Essay

The Great Gatsby is told by the narrator Nick Carraway. From this first person perspective, it gives the reader a more in depth insight into all the characters emotions, appearance and relationships. The narration deciphers the tale as a story of adultery, murder, love and companionship.

One notable device used within the book is the use of imagery. The book offers itself to some very clear and clever imagery that has now become iconic. The imagery provides the reader with an insight to emotions and in some cases creates foreshadowing. For example the green light at the end of Daisy's dock. The light represents all Gatsyby's hopes and dreams as it is the distance from past to present, from Gatsby succeeding in love to lusting over it. Alternatively it connotes some themes from the book,for example jealousy, relating to Gatsby's relationship with Tom or perhaps everyone's relationship with Gatsby and his wealthy lifestyle. This use of imagery lends itself to many interpretations of the book, depending on how the reader depicts the imagery. Furthermore it also gives the reader a wider understanding of the setting and can begin to get inside the mind of Gatsby and reflect on his emotions.

A very prominent, notable element of The Great Gatsby is the structure and pace of the book. The pace can at times really change the whole genre of a chapter and twist and turn the readers interpretation of characters. For example, chapter two see's Nick bonding with Tom and Tom initiating Myrtle into Nick. So this chapter could potentially lend itself to many themes such as love, lust, deceit and adultery. One way this chapter gets all these themes in is the use of the pace. The chapter is fast paced, included several locations and within one of the shorter chapters in the book, the pace goes from Tom showing off his mistress to punching her in the nose. This is very episodic much like a dramatic thriller. If this chapter was compared with something on television today, it could be related with a soap opera such as Eastenders. There is plenty of gossip and turning points involved to justify this.

The content of ideologies within the book can also effect how the book is told and the readers interpretation. The main ideology featured is The American Dream. Toying with the notion that going from the rough to the wealthy can make you happy and successful, however in The Great Gatsby the American Dream is given a twist and a bad press. For example, Gatsby is very wealthy and successful, holding parties every week, living in finery, yet it is clear he is not happy. In chapter V he says to Daisy - 'You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.’ it is clear Daisy is on his mind all the time, even when he is holding parties and spending his money. In The Great Gatsby, the American Dream simply didn't work.


Joe