Critics Flashcards
Alfred Kazin’s Critique:
Describes Daisy as “vulgar and inhuman,” reflecting a negative view of her character.
A.E. Dyson’s Analysis:
States that Gatsby embodies his rootless society
‘In one sense Gatsby is the apotheosis of his rootless society… He really believes in himself and his illusions’
Edwin Clark’s Observation:
Notes Fitzgerald’s portrayal of characters with a lack of ‘spirit, carelessness, and absence of loyalties.’
Tony Tanner’s Interpretation:
Suggests that the green light symbolizes an unreachable focus for Gatsby’s longing and aspirations.
“The green light offers Gatsby a suitably inaccessible focus for his yearning”’
Lionel Trilling’s View:
Considers Gatsby as a representation of America itself, indicating his significance in the novel
“comes inevitably to stand for America itself”
Leland S. Person’s Insight:
Highlights Gatsby’s pursuit of an idealized image of a woman, suggesting no real person can match his invented ideal.
“No woman, no human being, could ever approximate the platonic ideal he has invented”
Michelle McMechan’s Analysis:
Associates Daisy Fay’s name with “impressions of sunshine, transience, and vague unreality.”
Marxist Literary Theory Critique:
Marxist theory critiques the morals and ethics of 1920s American society, particularly evident in Gatsby’s pursuit of identity.
Frohlich’s Argument:
Argues that Jordan’s sexual ambivalence towards men, her desire to keep unintelligent men around, and her dishonesty indicate that she is gay and trying to hide her sexuality.
Sarah Tripp on Masculinity:
Discusses the evolving definition of masculinity, which increasingly contrasts with femininity, lacking compassion and emotional sensitivity.
Marxist Analysis of Myrtle’s American Dream:
Highlights how Myrtle’s pursuit of the American Dream commodifies her, subjecting her to objectification and diminishing her value.
Marxist View of Gatsby’s Role:
Considers Gatsby as a representation of America’s pursuit of the American Dream, whose demise reflects the failure of this ideal.
Feminist Perspective on Daisy:
Addresses the objectification of Daisy by Gatsby and her portrayal as a secondary object in men’s stories.
Leland S. Person Jr.’s Insight on Daisy:
Views Daisy as ‘more of a victim than a victimizer, first of Tom’s ‘CRUEL’power and then of Gatsby’s depersonalized vision.’
