Gatsby Context

Question 1

Fitzgerald and the army

Answer 1

Joined the army towards the end of WW! In 1917. Promoted to 2nd lieutenant and met 17 YO Zelda Sayre… fell in love + asked her to marry him
Agreed but delayed marriage until he was successful
Novel is seem-autobiographical

Question 2

What is Fitzgerald known for

Answer 2

Known for his love of Zelda, his alcoholism and extravagant lifestyle… fell into a reckless wild lifestyle of parties and hedonism

Question 3

Fitzgerald + Zelda

Answer 3

Zelda had an affair… described in his novel tender is the night and her novel save me the waltz
Relationship was turbulent… Zelda threw herself down stairs when seeing another woman flirt w/ Fitzgerald
Fitzgerald could have been killed off in a foresight to his marriage to Zelda… it would suffer an irreparable break. By keeping the Buchanans alive, Fitzgerald reveals his partialness to the upper class

Question 4

Context of the time

Answer 4

1920s = time of growth and prosperity with a lot of cynicism and corruption
The extravagance of G’s parties mirrors the lavish and golden decade… jazz age
Gertrude Stein referred to the Lost Generation of the post WW1 world. The generation felt powerless, the feeling of loss + emptiness were filled with/ alcohol and indulgence

Question 5

Women

Answer 5

In a symbolic show of emancipation, young women cut their hair into bobs and stopped wearing corsets to appear more masculine. Jordan Bakery demonstrates this in her name… both makes of car. + job as holder. Acts as a foil to Daisy.
Myrtle proves sexuality is one way in which you can improve their social class… exploitation of femininity… when she is killed could rep that the American dream kills her in a brutal demonstration that a woman of her social class cannot move up in society.

Question 6

Wealth + the American dream

Answer 6

Old money ruled- then new money trying to climb ladder- then no money suffers… myrtle is killed
American dream= ‘land of opportunity’ could be successful no matter social background. Fitzgerald challenged idea… American dream boiled down to pursuit of wealth . Gatsby personifies American dream… Daisy is proxy for wealth + the American dream
Power of advertisement + consumer market reflected by Doctor T.J Eckleburg… tensions between appearance and reality is shown. Represents the ills that capitalism gave birth to American society… Eckleburg is judging ppl as god would, highlighting the enshrined nature of capitalism… also forgotten like one could say god is becoming
Conspicuous consumerism coined by Veblen, incr pov amongst the lower classes as the rich got richer.