This paper aims at comparing the illustration of elites in two different temporal episodes. The novels, which will be the basis for this comparison, are F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Bret Easton Ellis´ American Psycho. The explanation of the literary choices will be delivered in the next section. Both, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Bret Easton Ellis, have created characters larger than life which partly represent the perversion of the upper classes but both also provide literally, symbolically and figuratively different approaches to escape the problems they are facing.
May it be Jay Gatsby or Patrick Bateman; they both feel uncomfortable in their respective environments and strive for something their current life cannot provide. Those desires reflect the bygone and contemporary decoupling of the upper classes lives and thereby comment on society as a whole in their respective temporal context.
After explaining what makes those novels predestinated for a comparison, New York as a social and cultural concept and its history will be depicted. Considering that both novels take place in New York and the geographical space clearly has an impact on the progression of the plot but also the mindset of the protagonists, New York needs to be understood first, to then derive sense from the novels taking place there. Afterwards, the term elites will be defined and set into context.
After having created a working definition of the term elites, the work on the two novels will start with a temporal contextualization of the novel and the authors’ lives. After doing so, the actual illustration of the elites will be analyzed. In a second step, the two novels and their depiction of the upper classes will be compared and contrasted. After identifying both, differences but also uniting factors, the conclusion will pick up the hypothesis from the beginning and on the basis of that, new questions for further research will be raised.
Media and artists had and still have enhanced interest in the life and doings of elites. The reasons for that might be diverse and range from pure voyeurism to complex social criticism. Nonetheless, elites occupy artists’ minds ever since and the list of authors who incorporated elites into their plays, stories or novels is long and prestigious. Even until today, the concept of elites has an undeniable impact on both, society and art.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Explanation of the literary choices
3. Theoretical Approach
4. New York as a social and cultural sphere
5. The Definition of Elites
6. The Great Gatsby
6.a. The Jazz Age
6.b. About the author
7. The illustration of elites in The Great Gatsby
8. American Psycho
8.a. The 1980s
8.b. About the author
9. Illustration of elites in American Psycho
10. The comparison
10.a. Differences
10.b. Similarities
10.c. Summary and Tendencies
11. Outlook and further research questions
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to compare the portrayal of elites in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, investigating whether the later work represents a logical and radicalized continuation of the social tendencies, boredom, and narcissism observed in the earlier novel. By analyzing both texts through a postmodern literary framework, the study seeks to highlight how shifts in economic and social conditions over seventy years have influenced the representation of upper-class lifestyles and their interaction with the rest of society.
- The role of New York City as a geographical and cultural setting for elite behavior.
- The construction of identity through consumption and material wealth.
- The dichotomy between personal and public self in upper-class protagonists.
- The impact of socioeconomic pressure and moral decay on the characters' search for meaning.
- The radicalization of classism and discrimination from the 1920s to the 1980s.
Excerpt from the Book
The illustration of elites in The Great Gatsby
The characters in The Great Gatsby can easily be divided into upper class and all other classes. The main criterion is whether a character survives the novel or not. That itself can be considered a comment on American society by Fitzgerald. Even though Jay Gatsby has all material requirements to be considered upper class, he is still on the borderline as some, primarily social, markers are missing. Fitzgerald illustrates Gatsby as naïve and hints at his insecurity beyond his huge gestures (cf. Höss 41) and there are plenty of occurrences which clearly prove that Gatsby only imitates and to some extent emulates his idea of the upper classes. To obtain a clear idea of the illustration of the upper classes, the focus of this section will be set on Jordan Baker, Nick Carraway, Daisy and Tom Buchanan.
The Great Gatsby starts with the introduction given by Nick Carraway. In that introduction he recalls an advice from his father and mentions the story of how his family established itself in the upper-classes. Carraway is aware that he and his family belong to a very elitist group and are far away from the average of society. Furthermore, another idea of elite is introduced here. Elite is, in the majority of cases, not the merit of a single person but is inherited and handed over from generation to generation. This is the case in The Great Gatsby as all people who survive the novel (Nick, Daisy, Tom and Jordan Baker) are coming from rich families (cf. Fitzgerald 14). Carraway also refers to his family as “a clan” (10).
Tom Buchanan can be, even though he is neither the narrator nor the focalizer of the story, considered as one of the most important characters as he represents the old and wealthy elites perfectly. He is described as “aggressive” and “brutal” in both, his physical appearance but also his behavior (cf. 15). Additionally, Nick remembers that Tom was a star football player, a sport which requires and promotes aggressiveness, at Yale College where Tom and Nick met for the first time (cf. 13/14). A recurrent theme of the upper classes in The Great Gatsby is cheating.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the focus on the illustration of elites in The Great Gatsby and American Psycho, highlighting the hypothesis of a radicalization of social tendencies over time.
2. Explanation of the literary choices: Justifies the selection of these two novels based on their shared setting in New York, their focus on upper-class life, and their distinct temporal contexts.
3. Theoretical Approach: Establishes postmodern literary criticism as the framework for analyzing the themes, attitudes, and intertextuality present in both works.
4. New York as a social and cultural sphere: Examines the historical development of New York City as a diverse but conflict-ridden metropolis, setting the stage for its role in both narratives.
5. The Definition of Elites: Develops a working definition of elites based on resource accumulation, identifying monetary, professional, intellectual, and social capital as key factors.
6. The Great Gatsby: Provides context for the 1920s Jazz Age and discusses F. Scott Fitzgerald's background in relation to his work.
7. The illustration of elites in The Great Gatsby: Analyzes characters like Tom Buchanan and Daisy to illustrate moral corruption, carelessness, and systemic discrimination within the upper class.
8. American Psycho: Outlines the socio-political climate of the 1980s under Reaganomics and discusses Bret Easton Ellis's literary influences.
9. Illustration of elites in American Psycho: Explores Patrick Bateman’s obsession with consumption, status, and material goods, demonstrating his lack of empathy and moral vacuum.
10. The comparison: Contrasts the two works regarding the role of self-made men versus the born-rich and identifies similarities in their cynical portrayals of the American Dream.
11. Outlook and further research questions: Suggests potential avenues for future study, including comparing these findings with contemporary media like The Hunger Games or How I Met Your Mother.
Keywords
Elites, The Great Gatsby, American Psycho, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bret Easton Ellis, New York, Social class, Consumption, Postmodernism, American Dream, Reaganomics, Existential boredom, Narcissism, Radicalization, Identity construction
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the portrayal of upper-class elites in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, specifically looking for commonalities and a potential radicalization of behaviors between the 1920s and the 1980s.
What are the primary themes analyzed in the study?
Central themes include social class, the negative interpretation of the American Dream, existential boredom, consumerism, systemic discrimination, and the construction of identity through material status.
What is the main research question or hypothesis?
The study investigates whether American Psycho serves as a logical and radicalized continuation of the narcissism and social conflict presented in The Great Gatsby, focusing on the elite's behavior and their treatment of the lower classes.
Which theoretical framework is applied to these novels?
The paper employs a modified version of postmodern literary criticism, using the six points identified by Peter Barry, to evaluate themes, tendencies, and attitudes in both literary works.
What aspects are covered in the main body of the text?
The body covers the definition of elites, historical contexts of the 1920s and 1980s, individual character analysis (like Tom Buchanan and Patrick Bateman), and a detailed comparative section highlighting differences and similarities.
What key terms define this work?
Key terms include elite, consumption, existential void, status symbols, social stratification, narcissism, and the historical periods of the Jazz Age and the Reagan era.
How does the author view the 'American Dream' in both novels?
The author argues that both writers portray the American Dream as a negative or failed concept, where the pursuit of status leads to superficiality, constant competition, and existential misery rather than fulfillment.
Why does the author consider Patrick Bateman an 'unreliable narrator'?
Bateman is deemed unreliable because his perception of the world is subjective and often contradicted by external events, such as people failing to recognize him, which highlights his alienation and fractured identity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Till Neuhaus (Autor:in), 2014, Elites in "The Great Gatsby" and "American Psycho". A Comparison of the Illustration of Elites, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/470717
