It is often said that certain literary works and characters within such works represent real-world issues. In the work The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character of Gatsby is shrouded in ambiguity to the reader, providing them with a possibility for personal interpretation. In the work, Gatsby’s character develops from a character representing materialism and a fixation on status to one filled with humility and selflessness for his romantic devotion towards the character of Daisy. Through this shift, the reader is provided with insight to draw parallels between Gatsby and two distinct periods in American history. The materialistic side of Gatsby, driven by wealth and his status in Long Island, represents the moral corruption and materialistic desires of America in the 1920s, whereas the romantically devoted Gatsby represents wartime America, devoted to sacrifice and nobility. The contrast within the life of Gatsby allows for a profound insight into the significance of the work as a representation of changing American values.
The beginning of the book sees Gatsby as a status of wealth and fame. The reader is, through the first-hand account of the narrator Nick, allowed to have a glimpse into the lavish nature of Gatsby's parties. Fitzgerald uses irony to solidify the understanding of the reader as to the nature of Gatsby’s gathering. Referring to Gatsby’s invitation to Nick, it reads“The honor would be entirely Gatsby’s, it said, if I would attend his ‘little party’ that night” (41). The irony lies in the fact that the title a ‘Little Party’ could not contrast more with Nick’s description of the party, with references to “the sea-change of faces and voices and color under the constantly changing light” (41). Rather than characterizing Gatsby, he is portrayed as a status symbol for wealth and prosperity reminiscent of the 1920s. It is noted by Nick that many of the party-goers do not meet Gatsby during the party, casting Gatsby in an ambiguous light for the reader, further adding to speculation about the true identity of Gatsby. “Sometimes they came without meeting Gatsby at all” (41). The reference to the mystery surrounding Gatsby’s identity is juxtaposed with Nick’s description once meeting him, taking a personalized approach. “He smiled understandingly- much more than understandingly” (48). Nick’s casting of Gatsby as a genuine individual introduces Gatsby to the reader as a character, rather than an icon representing wealth. However, rather than continue with such a personalized description of Gatsby, we see Nick describe Gatsby as “a year or two over thirty, whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd”. The duality of Nick’s perception of Gatsby, one of an elite aristocrat and one of an understanding individual serves as a representation of America’s newfound wealth in the 1920s. The ‘understanding smile’ is taken over by ‘elaborate formalities’ showcasing the development of America’s newfound aristocracy and a change in values, from cherishing kindness to elitism and status. This is further accentuated by the context of the setting. Gatsby, a West-egger, considered inferior to the elitist status of East-eggers, is the status of the decadence that individuals of all walks of life flock to in America. A West-egger serving as the provider of such decadence reflects Gatsby as a symbol of the newfound wealth seizing America in the 1920s, shifting the social landscape.
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Further into the work, Nick is introduced to a business partner of Gatsby’s, Mr. Wolfsheim. Mr. Wolfshiem referred to Nick as the man who “fixed the World Series back in 1919” (71). The use of the word ‘cooly’ to describe how Gatsby explains Nick Wolfshiem’s corrupted background further adds to the reader’s speculations of Gatsby’s corrupted morals. The idea of Gatsby dealing with an individual with such criminal activity further contributes to rumors of Gatsby as a ‘bootlegger’, as brought up at the beginning of chapter 4. The calm and collected nature of Gatsby when addressing the ‘claim to fame’ of Mr. Wolfshiem is rather representative of the corrupted morals behind America’s newfound wealth. Rather than explain it to Nick with a tone filled with negativity, he suggests an attitude of indifference, reflecting Gatsby’s acceptance of the presence of such corruption, reminiscent of 1920s America, a period in which a blind eye was turned towards such actions.
However, a different side of Gatsby is viewed by the reader once his affiliation with Daisy becomes known. When Jordan Baker expresses Gatsby’s desire to join a gathering for tea at Nick’s house, where Daisy will be present, the humility of his demands results in the reader viewing Gatsby as a man different from the one introduced as the host for the elite’s weekly debaucheries.“The modesty of the demand shook me. He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths- so that he could ‘come over’ some afternoon to a stranger’s garden” (78). Once Daisy is introduced, we see a shift in Gatsby’s character, one in which he distances himself from the grandeur of elitism and rather focuses on his encounter with Daisy. A great contrast develops between his status of the ‘Oxford man’ hosting lavish parties for New Yorkers and of the shy young man wishing to encounter the love of his life at a small tea gathering. The reference to five years suggests a preservation of Gatsby’s humble character, despite the wealth he found within such a period. The significance of his acquaintance with Daisy while he was a soldier in the war essentially reflects the microcosm which was America’s transition from wartime to the lavish lifestyles of the 1920s. The humble roots of America’s period in which goods were rationed are reflected, as he merely requests a cup of tea and to see Daisy. Contrasted with the standards of his house parties, the tensions between the two periods of time are developed.
As the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby develops, we see a retreat of Gatsby’s materialistic shell, manifested by the obscurity of what was once a status symbol for his lavish parties, his mansion. The seventh chapter begins with “It was when curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on Saturday night” (113). The mansion, which hosted the very parties where “The lights grew brighter as the earth lurched away from the sun” (40), now fails to turn on its lights. It is later revealed that this has been in the name of Daisy, and to recover his past. Gatsby, preoccupied with the thoughts of Daisy’s dissatisfaction with his parties, has stripped himself of the identity of the Gatsby known in earlier chapters, attempting to reestablish a relationship with the likes of his humble past. The darkness in a symbol such as the mansion, one which represents material success, represents the consensus of American society during the First World War. America, a nation gleaming with opportunities for the immigrants that crossed the Atlantic, is now fighting a war in the very places of origin of such immigrants, shrouded in darkness and uncertainty for the future. When compared to the 1920s, it represents a time absent of materialism, rather than focusing on the humble qualities that represent the land of opportunity. Gatsby’s retreat to achieve the past with Daisy is both a tale of attempting to rekindle his humble past also establishing hope for the future, devout of a materialistic conscience, manifesting itself into a representation of the changing American dream.
Gatsby’s transition in the eyes of the reader allows for an interpretation beyond the confines of the story itself. Through developing Gatsby’s character from one of a materialistic aristocrat to one of a man chasing the woman of his dreams, Fitzgerald reflects the change in American society during the early 20th century. Fitzgerald allows for the character of Gatsby to serve as a reflection of America during the First World War as well as the 1920s, achieving the purpose of addressing the realities of aspects of history through Nick Carraway’s carefully selected narrative.
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