the theory of utilitarianism. According to Mill, utilitarianism is what governs human behaviors, actions, and ideas. Utilitarianism supports actions that will result in happiness.

As well, an action is wrong if it results in the opposite of happiness to the people. Mills utilitarian theory can be used to assess the ethically of Jay Gatsbys action, as presented in the discussion above. This theory is applicable here because it helps ascertain whether the action undertaken by Gatsby is ethical or not.

There are various steps involved in applying the theory to a situation or action. As described by Mill, the basic idea behind the theory is the happiness principle. That being the case, an action is right, only it results in happiness. Alternatively, actions are wrong if they do not promote human happiness.

The theory defines happiness as the absence of suffering or pain. On the other hand, the theory defines unhappiness as the presence of suffering. With such considerations, it can be easier to establish whether an action is permissible or not. The use of the above steps helps individuals differentiate between a good and a bad action. An action is good if it results in happiness.

It can be easier to use Mills utilitarian theory to assess Jay Gatsbys action and conclude whether it is unethical or ethical. From the book by Scott Fitzgerald, it is notable that Jay Gatsby decided to take Daisy as his own despite the fact that she was already in marriage. According to utilitarianism, Jays action does not result in happiness. Daisys husband and other people in society become bitter after the event.

As well, Gatsby decides to take the blame for Myrtles death. According to the utility theory, an action is good only if it promotes happiness. However, Gatsbys decision to do so does not produce any happiness at the very end. Instead, George Wilson kills Gatsby after guessing that he was the one having an extramarital affair with his wife. After killing Gatsby, George shoots himself, thus causing pain.

From this novel, it is evident that such deaths would not have occurred if Gatsby did not try to reunite with Daisy or take the blame for Myrtles death. From the above discussion and application of Mills utilitarian theory, it is agreeable that Jay Gatsbys action, as presented in the novel, is unethical.

Introduction

The Great Gatsby, a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, examines the concept of the American dream in regards to contemporary people and some obstacles they face on the way toward their dreams. The novel does not focus on Jay Gatsby, the main character, only; it is full of short stories that all contribute to the theme.

Though readers can assume that the author justifies the class division and suggests that marriage should not be treated as a spiritual union, this paper will look at the inward struggle of Jay Gatsby and the difficulties and dilemmas he encounters on the way to achieving his ideal American Dream: the attainment of acceptable social status to possess Daisy and enter into a spiritual union with her.

The American Dream in Contemporary Culture

The concept of the American dream can be considered one of the more renewed continuously themes in contemporary culture. Notably, different authors in literature and even in the more recent film industry have different ideas of what the American dream is and how to obtain it.

The Great Gatsby is a story of a young man in the early twentieth century who seems to know what he wants in the way of that dream and what to do to achieve it. However, his plans are challenged along the way. Daisys status in society makes her unattainable to him. In this respect, Gatsby can be considered faced with a dilemma; what Gatsby is willing to do to be wealthy and obtain all the privileges of the rich for the sole purpose of possessing Daisy, his ideal American Dream.

Gatsby first dilemma is that he has to turn his back on what he dreamt for his life to pursue Daisy Gatsby saw that the blocks of the sidewalks formed a ladder and mounted to a secret place above the treeshe could climb to it if he climbed alone, and once there he could suck on the pap of life, gulp down the incomparable milk of wonder. (110)

Once the decision is made, he does not hesitate to do what he needs to do; make his fortune which entailed starting from the bottom For over a year he had been heating his way along the south shore of Lake Superior as a clam-digger and salmon-fisher or in any other capacity that brought him food and bed (98), change his persona which included changing his name, and disavow his past and even his own family Of course we were broke up when he run off from home, but I see now there was a reason for it. He knew he had a big future in front of him. (172).

Five years after Gatsbys life-changing romantic affair with Daisy and upon his return from the Great War, he comes back to find her married Tom Buchanan. Though years had passed, he knows in his heart that she still loves him and that she would leave her husband for him if he could attain the social standing required as we find out with his statement to Jordan in chapter 7, She never loved you, do you hear?

She only married you because I was poor, and she was tired of waiting for me. (130). Fitzgerald confirms this when he has Daisy exclaim, I did love him once  but I loved you too (132). Gatsby is faced with the dilemma of destroying a marriage, a permanent part of the American Dream, for him to attain his own American Dream.

Conclusion

By the end of the novel, Gatsby and Daisy know that he can offer her nothing but a single mansion and parties attended by questionable figures and financed by illegal activities, and that was not going to be enough for Daisy. She let go of her idealized American Dream of a spiritual marriage long ago in a room drunk and alone with a string of pearls. Gatsby might have fared better in life if he had done the same.

Work Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby: Scribner trade paperback edition 2004.

Introduction

In the book The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is the main character and the protagonist who acquires wealth illegally by trading in stolen securities, crime, and illegal distribution of alcohol. According to Fitzgerald, Gatsby is a mysterious and wealthy thirty-year-old man who holds extravagant parties every Saturday in his Gothic mansion situated in West Egg (12).

In his turn, Jean Valjean is the title character and protagonist in the book Les Miserables. Jean Valjean comes out as an ex-convict who is struggling with the societys acceptance after the criminal activities that he had committed before. This paper will compare and contrast the two characters, namely Gatsby in the book The Great Gatsby and Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.

Jay Gatsby & Jean Valjean: Characters Comparison

Every weekend, Gatsbys followers stream in his West Egg mansion to be entertained. He is a mysterious person, and no one exactly knows his origins and the ways he used to acquire his fortune. Later, his friend Nick discovers his real name as James Gatz, who was born to an impoverished family in North Dakota.

From his youth days, Gatsby has always despised poverty. This makes him develop the character trait of determination to enable him to achieve the dream of being wealthy. He has always looked forward to the day when he would be a wealthy man. At seventeen, Gatsby leaves his parents, terming them as shiftless and unsuccessful farm people to search for wealth (Fitzgerald 12). He struggles very much, working one time as a sailor, army man, and a salesman as well.

His desire for sophistication and wealth drives him to organize crimes and distribute illegal alcohol to achieve this goal. This demonstrates his determination to leave poverty livelihood. Gatsby is a calculating man, as evidenced by his motivation to acquire wealth to please his love Daisy. Daisy is graceful, luxurious, and charming. Gatsby has to lie about his background to have her convinced he is suitable for her (Tunc 69).

From Nick Caraway, the reader gets to know Gatsby as a flawed, vulgar, and a dishonest man who has extraordinary power and optimism which helps him transform his dreams into reality (Fitzgerald 24). Examining the character traits of Gatsby, one cannot help but realize that he is really a compulsive liar.

Gatsby lies to his closest friend Nick and his love Daisy about his background. The most popular and notorious lie which Gatsby tells his friend is that he has studied at Oxford, as this was their family tradition. All the same, Gatsby is gentle at heart; he does not willfully harm the people. Jay also stands up for Daisy when she kills Myrtle accidentally. His gentleness is further demonstrated when he gives a new gown to one of his party guests when her dress is accidentally torn.

Gatsby shows a vulnerable characteristic simply because of the way he can consistently weave lies to act as a shield of protection. For this reason, he does not have any close friends; Gatsby may seem romantic, but the author presents his idea of romance as rotten. Gatsby falls in love with Daisy because she was the first nice girl he had ever known (Fitzgerald 56).

He also loves Daisy because she symbolizes the rich future he wants. Gatsby says: Daisy gleaming like silver, safe, and proud above the hot struggles of the poor. For this reason, he sets out to look for money to win Daisys affection.

In the end, Gatsby squanders his own life in the pursuit of Daisys love and affection. He had believed that she could be won by the money and wealth he has accumulated over time, forgetting that she is already a married woman. When Daisy moves with her husband to an undisclosed place without reciprocating his love, Gatsbys wealth becomes naught.

In the book Les Miserables, Jean Valjean is the main protagonist who is an ex-convict trying to win societys affection. Just like Gatsby, Jean Valjean comes from a poor peasant family. His parents die when he is still young, forcing him to move in with his older sister. Valjean is illustrated as a man of strength and great virtue. This is seen when he steals a loaf of bread so as to feed the sister and the rest of the family.

After stealing, Valjean is arrested, and after several attempts to escape prison, he ends up serving nineteen years. Being in jail hardens Valjean, and when he comes out, the bishop tries to redeem him. The bishop tells him, be an honest man, be an honest woman (Hugo 90).

Immediately he becomes Father Madeleine and a mayor; he tries saving Fantine and, as a result, gets arrested.
Valjean escapes, and to demonstrate his strength and virtue; he goes on to rescue Cosette with whom they escape to Paris. A clear observation of Valjeans character illustrates him as an amazing person who somehow seems to be unsure about who he is. Most of the time, Valjean is low, bruised, and broken; his desperation is seen when he leaves prison.

Valjeans encounter with Myriel makes him an honest man, and he opens up to testify about compassion and the power of love. He strikes as a hard-working person, thus transforming the Montreuil-sur-Mer town into a thriving business and manufacturing center. As a mayor, Valjean learns the values of being a philanthropist (Hugo 96).

When compared to Gatsby, Valjean has genuine love towards Cosette; he learns to love Cosette when he takes care of her. His physical strength makes him exceptional, and his willingness to do what is right makes him a hero in the eyes of the reader. He saves many people who happen to be in danger and becomes their friend.

It is a fact that Valjean is a slate that is molded by the circumstances and his thrilling encounters (Hutchinson 199). His ability to make changes in his life and the surrounding symbolizes hope in that if he can suffer so much injustice and yet love and give to charity anyone else also can.

Both Gatsby and Valjean are determined people; while Gatsby works hard to find the material wealth he has always desired, Valjean is determined to change the view of the people around him. Even in his death bed, Valjeans quest is for redemption.

Even though a victim of injustice, Valjean tries to love and help the people around him; on the other hand, Gatsby is the opposite of Valjean, for he uses illegal means to acquire a vast amount of wealth. Valjean is driven by love, while Gatsby is driven by greed and the love of a woman who can never return this love.

Conclusion

Gatsby is an extravagant person, as evidenced by the parties in his house every Saturday night. He comes out as a criminal who crosses all boundaries without caring for his actions for what he cares is to be rich. Unlike Valjean, who is honest, Gatsby is dishonest, and he lies about every aspect of his life. Valjean suffers a lot of pain for being a mistaken identity, and he is determined to prove that he is loyal, selfless, and trustworthy and not a criminal.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. Sioux Falls, SD: NuVision Publications, 2008. Print.

Hugo, Victor, and Isabel F. Hapgood. Les Mise
rables: Vol. Iii & Iv. Fairfield, IA: 1st WorldLibrary, 2007. Print.

Hutchinson, Anthony. Les Miserables Redux: Law and the Poor. S. Cal. Interdisc. LJ 2. 1 (1993): 199. Print.

Tunc, Titus. The Great Gatsby. The American dream 1. 1 (2009):69. Print.

Love is the feeling which may be expressed in many different ways. The understanding of love also differs and various people have different considerations about this feeling.

The problems of love have been discussed by many authors and each of them tried to show something personal in that love, something unusual and different from what has already been written. Reading F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and Jerome Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, it is possible to state that the notion of love is presented there similarly even though the texts are absolutely different and the problems discussed there are different as well.

Therefore, the main idea of this paper is to dwell upon the problem of love in each of these novels and try to consider the parallels and contrasts which may be seen. Both novels, Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and Jerome Salingers The Catcher in the Rye, express romantic love which exists in the dreams of the men and who never tell about their thoughts. In reality, their love is expressed roughly in case with Gatsby and is not expressed at all if to talk about Holden.

While reading Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby for the first time, one may notice a desperate but thwarted love of two people who seem to have a great desire to be together, but due to particular circumstances these people could not do it. Dwelling upon thwarted love, the discussion is held about Gatsby and Daisy. Considering the love of these people, it is possible to see the devotion and the desire to be together.

It is obvious that Gatsby is absorbed with Daisy, There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled of his dreams  not through hew own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of illusion (Fitzgerald 78). Writing this, the author adds, He [Gatsby] had thrown himself into it with creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted this way (Fitzgerald 78).

And when do people dream most of all? It happens during the time when they are in love and when they are ready to dream about the object of worship. Even though Gatsbys dreams are so great and passionate, the main character is faced with the problem that he is unable to tell about his feelings.

Each time he wants to present something, each time he wants to tell Daisy how great and devoted his love is, he is stubborn and cannot say anything romantic and passionate, like he can in his dreams. A great critic of American literature, Harold Bloom writes about this aspect of Gatsbys character as follows, Gatsby cannot tell his dreams; every attempt he makes to describe his love for Daisy collapses into banality (Bloom 7).

However, it seems that the actions better disclose human feelings and the desire to accept the guilt of murder of Myrtle instead of Daisy should be considered as the expression of love and devotion. But the funerals of Gatsby and the presence there just Nick with Gatsbys father and several servants shows the level of Daisys love.

The problem of love and relations in Jerome Salingers The Catcher in the Rye is absolutely different but the features of that love may be considered as the same.

The main character in this novel is fall in love and this state of mind and soil continued perpetually. Discussing the novel, Mendelsohn says the following which strictly underlines the romantic mood of the Holdens love, You cannot really fail in love because real love with a real person might be less than perfect (this is the adolescents dilemma), but you cannot really do anything but look for love (Mendelsohn 124).

Reading the novel, it seems that the protagonist is afraid of growing up, that he is afraid of moving ahead as the fear of something unknown and strange frightens him. What is the result of such fear? Holden chooses the relationships, the live which is unavailable.

His relation to Jane is romantic and therefore it seems unreal as the world is cruel and Romanism may be only in dreams. Supporting the idea of unreachable love, Salinger makes the hero to become attracted with the mummies in the museum he visited I loved that damned museum (Salinger 79) which are unreachable as well. Therefore it may be stated that the novel points at the relationships which cannot exist.

Comparing and contrasting the novels The Great Gatsby by Jerome Salinger and The Catcher in the Rye by Scott Fitzgerald, it is possible to draw the parallel in expressing to love and in attitude to women. The male main characters of both novels are romantics as they are dreaming too much about their lovers but in reality none of them are able to express their feelings.

Even though the situations are absolutely different and Gatsby is dating with his lover and Holden just talks to Jane over the telephone. But both men are able to express their feelings only in their dreams. Thinking about their lovers, both Gatsby and Holden are able to express their feelings, they can tell them how they love and how they want to be with their women. However, the reality is absolutely different and both men do not have the words to express what they feel.

Considering the situation deeper and thinking about the consequences of love affairs in the novels, the men who had never dared to meet with his love, Holden who just talked over the telephone with Jane remained with the same feelings while Gatsby was killed and his love was thwarted.

Therefore, it may be concluded that Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby and Jerome Salingers The Catcher in the Rye are the novels which focus on absolutely different problems, but the idea of expressing love is the same. The authors consider various social issues and love is just the part of the discussion, however, these authors managed to show that in many cases love people feel remains in their minds.

The feeling of love in these novels is romantic as the men have great dreams, they can love, but they never express what they feel and this idea makes the stories similar even though the situations and circumstances have nothing in common. Thus, the presentation of love is different as the circumstances do not coincide, while the idea of romantic love is the same.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold. The Great Gatsby. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2010. Print.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: NuVision Publications, LLC, 2008. Print.

Mendelsohn, Jane. Holden Caulfield: A love story. J.D. Salingers The catcher in the rye. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Infobase Publishing, 2009. 123-130. Print.

Salinger, Jerome D. The Catcher in the Rye. New York: Penguin Books, Limited, 2010. Print.

Loyalty refers to a state of being faithful and devoted to an individual or an institution. For one to be considered loyal, there should be a clear demonstration of the need to obey all the set rules. Different people attach their loyalty to various people and faiths among other things. Loyalty requires one to have some sense of duty or responsibility towards that which one is loyal.

Disloyalty, on the other hand, is the act of being not devoted to somebody or something. It refers to a state where one is unfaithful, not trustworthy, tells lies and other related vices. The Great Gatsby book is a narrative of life experience of a young man who leaves his hometown for another one in the east in search of academic prosperity and success in life.

The young man comes from a relatively rich family, and he thinks that he has the responsibility to continue the legacy that was started by his great grandfathers brother. He understands and appreciates the fact that his family expects him to be like his entrepreneurial uncle who died several years ago. He never saw him, but he is determined to live his legacy as expected by the family.

He knows that this may be not easy, but holds on to the pieces of advice that the father would give him frequently. To pursue his education goals he moves to the east where he meets his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom, an old friend from college.

Streetcar Named Desire is more of a play where we meet several actors like Blanche. This paper seeks to compare and contrast the loyalty and disloyalty of Tom and Blanche as demonstrated in the two books respectively. From the two books, it is clear that both characters are loyal to their families. Tom feels it is his duty to work hard to provide for his family.

He also works hard to ensure that his wealthy status continues even to the generations to come. When Daisy comments on Toms reading habits, Tom says, It is up to us who are the dominant race to watch out for these other races will have control over things. This statement describes Tom as not only being loyal to his family, but also to his race at large.

He feels that if not serious, their dominant race might be overthrown by another race. Like Tom, Blanche in the book of Street Car Named Desire, is loyal to her sister who is the only member of her family that we come across. Blanche is so much concerned about the relationship of her sister with Stanley. She is worried about her and tries to help the sister in every way possible to meet her needs.

Seeing the miserable life her sister Stella is living, Blanche persuades her to leave her husband and venture into a field that would give them money to meet with the life expenses. Blanche hopes to persuade Stella to leave Stanley. It is true that both characters are loyal to their jobs. The narrator explains that Tom has worked very hard to achieve a lot of wealth though at a very young age.

When the narrator visits Toms family, he is surprised by their beautifully and well built mansion. The narrator says, Their house was even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red and white Georgian Colonial mansion overlooking the bay. This statement shows that Tom is very much devoted to his work to an extent of acquiring such massive wealth in spite of his young age.

His achievements have made him show off to his friends. When talking to the narrator with a lot of pride, Tom takes him round his mansion to display its wealthy nature. Blanche also comes out as being very loyal to her teaching opportunity. She ensures that she does not quit teaching although with another duty at a certain hotel.

While criticizing Blanches behavior, Stanley says that She has lived like a prostitute in a cheap hotel while also teaching in the local school. This shows that although engaging in other immoral activities, Blanche could not forget her responsibility as a teacher of English. She was very kind to the learners and the entire learning institution.

It is also evident that both characters at some point are unfaithful to their partners. When Daisy and the cousin are discussing the birth of Daisys daughter, she complains that she did not know her husbands whereabouts before her daughter is born. In this respect, the narrator also says, As for Tom, the fact is that he had some woman in New York. This demonstrates that Tom is not loyal to Daisy.

Though married, Tom seems to engage in some marital affairs with other women. On the other hand, Blanche meets another man by the name Mitch, who is now her boyfriend. However, we find Blanche being disloyal to Mitch when he kisses another man and also engages in an affair with another old man who is perceived to be a millionaire.

Stanley also refers to Blanche as promiscuous: Blanche flirts with and kisses a young man who calls to collect subscriptions for a newspaper. She even tells Stanley lies concerning her boyfriend Mitch which confirms the level of Blanches disloyalty to Mitch.

The Great Gatsby book brings out Tom showing some disloyalty to other people just like Blanche in the Streetcar Named Desire. From the narrators description of the nature and appearance of Tom, his attitude to other people and the outside world is clearly seen. The author describes Toms eyes as being shinny and arrogant and his body as appearing cruel.

These descriptions bring out Tom as a man who is very tough, and harsh to other people, which are signs of disloyalty. We see Daisy making fun out of her husbands appearance. Although it was meant to be a light joke to provoke laughter, Tom takes it so serious that he objects the statement crossly saying I hate that word hulking, even in kidding. Some people are said to hate Toms guts, which confirms that the man is disloyal to others in one way or another.

Blanche is also unfaithful to Stanley and other people that are out to help her. From the book, it is clear that Blanche does not stay in her own house. She lives with her sister Stella who is accommodated by her friend Stanley. This is evidenced by Stanleys attempt to send Blanche back to Laure by issuing her a bus ticket when her behavior annoys him.

Instead of being loyal to such a person who has accommodated her, Blanche is out to separate Stanley and her sister Stella. She is also harsh to Mitch who is said to offer her protection and company after the death of her husband by having sexual affairs with other men. When Blanche goes out for an date with Mitch, it is not successful. The author comments it this way:

Blanche and Mitch return from unsuccessful evening out, and Blanche appears to be offended when Mitch tries to kiss her. This means that these two friends did not agree on some issues, quarreled, or had some other differences that made the date unsuccessful, a statement that can be used to justify the disloyal character of Blanche. She also causes the death of her former husband, which is a sign of high degree of Blanches disloyalty to him.

As evidenced from the two books, Tom and Blanche are unfaithful to humanity. Their manipulative natures show that they do not even respect others families. Tom snatches Mrs. Wilson his wife and goes with her to New York where he engages in sexual affairs with Mrs. Wilson.

He makes the woman lie to her husband that she goes to see her sister who stays in New York, so Tom Buchanan and his girl and I went up together to New York. Tom forgets that he is married to Daisy, and manipulates Mrs. Wilson to leave her husband. Blanche has also tried in many occasions to manipulate her sister Stella to leave her husband and engage in an affair with an old man who is a millionaire. This affair would be played to his own selfish gains.

Scott Fitzgeralds 1925 novel The Great Gatsby is a revelation of the negative impacts of a rapidly growing economy on the society. Specifically, it shows the negative impact of wealth on the lives of the main beneficiaries of the economic growth (Bruccoli 32). Fitzgerald attempts to show how a explosion of economic activities with enormous profits destroys the lives of the beneficiaries as they try to find their dream.

With a reflection of Americans search for an American dream with wealth and quality life, Fitzgerald portrays the corrupt society of the New York business elite as they experienced booming business in the early and mid 20^th century (Bruccoli 61). In the novel, the fictional village of West Egg is perhaps one of the key items that symbolize the life of the new millionaires in the city.

In Fitzgeralds storyline, the village of West Egg appears repeatedly in the novel and is the main scene of action. The village if first introduced to the reader when, in summer of 1922, Nick Carraway, the main character, arrives in New York from the Midwest. Carraway (Nick), a Young graduate of Yale and a veteran of the First World War, is probably in search of his American dream (Fitzgerald 12).

Apparently, the American dream is based on individualism and thirst for wealth and fame and is most likely to be realized in the citys booming business. Therefore, he rents a small house in the village of West Egg, located on Long Island, from where he hopes to benefit from the citys trade in bonds (Bruccoli 143).

West Egg is the home of the citys upcoming millionaires, with lavish homes. An example is the house owned by Jay Gatsby. Like Nick, Gatsby is also in search of his American dream. Unlike Nick, Gatsby is involved in illegal business (Fitzgerald 88).

It is evident that West Egg hosts all kinds of people, provided they have money to purchase or rent the luxurious houses. However, unlike the East Egg, the upcoming village is home to newcomers in the citys business. Therefore, it attracts all kinds of people who are seeking to enjoy the lucrative business.

The Wes Egg also appears several times in the novel because it is a symbol of love and romance among the new millionaires in the city. It is evident that this community is composed of the person from different parts of the US and the world, who settles there as they seek their American dream.

For instance, Nick is from the Midwest, Jay Gatsby is from Dakota and Wolfshiem is a Jew (Fitzgerald 124). In fact, the story reveals that the majority of the people in the Long Island are immigrants from other regions. Apart from business, the residents are deeply engrossed in the search for love and romance. The actions of some male residents such as partying and driving luxury vehicles indicate their desire to attract beautiful women.

In addition, most of them are involved in more than one relationship. Fitzgerald attempts to use the city as a symbol of the decline of the American dream in the 1920s as residents involve themselves in illicit sexual relationships that even caused death as indicated in the death of Gatsby (Fitzgerald 172).

In the modern context, readers can visualize the village in relationship to the historical rise and decline of the American dream. Using the West Egg as a model, the reader can see the impacts of a sudden economic burst on the lives of the beneficiaries. For instance, excessive business opportunities, whether legal or illegal, are likely to demoralize young people, especially due to drugs and illicit sex.

Works Cited

Bruccoli, Matthew. F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby: A Literary Reference. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, 2000. Print.

Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribners sons, 1925. Print.

Introduction

Political satire has been a valid literary device for a long time. Examples of it can be found as early as the 1600s, and it is an art form that exists today. One period in which satire seemed to hit its peak was during the 1920s in America. That was a period of boom-time for America as wealth was high, the war was over, and the Great Depression had yet to strike. People everywhere, but particularly in the cities, were reacting against the strict boundaries of the Puritan dogma.

Yet, censorship remained as these religious ideals continued to hold steady among the older set as well as in rural areas and among conservative politicians. Satire during this period was mainly used as a means of pointing out errors in thinking that emerged during this period in time yet was still required to remain couched in socially acceptable disguises.

Satire in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of the more famous satirists of the time, particularly in his production of the work The Great Gatsby. Within this novel, Fitzgerald ridicules the contemporary concept of the American Dream as being something empty and shallow based on meaningless material goods rather than more satisfying spiritual development.

Describing one of Gatsbys smiles, Nick says it understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself, and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey (48). In this description, Nick sums up the entire attitude of the nation in its superficial presentation and shallow understanding as well as suggests a much deeper meaning and potential lying in wait for those who would seek it.

Satire in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain

Mark Twain was another well-known satirist of his time. Throughout his writings, Twain continued to question the values his society claimed as compared to the actions they committed.

In novels such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or the semi-autobiographical story Roughin It, Twain continues to question ideas that black people are somehow inherently meant to be slaves or that Indians are necessarily more savage and evil than white men. The concept of unequal race relations can be found in almost all of his works as he struggled to point out that the measure of a man cannot be placed in the color of his skin alone but must be judged instead upon his ability and willingness to do right instead of wrong.

Satire in In Our Time by Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway revealed some of the more common fallacies of his age regarding gender relations.
Throughout all of his writing, he continued to celebrate the quintessential mans man  the guy who traveled the world, shot elephants and rhinoceros, drank hard whiskey, and was capable of passing along the best of tall tales.

His short stories focused on the virtues held by men a generation or two earlier than him as well as the effects and aftereffects of war. Often accused of hating women because of the way he portrayed them, Hemingways stories in In Our Time reveal there is strength in women than men continue to ignore and forget that makes them equal or perhaps more powerful in different ways.

Hemingways women are intentionally quiet and shadowy because he discovered [women] more fully by giving them little to say. His women embody the 7/8ths of the iceberg that is down under& (Miller, 2002, p. 6). Hemingway never allows his women to be stopped or stalled by grief in spite of the fact that they frequently experience sudden and surprising losses.

In most cases, the women are able to walk away in strength, leaving behind them the broken and battered men still unsure of what happened.

Conclusion

All three of these authors satirize the important concepts of their day  the American Dream, the supposed substandard status of minority races, and the substandard strength of women  through the medium of satire. This enabled them to disguise their true messages to avoid the Puritanical censorship of their time while still exploring the implications of these concepts in full.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1925.

Hemingway, Ernest. In Our Time. New York: Charles Scribners Sons, 1925 (reprint 1970).

Miller, Linda Patterson. In Love with Papa. Hemingway and Women: Female Critics and the Female Voice. Lawrence R. Broer (Ed.).

Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 2002.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Norwalk, CT: The Easton Press, 1994 (1884).

Twain, Mark. Roughing It. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1817.

Introductory Note

The book, The Great Gatsby, by Francis Scott Fitzgerald gives a detailed analysis of the events and issues many American citizens encountered during the 1920s. This decade is associated with numerous achievements and changes in the United States, such as the emergence of jazz music, improved economic development, new communication technologies, flapper culture and crime. Based on his experiences and observations, Fitzgerald wrote this book in an attempt to present the true picture of the American society after the end of the First World War. This paper gives a detailed analysis of this book and its key strengths.

Brief Summary

The selected text tells the story of Jay Gatsby and it is narrated by Nick Carraway. Gatsbys immense wealth and mansion appears to make Carraway curious. He also learns that Daisy and Gatsby are having an affair. The narrator later learns that Gatsbys original name was Jay Gatz during the Great War (Fitzgerald, 1925). This means that he changed his identity after amassing wealth with the support of Meyer Wolfsheim. He chose to have his mansion on Long Island since Daisy lived there.

Although there are numerous rumours about Gatsby, the reader observes that his connection with Nick continues to improve. Buchanan later confronts Gatsby for befriending and dating his wife. After deciding to settle on Long Island, Daisy kills a woman while driving Gatsbys car and speeds off (Fitzgerald, 1925). The reader later observes that the dead person is Buchanans girlfriend, Myrtle. It is also evident that Daisys intention was to murder Buchanan and eventually lead a comfortable live with Gatsby.

Reasons for Selecting the Book: Strengths

A shallow analysis and study of Great Gatsby indicates that it is a tale of love between Daisy and Gatsby. However, what the reader should acknowledge is that the author manages to present a wholesome and clear image of the issues and occurrences that defined the United States throughout the 1920s (Fitzgerald, 1925). This period was characterised by material possessions, proliferation of automobiles and social decay. The origin of Gatsbys wealth appears questionable since he was a poor citizen during the Great War. The narrator also identifies him as someone who enjoys partying and prefers jazz music. He also pursues happiness and pleasure without thinking of the consequences of his actions.

After the end of the World War I, history reveals that many young people who had fought in Europe remained disoriented and disillusioned. They were unable to pursue their goals due to the problems experienced in their country. However, a sudden shift recorded in the stock market encouraged positive economic growth. More people were also willing to invest in this country and make money. The lives and experiences of both Gatsby and Nick appear to portray the kind of cynicism the Great War triggered (Fitzgerald, 1925). It is also evident that those who attended different parties in Gatsbys mansion were greedy and materialistic. Nick treasured such festivities while at the same time being opposed to Gatsbys actions.

The idea of individualism is evident in this book whereby every person focuses on the best actions and initiatives to pursue the American dream. The original meaning of this concept was aimed at encouraging individuals to pursue happiness and achieve self-discovery (Fitzgerald, 1925). Combined with the challenge of moral decay, Gatsby goes a step further to engage in criminal activities and make more money. The narrator indicates that he decides to have his mansion on Long Island so that he can be in touch with Daisy. This happens despite the fact that the woman is already married to Buchanan. At the same time, Buchanan appears to have abandoned his role and position as Daisys husband by falling in love with Myrtle.

The American dream had emerged as a symbol for guiding people to establish their own philosophies and pursuing them diligently. This means that many people were unable to achieve this goal. Instead, they chose to promote inappropriate practices and misbehaviours that challenged the true foundation of America. Although people were expected to build their lives, have families and raise children in an ethical manner, the society appeared to have idealised a different form of perfection that remained inappropriate (Fitzgerald, 1925). Consequently, the pursuit for money and pleasure would eventually become the true definition of the American dream in the 1920s.

The reader realises that members of the upper class have become reckless and incapable of promoting desirable standards. The author of this book describes individuals who have managed to accumulate wealth as gaudy and incapable of upholding the intended social norms. This is a clear indication that the realisation of the targeted American dream is associated with negative beliefs and practices. Daisy decides to join this kind of life after abandoning her husband (Fitzgerald, 1925). She kills Buchanan in an attempt to start a new life with Jay Gatsby.

The author succeeds in comparing and contrasting the lives of the rich and old aristocracy in the United States. It is evident that those who retain the traditional beliefs of the original American society are less greedy, elegant and capable of promoting appropriate behaviours (Fitzgerald, 1925). This text achieves this objective by focusing on the challenges and problems that many rich individuals continue to face in their lives.

From the above analysis, it is evident that those who work hard in this society are able to attain social mobility. Unfortunately, there are certain citizens who use shortcuts in order to become wealthy and entertain their neighbours and lovers. This kind of malpractice is observed through the life of Gatsby. What comes out is that the acquisition of money does not guarantee anyone any positive welcome to the upper class or a good life (Fitzgerald, 1925). Instead, Gatsby encounters diverse problems and challenges that affect the lives of other members in the society. Although he has a good mansion and money, the reader eventually observes that Gatsby does not attain the real American dream (Fitzgerald, 1925). This is a clear indication that such a goal was nothing more but a mirage that remained unwise and incapable of promoting desirable cultural principles.

Conclusion

The above arguments reveal that The Great Gatsby is a great book that gives a true account of the events that took place in the 1920s. The reader observes that many people who pursued the American dream remained disillusioned and disoriented. Although some citizens might have accrued enough money, they eventually realised that it was impossible to lead a positive life characterised by acceptable societal norms and behaviours. The above reasons for selecting this book are, therefore, meaningful and capable of encouraging people to avoid such malpractices whenever following their goals in life.

Reference

Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The great Gatsby. New York, NY: Charles Scribners Sons.