Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was published in New York in 1925. Those years in America, the 1920s, are often considered as the Roaring Twenties: a decade of great social change, a decade of jazz, an age of success and American Dream, an age of everything. The American Dream is often described as the aspiration of young Americans to live better than their parents: without war, poverty and misfortune but with love, wealth and happiness. In fact after World War I many Americans wished to return to the peaceful time they had before the war. During the 1920s, Americans focused on building economic prosperity and most people focused on the present with little concern for the future: life became easier and more enjoyable. Unfortunately, this age of prosperity, complete independence, self-reliance and opportunity quickly became an age of downfall: in order to pursue this utopia, people were asked to work harder. In consequence they could not prosper themselves but only endured.
Fitzgerald condemns this American society of the 1920s that has lost its pursuit of progress for happiness to finally become purely materialistic and corrupt.
In this essay, I will deal with the road from the Midwest to New York City and the road from West Egg to East Egg both exemplifying the decay of the American Dream, personified by the characters of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway, as there is a strong relationship in the novel between the geography of the roads and the characters’ social values. On the one hand is the journey of Nick Carraway coming from the Midwest and going to New York City where he discovers corruption and immorality. On the other hand we find the road Jay Gatsby is following to be accepted among the wealthiest and to be loved by Daisy. This road, from West Egg to East Egg, represents the movement from solemnity and honesty to obsession of class and privilege.
I wish to show that these two roads epitomize the decay of the American Dream: through two main characters of the novel and in two different ways that we will discover in this essay, the two roads or journeys that are followed by these two characters start from a point of moral prosperity to move them towards a state of moral decay: Gatsby more profoundly than the Nick. This essay will be twofold: the first part will concern the road from West Egg to East Egg that Jay Gatsby follows while the second part will deal with the road of Nick Carraway: the road from the Midwest to New York City.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I. Jay Gatsby’s road: from West Egg to East Egg
II. Nick Carraway’s road: from Midwest to New York City
Conclusion
Objectives and Themes
This essay explores the decay of the American Dream in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" by analyzing the metaphorical roads taken by the characters Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway, examining how their journeys reflect a shift from moral integrity to corruption and materialism.
- The moral decay inherent in the American Dream during the 1920s.
- The symbolic journey of Jay Gatsby from West Egg to East Egg.
- The observational role of Nick Carraway and his path from the Midwest to New York.
- The contrast between hope and the reality of class-based privilege.
- The role of the American Dream as both an aspiration and a destructive force.
Excerpt from the Book
Jay Gatsby’s road: from West Egg to East Egg
Jay Gatsby is a young and charming millionaire. His past and the origin of his fortune are quite uncertain, which makes him a mysterious character. We only know he fought during the First World War. He lives in a luxurious villa in West Egg where he incessantly throws parties. In this way, Gatsby creates his own image: a man who epitomizes fortune, success, and mystery, always surrounded by a group of people who strive to be a part of his inner circle. Gatsby is only interested in one person among the others: Daisy, a married woman living in East Egg who he is in love with.
Jay Gatsby is following a road that will allow him to be loved by Daisy. We start from West Egg where Gatsby lives to move spiritually towards East Egg where Daisy lives. West Egg represents the newly rich, described as vulgar, gaudy and without any taste and manners. They are completely depraved and spend their money without thinking in order to impress and be accepted in East Egg. For example, Gatsby wears a pink suit, lives in an oversized and extravagant mansion and drives a Rolls-Royce. On the other side, East Egg is the world of old aristocracy which possesses taste, manners and elegance. For instance, Tom and Daisy Buchanan own a gorgeous house and Daisy and Jordan Baker are always lovely-dressed. However, in the end, we can conclude that both eggs are just morally irresponsible.
Chapter Summary
Introduction: This chapter introduces the context of the 1920s and defines the American Dream, framing the novel as an allegory for its decay and the transition toward materialism.
I. Jay Gatsby’s road: from West Egg to East Egg: This section details Gatsby’s transformation and his pursuit of Daisy as a manifestation of the American Dream’s degeneration into class obsession and moral corruption.
II. Nick Carraway’s road: from Midwest to New York City: This chapter examines Nick’s journey as an external observer who discovers the immorality of the East and eventually chooses to return to his traditional Midwestern roots.
Conclusion: This final section synthesizes the two characters' experiences, highlighting that while both face the decay of the American Dream, Nick ultimately escapes the cycle of corruption that destroys Gatsby.
Keywords
The Great Gatsby, American Dream, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Roaring Twenties, Moral Decay, Materialism, West Egg, East Egg, Corruption, Illusion, Midwest, Class Privilege, Social Values.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic essay?
The essay explores the theme of the "decay of the American Dream" in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, specifically through the narrative trajectories of Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway.
Which thematic fields are central to the analysis?
The central themes include the moral decline of the 1920s, the superficiality of the American class system, and the conflict between personal ideals and societal corruption.
What is the primary research objective?
The author aims to demonstrate how the metaphorical "roads" taken by the two protagonists mirror their respective moral shifts from initial prosperity toward eventual corruption or disillusionment.
Which academic methodology is applied?
The paper uses literary analysis, referencing critical perspectives (such as those by Bewley, Mizener, and Lockridge) to interpret the character arcs and geographical symbolism within the novel.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body investigates Gatsby's internal transition from West Egg to East Egg, his obsession with Daisy, and Nick’s external journey from the Midwest to New York City, where he witnesses societal decay.
Which keywords define this study?
Key terms include American Dream, moral decay, social values, materialism, class privilege, and the symbolic contrast between the Midwest and the East Coast.
How does the author distinguish between the journeys of Gatsby and Nick?
Gatsby's path is described as internal and moral, involving his personal corruption, whereas Nick's path is described as more external and observational, leading to his eventual rejection of the East.
Why does the author conclude that Nick is the only character to successfully "escape" the decay?
The author argues that while Nick experiences the corruption of the East, he maintains his core values and chooses to return to the stability of the Midwest, unlike Gatsby whose failure to realize his dream leads to death.
- Quote paper
- Sophie Bertrand (Author), 2011, The Road as the Decay of the American Dream in Fitzgerald’s "The Great Gatsby", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/188231
