Alexis Ferko

Mr. Probert
ELA III
March 26, 2014

The Great Gatsby

His smile was one of those rare smiles that you might come across four or five
times in life. It seemed to understand you and believe in you, just as you would like be
understood and believed in. (The Great Gatsby, 2) The mysterious Mr. Jay Gatsby
intrigued everyone from East Egg to Manhattan. Few are close to him, some are
acquainted with him, but all know of his exuberant, lavish parties. The whole city
packed into automobiles and all weekend, every weekend they ended up at Gatsbys.
(The Great Gatsby, 1) The wild dancing, excessive drinking and gambling are all a usual
occurrence for the weekly parties at Gatsbys mansion in West Egg. The Roaring
Twenties are of the same essence. The American Dream is somewhat defined by the
1920s. While social and moral values were diminishing, the corruption and desire for
money and power were on the rise. F. Scott Fitzgeralds masterpiece, The Great Gatsby
came to life on the big screen once again in 2013. The gambling, drinking, and
sumptuous partying were just the beginning. The Great Gatsby is a timeless story of
money, tragedy, the luxury of the 1920s, a desperate love and the lengths Jay Gatsby
will go for such a thing. With narration by Gatsbys neighbor, Nick Carraway, whose
perception and thoughts show the nature of the times and how he became stuck in the
middle of it all.

Jay Gatsby was a mogul to say the least. Wild rumors assumed he was the nephew
or cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm, while others with elaborate imaginations considered that he
killed a man. To be quite frank, Gatsby was a man of many secrets which only a select
few knew of. His past was a complicated tale; James Gatz, Gatsbys real name, faced the
poverty-stricken hardships of his childhood in North Dakota and built himself up from
next to nothing in his teenage years. He came across Dan Cody while on his yacht, before
a thunderstorm on a lake. James quickly rowed out to Dan and warned him of the
impending storm. Dan was a wealthy businessman whom immediately took Gatsby under
his wing. Dan was very important to Gatsby, for he helped Jay realize that he wanted to
live a luxurious life. From there on, Gatsby decided to reinvent himself, and become the
man hes always dreamed of being. He went to Yale and shortly entered the military.
Before he was sent off to fight in World War I, he went to a party. Thats where he met
Daisy, the girl of his dreams. He instantly fell for her as she did him. When Gatsby went
off to fight in World War I, Daisy said she would wait for him to come back. She then
met Tom Buchanan and Gatsby meant nothing to her. Everything he has done in his
adult life has been with the sole purpose of fulfilling the most unrealistic of dreams to
recapture the past. (CliffNotes, 1)
Once Daisy came into Gatsbys life, all he wanted to do was win her over. Daisy
married Tom for his money and Gatsby wanted to make sure that money was never going
to come between them again. Everything he did was for Daisy, his drive and desperation
were to make himself worthy enough of Daisys love. The general public assumed Jay
inherited his money from his wealthy family. Tom later found out the truth, "He and this
Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain
alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the
first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong.(The Great Gatsby, 7) What he doesnt
realize is that Daisy isnt the same person she was and either is he.
As mentioned, Nick Carraway is the narrator of the story. Nick moves into a little
cottage next door to Gatsbys mansion in West Egg. He also happens to be cousins to
Daisy Buchanan, a sheer coincidence. Everything is from Nicks point of view; his
perceptive of the parties, the fights, of the people involved in this story are all of his own
opinion. Once Gatsby discovers that Nicks cousins with Daisy, he becomes friends with
him fast, offering helicopter rides, invitations to his parties and also a job in his shady
side business. He does this so he would eventually be able to ask Nick for a favor, to have
Daisy over for tea. Nick is in the bond business on Wall Street, and while he isnt very
wealthy, he enjoys what he does. Nick meets Tom and Daisy for dinner at the
Buchanans mansion, where he also meets Jordan Baker, his love interest throughout the
movie. Eventually, Tom solicits him to go into the city with him, which later ends up
including Myrtle, Toms mistress.
Daisy Buchanan is innocently beautiful and also has a need to be loved. Once
Gatsby left for the war, she fell for Tom. It appears that she cant be independent; she
always needs someone there with her. At first, it seems like she really isnt happy with
Tom, but later it comes to light that she needs money, and a wealthy man will do. I hope
shell be a fool. Thats the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.
(The Great Gatsby, 1)
Tom Buchanan is the closest thing this story has to a villain. Although cheating
on his wife, with her knowledge, he still loves Daisy. They had a twisted, immoral love.
His affair with Myrtle did put a strain on his marriage with Daisy. He is very wealthy, for
he inherited his familys money. Daisy and Toms mansion is fully staffed and Tom
frequently visits his apartment in Manhattan with Myrtle. He is also quite arrogant, racist
and sexist. Tom becomes especially suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy, and of Gatsbys
past, including how he became so wealthy.
The minor characters are Jordan Baker, Myrtle Wilson and George Wilson.
Jordan is a professional golfer who is friends with Daisy and romantically involved with
Nick. She also helps Gatsby arrange for Nick to have tea with Gatsby and Daisy. Myrtle
is Toms lover who lives in the City of Ashes, between New York City and West and
East Egg. She is also killed in the end of the movie by Gatsbys car, driven by Daisy.
George is Myrtles husband and owns an auto shop in the City of Ashes. He has no
knowledge of Tom and Myrtles affair. When Myrtle is killed, he finds out about the
affair and kills Gatsby for hitting Myrtle with his car, even though it was really Daisy.
The beginning of the movie is not in the book. The movie starts with Nick having
entered a psychiatric facility. Hes in the office with the doctor talking about parties and
money. Nick is now an alcoholic and insomniac, among other issues. Gatsbys name
comes up and Nick explains that Gatsby was The most hopeful man Ive ever met. The
doctor tells him to explain the experiences hes had involving Gatsby. His stories lead to
the writing of The Great Gatsby. Nick views Gatsby as a hero, someone he looked up
to. Nick didnt think Gatsby deserved to die, even though Gatsby did use him as a way to
get to Daisy. He noticed that Gatsby felt the need to impress Nick. Gatsby showed him
many sides of himself that no one really got to see. Nick knew everything about him,
even his past. Nick is especially mad with Daisy because it looked to him like Daisy
didnt care that Gatsby died.
Daisy, Gatsby, Jordan, Tom and Nick all meet at a hotel. That is when Daisy
rejects Gatsby and he becomes furious, leading him to punch Tom. Gatsby wants Daisy
to tell Tom she never loved him, even though Daisy knows that its not true. Tom admits,
"And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool
of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time." (The Great
Gatsby, 7) Once Daisy and Gatsby drive back to East Egg, both mad at the other, Myrtle
runs into the street in the City of Ashes. Daisy doesnt see her and Gatsby tries to swerve
out of the way but its too late. Daisy hits Myrtle but they keep driving. Once George find
out that the car belongs to Gatsby, hes out for blood.
Youre worth the whole damn bunch put together Nicks last words to Gatsby
before George shot him in Gatsbys swimming pool. That was that, Gatsbys life ended
over something he didnt do. All the parties were over and no one batted an eye at
Gatsbys passing except for Nick. Daisy fled the country with Tom and their daughter
and everyone who attended his weekly parties suddenly were too busy to care.
The 1920s were called The Roaring Twenties for a reason. It was a booming
time for almost everyone; the glorious post-war economic growth. A time where the rich
get richer, lavish parties and useless spending proved that. Cars, parties, money, power;
they all define the 1920s and more so, the American Dream. The economy was
booming, alcohol was cheap and the need for power, pleasure and greed was higher then
ever. The social and moral values were diminishing because material goods were as
important in the 20s as good health.
Jazz music was at its peak in the 1920s and music was a huge part in making the
movie as realistic for the times as possible. Baz and [Monsted] call it the sliding doors
between music that is very true to the period of the movies setting in 1922 and the music
of today. When F. Scott Fitzgerald suggested the popular music of his period, he was
criticized because jazz was short-lived at the time. That type of music is now respected
because 80 years have passed. For Fitzgerald, it was the racy, adventurous feel of that
music in that time. (The Hollywood Reporter, 1) The music was a huge role in the 2013
adaption of the movie. It helped viewers visualize what the times were like, the sounds of
the parties, the dancing and costumes would be nothing without the music. The elaborate
parties were obviously on the eyes of many critics going in to the movie. New York
Times calls the party scenes "We swoop and swerve through one of Gatsbys parties in a
movement that combines Vincente Minnelli-style suavity with the controlled
unsteadiness of a theme park ride. Many were enthralled with the party scenes that cost
millions of dollars to produce. Extras, dcor, music, dancers all factor into the exuberant
scenes that make Gatsby appear as if hes rolling in cash.
Wealth somewhat defined a person in the 1920s. Since the stock market was
booming, people bought anything and everything they could afford. If one didnt have
money or fast cars, even big houses, they were seen as poor, not up to par with the
wealthy people. When World War I ended, a sense of greed, power, came into play.
If it wasnt for the mist we could see your home across the bay you always
have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock. (The Great Gatsby, 5) The
green light symbolizes everything the Great Gatsby represents. The single green light
that resides on Daisys dock across the water from Gatsbys mansion represents the
uncertainty the future brings. It brings to mind this unattainable dream that Gatsby has
with Daisy. The dream that mustve seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp
it. (The Great Gatsby, 8) Multiple scenes in the movie show Gatsby with a solemn look,
trying to grab the light, but being unsuccessful. It appeared to be close, easy to grasp.
Instead, the light deceives him and he is unable to grasp it. On the last page of the novel,
Nick summarizes this unattainable light, Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic
future that year by year resides before us. It eluded us then, but thats no matter-
tomorrow we will run farther, stretch out our arms farther and one fine morning- so we
beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. (The Great
Gatsby, 9)
The Great Gatsby cost around $125 million to produce, including special affects
which made the City of Ashes, Manhattan, among others, come to life. The majority of it
was filmed in Sydney, Australia. It earned around $350 million at the box office
worldwide. The Great Gatsby did turn a profit of around $50 million. A lot can be said
for social networking sites, Gatsbys biggest marketing platform. Social networking sites
were buzzing about the movie and even the soundtrack. With big names such as Jay-Z,
Beyonc, Lana Del Rey and Jack White, the soundtrack helped create the sounds of the
movie, and also turn a profit. (Forbes, 1)
The Great Gatsby is the highs of the 1920s wrapped up into a film. From parties
and cars to money and the American Dream. It is the epitome of an epically twisted love
story. The unattainable dream correlates with the unattainable girl from Gatsbys past,
Daisy, whom he throws these lavish parties for. One day, he hopes she will find herself at
Gatsbys mansion, and they can finally reconcile. Everything that Gatsby remembers
about Daisy comes from their past. He is constantly, vicariously living in the past. He
talked a lot about the past, and I gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea
of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. (The Great Gatsby, 6) He wants to
pick up where he left off with Daisy, forgetting that somewhat in-between stage he had.
His life constantly revolves around Daisy, as he died waiting for a phone call from her.
The Great Gatsby is a timeless story of money, tragedy, the luxury of the 1920s; a
desperate love and the lengths Jay Gatsby went for such a thing. So we beat on, boats
against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. (The Great Gatsby, 9)