This anthology contains four term papers.
The first paper delves into the acclaimed work of literary realism, "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and its cinematic adaptation by Baz Luhrmann in 2013. Rather than debating fidelity or artistic superiority between literature and cinema, the focus is on exploring adaptations as autonomous artworks. The narrowed scope centers on the examination of elements of unreliable narration in "The Great Gatsby" and how they are transposed onto the screen in the 2013 adaptation.
The aim of the second paper is to analyze what message F. Scott Fitzgerald as a modernist writer tries to convey to his readership through the employment of the theme of adultery in his 1925 novel "The Great Gatsby". Most importantly, based on the assumption that committing adultery fulfils different functions in the novel, it presents Daisy Buchanan’s and Myrtle Wilson’s motivations pushing them to do it.
The "Great Gatsby" seems to tell a story about a typified American Dream, a young man who was able to escape poverty and living a high-class lifestyle. But after all it cannot be easily determined if it is a story that represents the American Dream or if the Dream he had changed into a Nightmare. The third text presents the American Nightmare in the novel with specific symbols that play an important role, his failure and the price he had to pay for his dream.
Is Gatsby’s economic success nevertheless a realization of the American Dream? It is important to ask that question because often "The Great Gatsby" is mainly associated with the American Dream and its typical lifestyle. How did Gatsby make his way up to the top? And how important is wealth, success and his social status really in his opinion? In the fourth text those questions will be given a closer look at.
Table of Contents
Unreliable Narration in The Great Gatsby. In Literature and on Screen (Term paper, 2023)
1. Introduction
2. Defining Narration
2.1 The Narration in The Great Gatsby
3. Defining Unreliable Narration
3.1 Elements of Unreliability in the Narration of The Great Gatsby
4. Narration in Film Adaptations
4.1 Unreliable Narration in Film Adaptations
4.2 The Narration and its Elements of Unreliability in the film The Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann
5. Conclusion
The different functions of adultery in F. Scott Fitzgeralds "The Great Gatsby" (Term paper, 2020)
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical background
2.1 Modernism
2.2 Adultery in literature
2.3 Marriage, the family and divorce in the U.S.
3. The Great Gatsby
3.1 Daisy Buchanan
3.2 Myrtle Wilson
American Dream or American Nightmare? About F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" (Term paper, 2016)
1. Introduction
2. “The American Dream“ – Meaning and Definition
2.1 The American Dream in The Great Gatsby
2.2 The American Nightmare in the Great Gatsby
3. Conclusion
Gatsby’s rise to riches. Is Gatsby's economic success a realization of the American Dream? (Term paper, 2016)
1. Introduction
2. The American Dream
3. Prohibition
4. Gatsby’s success and wealth
5. Gatsby’s reputation in society
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This anthology explores the multifaceted interpretations of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, "The Great Gatsby," focusing on the reliability of the narrative perspective, the thematic function of adultery, and the complex portrayal of the American Dream versus the American Nightmare.
- The analysis of unreliable narrative techniques in both the original text and its film adaptation.
- The exploration of adultery as a symptomatic breakdown of social mediations within the modernist context.
- The investigation into the socio-economic motivations and double standards surrounding marital fidelity in the 1920s.
- A critical examination of the American Dream, questioning whether it constitutes a path to fulfillment or an unattainable illusion.
- The relationship between economic mobility, social status, and moral integrity in the life of Jay Gatsby.
Excerpt from the Anthology
3.1 Elements of Unreliability in the Narration of The Great Gatsby
Having introduced a theoretical frame to unreliable narration in literary works, we will now investigate how some elements of the narration in the novel apply to Nünning´s intratextual criteria of unreliable narration.
As stated above (s. 2.1), in the first paragraphs of the novel the narrator provides the readers with information about himself and his background. The novel begins with the following lines:
“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.’.” (Fitzgerald 1925: 1).
These first lines establish Nick as thoughtful, thorough, privileged, and judgmental, and despite contemplating his dad’s advice, we observe that he often fails to put it into practice throughout the novel. Since during the story, he often pauses to analyze the events and the characters, offering his personal interpretations and judgements. In fact, it is through his eyes that we see all the other characters, e.g.: “Two shining arrogant eyes had established dominance over his face and gave him the appearance of always leaning aggressively forward (ibid.: 3). This is Nick’s impressions of Daisy’s husband: Tom Buchanan; and about Daisy, for example, he comments instead: “Her face was sad and lovely with bright things in it” (ibid.: 4). Throughout the narration he relentlessly observes and judges both main and secondary characters.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the primary goal of studying the thematic and narrative complexities of the novel, including the comparison between the literary text and its cinematic adaptation.
2. Defining Narration: Establishes a theoretical foundation of narration as a communicative act and interprets Nick Carraway’s role as the narrator within the novel.
3. Defining Unreliable Narration: Discusses the criteria for identifying narrators who may not provide a truthful or neutral account of events, applying Nünning’s intratextual criteria.
3.1 Elements of Unreliability in the Narration of The Great Gatsby: Analyzes the specific narrative flaws, biases, and subjective interpretations manifested by Nick Carraway throughout the text.
4. Narration in Film Adaptations: Explores how narrative strategies are translated from literature to film, discussing the semiotic and artistic shifts between the two media.
4.1 Unreliable Narration in Film Adaptations: Examines how elements of unreliability are reconstructed on screen through visual and auditory devices.
4.2 The Narration and its Elements of Unreliability in the film The Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann: Provides a detailed case study of the 2013 adaptation, focusing on how the director portrays the subjective, fragmented perspective of the narrator.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the core findings, confirming that unreliable narration is a fundamental component that is effectively adapted across literary and cinematic representations.
Keywords
F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Unreliable Narration, Adultery, American Dream, Modernism, Baz Luhrmann, Film Adaptation, Social Class, Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, Literary Analysis, Narrative Perspective, Prohibition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The publication compiles scholarly term papers that analyze F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" through specific literary lenses, including unreliable narration, the function of adultery, and the socioeconomic implications of the American Dream.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The central themes include narrative structure, moral ambiguity in marital relationships, the societal impact of the Jazz Age, class structures in America, and the transmedia evolution of literary motifs into cinema.
What is the primary research goal of these analyses?
The primary goal is to investigate how specific narrative techniques and sociopolitical themes shape the reader's and audience's understanding of Fitzgerald's work and its impact on the cultural narrative of the 20th century.
Which scientific methods are employed in this work?
The papers utilize literary criticism, narratology (focusing on Genette and Nünning), and adaptation studies to deconstruct the text and its subsequent interpretations in film.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body examines the technical execution of narration in novel and film, the motivations for adultery in female characters, and the psychological and societal costs associated with the pursuit of the American Dream.
What are the defining keywords of this research?
Key terms include Modernism, Unreliable Narration, Adultery, American Dream, Jay Gatsby, Social Class, and Adaptation Studies.
How does the work explain the unreliability of Nick Carraway?
It highlights his limited perspective, personal emotional biases, temporal discrepancies in his memory, and his explicit moral judgments, which contradict his initial claim of being objective.
How does the concept of the "American Nightmare" feature in the text?
The text portrays the American Nightmare as the destructive flip-side of the American Dream, where the pursuit of wealth and status leads to moral corruption, social isolation, and eventually, the tragic, aimless fate of characters like Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson.
What is the significance of the "Valley of Ashes" in the adultery analysis?
It serves as a stark symbol of moral, human, and economic decay, fueling the characters' desperation to escape their environment through illicit affairs or social climbing.
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- GRIN Verlag (Hrsg.) (Herausgeber:in), Vittoria Guarino (Autor:in), Friederike Lang (Autor:in), Emilie Platt (Autor:in), Julia Straub (Autor:in), 2024, Approaches to interpreting Fitzgerald’s "The Great Gatsby". Unreliable narration, the functions of adultery, and the role of the American Dream, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1515005
