This post is rather late but only due to the fact that, simply put, things are still mental at the moment. University is less than two weeks away and that is completely terrifying! Most of my time at the moment is spent running around like a headless chicken, desperately trying to get the last few things I 'need' in order to be ready. The truth is I can collect everything together, all the things on my list, but I am never going to feel prepared and never going to be ready. I am under no illusion that I have a struggle ahead of me. I have never been the most confident or most independent but I think that I am ready for the challenge..I hope anyway.
For this weeks post my attention, once again, has moved back to past college work. 'The Great Gatsby' is an awesome novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a necessary read at least once in your lifetime. It has provoked an awesome film adaptation by the inspiring director/writer 'Baz Luhrmann'. Chances are, you have more than likely already seen the film adaptation by now, considering it was released two years ago in 2013, but if not you must watch now...stop reading and watch. In his usual style the director constructs an overly extravagant and often gaudy mise-en-scene, perfectly representing the decadent world of thrills and luxury seen in Gatsby's house (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) used to impress love interest Daisy (Carey Mulligan). The directing style reflects and becomes the epitome of the 1920s American Boom setting. Overall, I recommend watching the film yet also taking it just for what it is. When a great book is turned into a film, the film will undoubtedly face great scrutinisation and never live up to the wild imaginations of readers' minds. However, my personal philosophy when it comes to film adaptations is that they only add to any book's universe. Any film adaptation may fail to live up to it's literature predecessor but it should be seen more as an accompanying media text rather than a replacement or bid to be as good as the writing it is based upon. As with 'Great Gatsby', the film may be flawed, it's scenes often fall short of Fitzgerald's descriptions of a world of 'unreality', but it only fails when compared to the novel. It must only be seen as something extra, slightly separate. The performances are suitably emotional; the setting still perfectly juxtaposed between the the decrepit 'Valley of Ashes', the moral decay of the 1920s American society and it's weak industrial foundations of the Boom, against the thin facade of rich luxury and happiness, on 'West Egg'.
Here is an essay of ideas, analysing themes in the novel. Read and enjoy if you are interested just please don't copy the general ideas and writing....they are the property of my mind and all its anxious and crazy qualities. The essay compares 'The Great Gatsby' with 'Atonement' which coincidentally is another great book/film pair that you should check out.
Appearance and reality in The Great Gatsby and Atonement according to Social influences
Both The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Atonement (Ian McEwan), suggest appearance is an illusion compared to reality and these illusions, are consequences of divisions between social classes. False personas from characters are seen, compared with truthful characteristics. The time periods, settings, force people to present themselves a certain way. In The Great Gatsby, the ‘roaring 1920’s’ are portrayed through Jay Gatsby and Daisy’s societal actions in particular. Nick’s narrative, shows a needed social security, defines relationships. In a pre-World War Two Britain, seen in Atonement, constrictions of class, cause people to act falsely. Cecilia seemingly hides her attraction to Robbie, as he is beneath her in traditional hierarchy. Characters can misconstrue these appearances thus the narrative becomes unreliable.
Firstly, with The Great Gatsby, themes of appearance versus illusions are explicitly expressed with how Jay Gatsby conducts himself. His act is controlled; a perfected façade, hiding his low society origins and struggle to gain wealth. It’s guessed that it may ‘ve been gained through ‘bootlegging’ alcohol (illegal during America’s prohibition). Nick, the narrator, describes Gatsby as acting with a ‘strained counterfeit of perfect ease’. Gatsby’s uncomfortable reuniting with Daisy; the atmosphere is ‘strained’. However, being described as ‘counterfeit’, specifically references the fact that Gatsby is a fake portrayal of sophistication.
Despite generous wealth, Gatsby’s never accepted into high society, due to the fact his lowly farmer origin is drastically different compared to East Egg inhabitants. Gatsby has risen in wealth; believing he needs money to please Daisy. He has reinvented himself into this false ‘counterfeit’ but dresses in ‘pink suits’, showing he lacks understanding of social etiquette, unlike those born wealthy. His ‘perfect ease’ is an imitation of a gentleman’s actions; it is not natural. Importantly, he still ‘stalks’ around Nick’s cottage; creating an impression Gatsby is less refined and feral. He’s suffocated in high society, hiding behind this ‘dignified’ appearance. Later, he even explodes with supressed anger in the Plaza Hotel. Until then, a mechanical façade appears, acting as if a puppet ‘on a wire’, performing this refined ‘counterfeit’ for Daisy’s benefit.
At one point, Nick states, ‘Gatsby got himself into a shadow’. Gatsby ‘conscientiously’ operates to ensure his lower class flaws aren’t discovered by Daisy, tarnishing his image. He manoeuvres into a ‘shadow’ so light cannot uncover cracks in his performance; uncover his secretive past. By moving into ‘shadows’, Gatsby withdraws from the situation. Alternatively, the ‘shadow’ foreshadows Gatsby’s death. The ‘shadow’ juxtaposes with hope, shown through ‘sunlight’ after ‘rain’, stifling his chance at love. It represents Gatsby’s imminent demise by John Wilson from the Valley of Ashes, the setting itself society’s ‘shadow’.
Eyes are important in Gatsby; windows uncovering false pretences. Gatsby’s eyes become personified as ‘unhappy’, even as he attempts to appear relaxed. Daisy’s eyes begin ‘bright’, and ‘happy’, but become ‘frightened’ with the reality of killing Myrtle. Largely important, is symbolism from ‘Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s’ eyes, this advertisement becoming a representation of God for unstable Wilson. Eyes that ‘see everything’. However, they’ve grown ‘faded’ in a ‘non-existent’ face. There’s absence of faith and hope in the Valley of Ashes and this becomes an excuse for loose morals in 1920’s America, reinventing oneself becoming normality. This idea that anyone can achieve prosperity, the American dream, becomes an illusion; unachievable on mass. Even in Atonement, eyes are telling. Robbie’s are ‘boyish marbles’, alluding to a childish age when Cecilia and Robbie interacted without society’s dictation or ideologies affecting their actions. The ‘mélange marble’ colours, show a hectically confused nature. Robbie embraces his origin, unlike Gatsby, proudly announcing his ‘housekeeper’ mother, but tries to smother other attributes. He distances himself with a Cambridge education.
Furthermore, Daisy conforms to society’s expectations. A beautiful façade put forward masks an unhappy reality. Arriving at Nick’s cottage, Daisy is wearing a ‘three-cornered lavender hat’. This colour creates femininity, painting her as perfect ‘wife material’. Also, Daisy’s trait to blend in with her surroundings is presented. Trees surrounding Nick’s cottage are ‘lilac’, similar to the ‘lavender hat’, implying to readers, Daisy is this ‘bright’ character craving attention, using her ‘rippling voice’ to enrapture male attention. But, also, she relies on social security of high society, blending to secure her position.
Daisy’s a stereotypical delicate woman, often wearing innocent ‘white’ to reflect her namesake of a beautiful flower. She seamlessly belongs, compared to ‘counterfeit’ Gatsby. It’s second nature for Daisy to hide sadness; remain presentable. Her mesmerising voice is a ‘wild tonic’ drugging men into dazes but has ‘artificial tones’, implying this seductiveness is a conscious effort. Oppositely, the fact Daisy’s aware of her less powerful situation, in 1920’a society, shows she will never truly belong. She states the best thing a girl can be is a ‘beautiful little fool’. Daisy tries hard to perfect her appearance, due to feeling isolated. She tries to steal power back from ‘dominating’ Tom but her knowledge it won’t help, forces her to wish she herself was a ‘fool’, not worried about limitations for women in this era. Equality of genders, from Daisy’s view, is an intangible illusion.
Even ‘frightened’ by seeing Gatsby, Daisy remains ‘graceful’. It’s important she remains beautifully poised; beauty being the only power woman had in a male dominated society. Consequently, readers are unsure to Daisy’s true personality. Cecilia similarly conforms to expectations placed upon her, therefore is frustrated with her attraction to Robbie. Fragments of the vase ‘writhe’ and sibilance like ‘synchronous, see-sawing motion’, reflects a sexually charged atmosphere between the characters. However, Cecilia stifles this and exercises authority over Robbie because she doesn’t believe in a shared future. Consequently, she hides from herself and uses a ‘condescending’ attitude, focusing on his ‘inadequacies’. She wishes to ‘punish’ him because, as a wealthy and sophisticated woman, she’s expected to marry someone equally as wealthy, ensuring the Tallis family remain secure. Therefore, Cecilia views her attraction as Robbie’s fault. A significantly divided society, before war comradeship, has forced Cecilia to become snobbish, hiding away from the reality of her feelings.
Furthermore, narrators are unreliable; therefore readers are given false appearances compared to reality. Briony ‘s unreliable because she’s too young to understand sexual tension between Cecilia and Robbie. When she views the ‘vase incident’, her privileged upbringing means she sees this ‘commanding’ lower class man, forcing her sister to undress. She presumes because Robbie is less privileged, he is experienced with dangerous ‘black mail’ and ‘threats’, like rumours of Gatsby implied. A darker reality is expressed through Briony’s innocent misunderstandings. She doesn’t see love Robbie feels; adoration shown in viewing Cecilia as an ethereal and ‘frail nymph’. Her view of reality is warped, thus she falsely convicts Robbie. Briony has been susceptible to ideologies of high society; therefore readers question her reliability Alternatively, Briony’s ‘schoolgirl crush’, not her upbringing, could have caused her to knowingly accuse Robbie in a fit of jealousy. Her selfish need for redemption, entitles her to untruthfully ‘write a different ending’, one where Robbie and Cecilia survive. Briony only cares for her identity as an author. She compares herself to ‘God’ with her power over words; believing it ‘not impossible’ for the dead couple to be at her birthday, just because she deems it so. Nick’s similarly unreliable, despite stating he is ‘reclined to reserve all judgements’. Nick generates obvious affection and admiration for Gatsby. When Daisy and Gatsby meet, Nick feels embarrassment for Gatsby, when the ‘clock’ is nearly broken. His face ‘assumes a deep tropical burn’. Nick is very empathetic towards Gatsby, even feeling his embarrassment. This implies Nick’s recall of events is highly subjective and biased. Nick describes servant ‘Finn’ as ‘demoniac’ when he interrupts Gatsby and Daisy. Nick is sympathetic to Gatsby’s story and plight for love., so much so, he wants Gatsby with Daisy even if Tom’s marriage is broken. Gatsby has taken over Nick’s world; it’s blasphemous and ‘demoniac’ to go against him.
Finally, in The Great Gatsby, symbolism is important. When the ‘clock’ appears insignificant and ‘old’ in Nick’s cottage, it really represents time Daisy and Gatsby have lost. The fact they almost believe it ‘smashed in pieces’ on the floor suggests that tension in the room, implies the couple think they can’t recapture past memories. They’re ‘broken’. Despite what the two appear as, both refined higher-class socialites; they are different ‘breeds’ of people. Gatsby will always be ‘James Gatz’, of new money, who does not understand traditional ‘old money’. Gatsby fears it’s too late for reconciliation. His fingers ‘tremble’ and, momentarily, his emotions take over. He’s less controlled despite the composed ‘at ease’ exterior. Atonement’s symbolism appears through the ‘vase’ representing love between Cecilia and Robbie. However, their love is broken into ‘fragments’ before it blossoms, instead of having lost love like Gatsby. The sophisticated ‘vase’ juxtaposes with the simile as it snaps ‘like a dry twig’. With two people hiding feelings, according to class expectations, love becomes fragile like a ‘twig’. The word ‘twig’ reflects a coarse Robbie, whilst the ‘porcelain pottery’ reflects frivolous well-bred Cecilia through alliteration. They are polar opposites (like Gatsby and Daisy), believing they cannot work.
Ultimately, Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby highlights the appearances hierarchical societies expect, of refined gentlemen and delicate women, can stifle relationships. Appearances of happy women like Daisy, who hide their actual sadness, have created ideas that wealth is the only thing needed. In reality, wealthy people of ‘West and East Egg’ are no happier than those in the Valley of Ashes. Gatsby reinvented himself, but even wealth doesn’t keep him from becoming a ‘counterfeit’ in pursuit of Daisy. Daisy won’t leave the social security of Tom Buchanan, because of his family’s reputation. Robbie and Cecilia’s love had a chance at survival, as Robbie reinvented himself through education (not illegally like Gatsby). He may struggle with acting as refined as Cecilia, becoming easily ‘irritated’, but the pair should’ve overcome class divisions, had Briony’s innocence not warped reality, seeing danger where only frustrated love existed.
The 'Great Gatsby' quote “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” becomes relevant and even more poignant to me with University closer than ever. I very much feel up against the 'current' lately and will probably face many struggles. I will look back at the 'past' frequently for comfort. However, I may be pushed back 'ceaselessly' and find it daunting to separate myself from the comfortable past, a feeling intrinsic to human nature, but it is something that has to be done. I therefore step forward on shaky legs..ready to conquer the challenges that will be thrown at me.
Thank you and until next time...keep on watching random stuff...go for all opportunities offered to you...and just keep smiling!
Note: Images not mine!
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