Jesse Blakely

April 8, 2014

How do we see the theme of Modernism carried out in the novel?

The theme of modernism is heavily used in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

The corruption of the American Dream

In the novel, the idea of the American dream is fatally destroyed. Fitzgerald uses Tom and Daisy Buchanan as an illustration of this ill- begotten dream. Tom and Daisy have the big house, a kid, and lots of money. The two try to make the dream a reality but it is filled with many holes. Essentially, neither of them loves the other. On page 33 Catherine whispers to Nick that “Neither of them can stand the person they’re married to.” referring to Tom and Myrtle. She explains that Tom how doesn’t really want Daisy and why he can’t divorce her. Everything Catherine said wasn’t true, like daisy being a catholic, but Tom not loving Daisy was true. His actions, and him just seeing Myrtle, was enough to confide that Tom did not truly love Daisy.

However Daisy also doesn’t love Tom. When Tom and Gatsby are arguing Daisy says about Tom, “I never loved him….Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom”(pg. 132-133). The whole time Daisy was always in love with Gatsby. However she wanted someone with money which Tom had and Gatsby didn’t. She was only in love with Tom because he could give her things. Daisy was very materialistic, and now Gatsby was able to give her things also, as he showed her, and Daisy wanted to be with Gatsby. This whole scenario illustrates the corruption of the American Dream.

Men are harsh

The modernist idea that men are harsh and brute is evident throughout the novel. Fitzgerald uses Tom as a vivid example. Like on page 37 “Making a short deft movement, Tom broke her nose with his open hand”. Tom was very harsh a lot throughout the novel. Besides cheating on his wife, Tom was aggressive with a lot of people. In this situation Tom breaks myrtle’s nose because of an argument over his wife at home. This portrays the “men are harsh” image of the modernist thinkers.

Environment is hostile

In the novel where the average American lives the environment is hostile. The valley of ashes is a great example. On page 23 Nick describes the valley of ashes as an everlasting dirty place. He mentions how “ashes grow like wheat ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.” The valley consumes everything and makes it hard to distinguish any one object. The valley of ashes is very hostile.

Men and women are isolated from each other

Isolation is big in the novel. In the beginning Nick is isolated. On page 5 he described his house of little significance and an eyesore. But this house was not truly apart of West Egg. Nick was isolated from the citizens, Daisy and Tom and the World.

Gatsby also isolates himself by being occupied in his dreams. Gatsby was so big on his dream, Daisy, not he was isolated from the world. Gatsby was never around at his own parties. People who attended his parties hardly ever knew anything about him. He lived in house big enough for a village alone. Nick did not even understand Gatsby until Gatsby gave Nick information to acquire his dream. Like on page 49 Nick states, “ I would have accepted without question the information that Gatsby sprang from the swamps of Louisiana or from the Lower East Side of New York.” Gatsby was so isolated, that Nick believed he could have origins anywhere.

Tom and Daisy are isolated.

Struggle To survive alone

Nick struggles to survive alone. Gatsby strongly struggles to survive alone. He could not survive without Daisy

Violent horrible loss without warning

In the novel there are violent unexpected deaths. First myrtle died. On page 137 “ Its driver hurried back to where Myrtle Wilson, her life violently extinguished, knelt in the road.” Myrtle was alive and arguing with George when suddenly she ran outside and was killed. The death was very unexpected and affected many people including Tom, Wilson, and Daisy.

In contrast, Gatsby also suffers and violent horrible death without warning along with Wilson. Wilson suspected Gatsby and went and fatally killed him then himself . “ The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of transit, a thin red circle on the water…… the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete” (pg. 162) These to suffered the same tragic death as Myrtle but did not really impact anyone but Nick.

Life has no meaning

In the book there is no true meaning or purpose to life. The characters lack ambition. There is no church. Politics is not mention or looked upon. There is no morals or rules to live by, everyone just go along doing what they want, getting money, trying to buy happiness. Like Daisy, she believes she is happy and secure because she had money, but it is a false happiness.

No one is honest but very few

Almost everyone in the novel is dishonest. Daisy is dishonest to Tom, because she is going and seeing Gatsby without his knowing. Tom is dishonest to Daisy because he is cheating on her and acting like he’s not. Tom is also dishonest to Myrtle because he lies and says he can’t divorce because Daisy is a catholic. Jordan is dishonest in golf and as a person. Myrtle is dishonest to Wilson cheating with Tom. Gatsby is semi dishonest about his personal life, but completely dishonest about how he gets his money. The only honest person in the novel was Nick. Page 59 “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” Nick knows and can confirm this because everyone drags him into their dishonesty, and allows Nick to witness their true character.

No one is going to church

In the novel religion is not very scarce and there is no commitment to the church. No character in the novel mentions anything about attending church. One person mentions church when trying to comfort Wilson but only because he is at despair. The church is used as a means of last resort. The novel portrays the modernist idea of religion has no purpose.

Challenges tradition and breaks away from it

The Great Gatsby challenges tradition in many ways. It breaks away from the church as a necessity to live life. It breaks away from dealing with and living with reality. It breaks away from the traditional morals of American life.

Self-discovery

"He wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was." (pg. 110) Gatsby is struggling to find himself in the novel. He doesn’t know how to let the past go.

Disillusionment

Gatsby. Myrtle. Daisy.

Prohibition

The topic of prohibition is briefly touched on in the novel. When talking of bootleggers and When Tom says “I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t fair

wrong.” (133), when referring to Gatsby, the topic of prohibition is briefly portrayed, which was a trait of modernism.

Infidelity

Myrtle and Tom are openly cheating

Page 12 “Civilization’s going into Pieces”