The Roaring Twenties was a time of exuberance like none other, where people and America’s society focused on self-indulgence and happiness like never before. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the ideal portrayal of this time era. In a time shortly after war, this novel captures the audience, forcing them to participate in the setting and with the characters. Jay Gatsby, the focal point of this novel, is used as a representation of this era in American history and as an example of the pursuit of the American Dream. Fitzgerald uses vivid diction that captivates the reader and his symbolism creates a lasting, universal impression for all who pick up the novel. Throughout the following, I will use Fitzgerald’s diction,
Through the character of Jay Gatsby, the fact that happiness cannot be purchased is evident. A man like Jay, who just arrived back to his mansion from war, flooding with money and wealth, is perhaps the unhappiest character in the entire novel. In the end it is proven, that the money is not what Mr. Gatsby was living for, but instead he was living for the heart of beautiful Daisy Buchanan. After many attempts to impress the married Daisy, and after the otherwise preventable death of Myrtle Wilson, Jay Gatsby decides to take his own life after giving up all hope. This ending proves that if someone searches for happiness in all of the wrong places, it will only result in a life of misery, uncertainty, and regret. Through the use of evaluative criticism, it can be depicted that this novel deserves any and all positive recognition given to it. This book can transform the lives of many by displaying the importance of where happiness will truly come from. A lasting impression on the reader is created by this book because it relates to a universal theme that can open the eyes of the reader, despite who they are. This piece of literature is reviewed so highly that, after eighty-eight years, it has been produced in another form of art, film. The movie, The Great Gatsby, based on Fitzgerald’s novel, is to premiere on May 10, 2013. Many are excited to see exactly how the legacy of this