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Gatsby is greedy because of how much he longs to have Daisy Buchanan.  It isn't a terrible kind of greed, some awful desire for which we might typically judge a character.  He has acquired his fortune via illegal means not so much because he wants to be rich, but because he wants Daisy, and he recognizes that one of the necessary steps in the process of attaining her is becoming rich.  She is used to... Gatsby is greedy because of how much he longs to have Daisy Buchanan.  It isn't a terrible kind of greed, some awful desire for which we might typically judge a character.  He has acquired his fortune via illegal means not so much because he wants to be rich, but because he wants Daisy, and he recognizes that one of the necessary steps in the process of attaining her is becoming rich.  She is used to a particular lifestyle, and Gatsby knows she would not be happy as a poor man's wife.  Nick describes the way Gatsby felt about Daisy all those years ago: "Out of the corne...

Jordan Baker is considered a strong woman in part because she earns her living independently as a professional golf player. This type of independence was rare in the 1920s. Jordan looks very much like an athlete, and is described as having a "slender golden arm" (48). She spends most of her time outside playing golf, and she doesn't have the soft or pampered look of women who aren't as physical. Nick describes her as having... Jordan Baker is considered a strong woman in part because she earns her living independently as a professional golf player. This type of independence was rare in the 1920s. Jordan looks very much like an athlete, and is described as having a "slender golden arm" (48). She spends most of her time outside playing golf, and she doesn't have the soft or pampered look of women who aren't as physical. Nick describes her as having a "bored haughty face," and he realizes that, much like a stereotypical male, she is not above ...

Gatsby is more sensitive to life than other people in the novel because he truly believes in love and wants to believe in Daisy, although she is not really worthy of his love. Every action he takes--from having lavish parties to buying a house with a view of the green light at the end of Daisy's dock--is to win her back. Unlike Tom, who treats Daisy with carelessness and cruelty at times, Gatsby loves and... Gatsby is more sensitive to life than other people in the novel because he truly believes in love and wants to believe in Daisy, although she is not really worthy of his love. Every action he takes--from having lavish parties to buying a house with a view of the green light at the end of Daisy's dock--is to win her back. Unlike Tom, who treats Daisy with carelessness and cruelty at times, Gatsby loves and treasures Daisy. The other characters don't believe in love to this degree. For example, Tom and Daisy have a marriage that is based on money and on their shared upper...

Although Gatsby ends tragically and Persuasion ends happily, we can make a strong case that "love is fragile" is a reality that is portrayed by both books.  Both books show love persisting for a long time, over an absence, but they also show how it can fail because of seemingly minor factors. In Persuasion , Anne Elliot continues loving Captain Wentworth even after she breaks off her engagement to him on the advice of her family.  She still has feelings for him after seven years of not seeing him. In Gatsby , Jay Gatsby continues to love Daisy for five years after she marries another man.  He goes to the extent of making a fortune and buying a house across the bay from hers, hoping to win her back.  In the case of Jay Gatsby, he imagines that all he has to do is reunite with Daisy and she will immediately declare her love for him and leave her husband and daughter.  It turns out that he has overestimated Daisy's strength of character, or underestimated her practicality....

Daisy Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald's  The Great Gatsby  is an intriguing character. She is, of course, beautiful, as she's commanded devotion from Gatsby for the greater part of his adult life. However, Daisy is also an extremely privileged woman and, because she is privileged, tends to be shallow and careless as well. Overall, it would appear that Daisy's chiefest concern is her own happiness, and she is hardly ever held accountable for her actions.... Daisy Buchanan from F. Scott Fitzgerald's  The Great Gatsby  is an intriguing character. She is, of course, beautiful, as she's commanded devotion from Gatsby for the greater part of his adult life. However, Daisy is also an extremely privileged woman and, because she is privileged, tends to be shallow and careless as well. Overall, it would appear that Daisy's chiefest concern is her own happiness, and she is hardly ever held accountable for her actions. For instance, when Daisy hits Myrtle Wilson with Gats...

In chapter one, Nick begins the story by describing how fortunate he feels to have had a superior upbringing. He credits his father's advice and prides himself on his broad-mindedness and nonjudgmental nature and observes that these qualities have led many men to confide in him.  To finish your quotation, it is Nick's tolerance that "has its limits."  Nick will tell the story of his summer in New York and his friendship with Gatsby retrospectively,... In chapter one, Nick begins the story by describing how fortunate he feels to have had a superior upbringing. He credits his father's advice and prides himself on his broad-mindedness and nonjudgmental nature and observes that these qualities have led many men to confide in him.  To finish your quotation, it is Nick's tolerance that "has its limits."  Nick will tell the story of his summer in New York and his friendship with Gatsby retrospectively, and he implies that whatever he has learned about human...

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

“It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire.” -- Echoes of the Jazz Age F. Scott Fitzgerald could be called the King of the Jazz Age, and his wife, Zelda, was a queen among the flappers. During the 1920s, the Fitzgeralds lived the high life in New York City. During a time of prohibition and progress, Fitzgerald was... “It was an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess, and it was an age of satire.” -- Echoes of the Jazz Age F. Scott Fitzgerald could be called the King of the Jazz Age, and his wife, Zelda, was a queen among the flappers. During the 1920s, the Fitzgeralds lived the high life in New York City. During a time of prohibition and progress, Fitzgerald was met with many contradictions, such as debauchery vs. temperance, women’s liberation vs. religious suppression, and the dichotomy between social classes. In The Great Gatsby , the title character, Jay Gatsby, a man who rarely drinks, was the oppo...

I would agree with this statement, to the extent that the film industry frequently looks toward literature for new material and timeless tales. Because the film industry is the primary field of entertainment which uses material from literature, I will focus my response on literature adapted for film. Shakespearean plays, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello, have been produced and reproduced over the twentieth century. Laurence Olivier directed and starred in the most critically acclaimed version of Hamlet in the 1940s. The play was re-adapted by Mel Gibson in 1990, who also directed and starred. The latter was not as highly regarded by critics, but was a bigger hit with audiences. Ethan Hawke revamped the play in 2000, transforming the brooding prince into a young filmmaker from New York City, struggling against a production company called Denmark Corp. in the wake of his father's death.  There have been as many, if not more, productions of Macbeth produced in both the United King...

One of the best quotes about gender in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby comes early on in the first chapter, at which point Daisy discusses her reaction to the birth of her daughter: "'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.'" This quote says a lot about gender relations in  The Great Gatsby . First of all,... One of the best quotes about gender in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby comes early on in the first chapter, at which point Daisy discusses her reaction to the birth of her daughter: "'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.'" This quote says a lot about gender relations in  The Great Gatsby . First of all, it acknowledges the subordinate social status of women. In Fitzgerald's world of elite wealth, men see women as pos...

F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic of American literature, The Great Gatsby , takes place in a pretentious world of upper-class snobbery that pits the "old money" of East Egg against the nouveau riche of West Egg, the community in which Fitzgerald's young, ambitious protagonist, Nick, meets the novel's titular character, Jay Gatsby (James Gatz). "Old money" types tended to look down their noses at the newly-wealthy as well as at the lower levels of the socioeconomic... F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic of American literature, The Great Gatsby , takes place in a pretentious world of upper-class snobbery that pits the "old money" of East Egg against the nouveau riche of West Egg, the community in which Fitzgerald's young, ambitious protagonist, Nick, meets the novel's titular character, Jay Gatsby (James Gatz). "Old money" types tended to look down their noses at the newly-wealthy as well as at the lower levels of the socioeconomic ...

The Prohibition Act of 1920, which illegalized the sale, distribution, and manufacture of liquor, was repealed in 1933. The act was ratified as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, becoming the Eighteenth Amendment. The Twenty-First Amendment then repealed the Eighteenth. Prohibition was repealed because it was very difficult to enact. The prohibition of the legal sale, distribution, and manufacture of liquor did not quell the public's appetite for it. On the contrary, that thirst was quenched by organized criminal syndicates. Many of history's best-known mobsters, including Al Capone, got a great deal of their business from selling liquor.  When criminals take over a trade that is as lucrative as the liquor business, they use violence to eliminate their competition. Their competitors became their murder victims. The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, led by Capone, is the most notorious example of a criminal syndicate trying to rid itself of competition in the liquor market. ...

The phone call Tom receives in Chapter I is significant in many ways. For one thing, it suggests that Tom is having an affair and suggests further that this is not his first one. It has reached the point where his current mistress is actually phoning him at his home. Nick senses that there is something wrong between Daisy and her husband, but Jordan Baker confirms it when she tells him, "Tom's got some woman... The phone call Tom receives in Chapter I is significant in many ways. For one thing, it suggests that Tom is having an affair and suggests further that this is not his first one. It has reached the point where his current mistress is actually phoning him at his home. Nick senses that there is something wrong between Daisy and her husband, but Jordan Baker confirms it when she tells him, "Tom's got some woman in New York." The blatantly aggressive phone call characterizes the caller and suggests that the woman who is creating trouble by calling Tom at home ...

When Nick attends his first party at Gatsby's, he and Jordan go into the library and meet a drunk man wearing round glasses who is inspecting the books.  The man is amazed that the books on the shelves are real, and he refers to Gatsby as "a regular Belasco" (45). David Belasco was a theater producer, director, and playwright who lived from 1853 to 1931; thus, he would have been alive when the text was... When Nick attends his first party at Gatsby's, he and Jordan go into the library and meet a drunk man wearing round glasses who is inspecting the books.  The man is amazed that the books on the shelves are real, and he refers to Gatsby as "a regular Belasco" (45). David Belasco was a theater producer, director, and playwright who lived from 1853 to 1931; thus, he would have been alive when the text was written and set. In making such a comparison, the owl-eyed man implies that Gatsby is good at building a realistic set or stage; he's adept at creating b...

In brief, writers will opt to examine ideas according to genre demands (some writers will use poetry and others fiction or drama and these choices will determine to some extent how an idea will be explored), according to stylistic preferences (some will use complex prose and stream-of-consciousness like Virginia Woolf while others will use "hard-boiled" prose like Ernest Hemingway), and according to different conceptions as to what kinds of characters and stories might best facilitate a particular theme or idea.  This question might best be answered by looking at some examples. You might be familiar with  The Great Gatsby   and  Death of a Salesman . Fitzgerald's novel ( Gatsby)  is often understood as being interested with the idea of the American Dream. "Whether one calls it extravagant expectation, faith in entrepreneurial success, or confidence in the American cornucopia, the American Dream is an inherent part of social, cultural, political, and literary Amer...

Daisy is attracted to wealth and material objects throughout the novel and makes significant life decisions based on her future financial security. Despite the fact that she does not love Tom Buchanan, Daisy marries him because he comes from a wealthy family and is rich . Instead of marrying someone she loves, Daisy's decision is based on her financial security. Jordan Baker even tells Nick that when Daisy got drunk, she revealed her true feelings... Daisy is attracted to wealth and material objects throughout the novel and makes significant life decisions based on her future financial security. Despite the fact that she does not love Tom Buchanan, Daisy marries him because he comes from a wealthy family and is rich . Instead of marrying someone she loves, Daisy's decision is based on her financial security. Jordan Baker even tells Nick that when Daisy got drunk, she revealed her true feelings about Tom and said that Daisy changed her mind about marrying him. When Daisy takes a...

Nick is somewhat arrogant because he seems to believe, despite his father's advice to the contrary, that he is qualified to judge everyone in the story. He believes that "a sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth." In other words, some people are just simply more decent than others, and there are some who are, frankly, not good people; obviously, Nick thinks of himself as one of the good ones. He... Nick is somewhat arrogant because he seems to believe, despite his father's advice to the contrary, that he is qualified to judge everyone in the story. He believes that "a sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth." In other words, some people are just simply more decent than others, and there are some who are, frankly, not good people; obviously, Nick thinks of himself as one of the good ones. He admits, early on, that Gatsby initially "represented everything for which [he has] an unaffected scorn...

The setting of  The Great Gatsby  is informed by the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald, for it was he who named the time period the Jazz Age. In addition, there is much that is autobiographical in the character of Jay Gatsby, who aspires to live with the rich, whom he feels hold magical qualities, just as did Fitzgerald himself. Certainly, the decadent lifestyle of those with whom Fitzgerald associated at times is illustrated in the... The setting of  The Great Gatsby  is informed by the life of F. Scott Fitzgerald, for it was he who named the time period the Jazz Age. In addition, there is much that is autobiographical in the character of Jay Gatsby, who aspires to live with the rich, whom he feels hold magical qualities, just as did Fitzgerald himself. Certainly, the decadent lifestyle of those with whom Fitzgerald associated at times is illustrated in the parties given by Jay Gatsby and the irresponsible strangers who attend. Further, the luxurious homes and cars and lifestyles of those i...

The central question in F. Scott Fitzgerald's  The Great Gatsby  is whether the elusive American Dream can ever be achieved. The second to final paragraph of the novel illustrates this question clearly: "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms further . . . And one fine morning—" Gatsby's green light included... The central question in F. Scott Fitzgerald's  The Great Gatsby  is whether the elusive American Dream can ever be achieved. The second to final paragraph of the novel illustrates this question clearly: "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch our arms further . . . And one fine morning—" Gatsby's green light included two things: 1. Wealth and 2. Daisy. Just having one of the tw...

At the luncheon, Daisy is acting very flirtatiously toward Gatsby. She says things like, "You always look so cool," and "You resemble the advertisement of a man." These seemingly innocent comments are actually deeply representative of the situation that Daisy finds herself in. In terms of setting, the drawing room in which the luncheon is held is stifling. The "day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer." Upon Nick's entrance, the... At the luncheon, Daisy is acting very flirtatiously toward Gatsby. She says things like, "You always look so cool," and "You resemble the advertisement of a man." These seemingly innocent comments are actually deeply representative of the situation that Daisy finds herself in. In terms of setting, the drawing room in which the luncheon is held is stifling. The "day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest, of the summer." Upon Nick's entrance, the w...