Thinking Activity on The Great Gatsby

  Hello, This blog is part of our study. This Thinking Activity: The Great Gatsby was assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad sir Department of English MKBU. In this task, we have to refer to the screening of the film The Great Gatsby (2013) and write our response to the Questions.

The Great Gatsby

Introduction of the Writer-

Francis Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940) was an American novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter, who is considered to be one of the greatest authors of the 20th century. He is best known for his novels The Great Gatsby and Tender is the Night, and for his short story collection, Tales of the Jazz Age.

Fitzgerald was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1896. He was named after his distant cousin, Francis Scott Key, the author of "The Star-Spangled Banner." His family was upper-middle class, and his father, Edward Fitzgerald, was an unsuccessful businessman. His mother, Mollie Fitzgerald, was a housewife. Fitzgerald was the only child of his parents and grew up in a Catholic family, he attended Catholic schools throughout his childhood and teenage years. In 1913, Fitzgerald enrolled at Princeton University, where he began writing fiction and poetry. He was actively involved in the university's theater and wrote for the Princeton Triangle Club, a student-run theater group. He also wrote for the Princeton Tiger, the university's magazine, and was elected to the Sphinx Club, a literary and social organization. Despite his success at Princeton, Fitzgerald left the university without graduating, joining the army in 1917.

After World War I, Fitzgerald moved to New York City, where he began his career as a professional writer. He published his first novel, This Side of Paradise, in 1920. The novel was a commercial and critical success and established him as a rising literary star. The success of the book allowed him to move to Paris where he continued to write and work on his next novels.

Fitzgerald's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned, was published in 1922. The book was not as successful as his first novel, but it did establish him as a notable figure in the literary world. His third novel, The Great Gatsby, was published in 1925 and is considered to be his masterpiece. The novel is a powerful critique of the American Dream and the excesses of the Roaring Twenties. It was not a commercial success at the time of its release, but it has since become one of the most celebrated novels in American literature. Fitzgerald's fourth and final novel, Tender Is the Night, was published in 1934. Like The Great Gatsby, the novel was not a commercial success upon its initial release but it was well received by critics.

Fitzgerald struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life, which affected both his personal and professional life. He moved to Hollywood in the 1930s, where he worked as a screenwriter, but his career there was not successful. Fitzgerald died of a heart attack in 1940 at the age of 44, his writing career was not long but his novels and short stories continue to be read and admired today.

Some Important Work of Him:

• This Side of Paradise (1920)
• The Beautiful and Damned and Tales of the Jazz Age (1922)
• The Great Gatsby (1925)
• Tender Is the Night (1934)
• The Crack-Up (1936)
• The Last Tycoon (1941)

Introduction of Novel The Great Gatsby :

Setting- Jazz Age New York

Genre- Novel, Tragedy, Realism, Modernism, Social Satire

Publication year- 1925

Set in the roaring twenties, it takes place in the fictional Long Island town of West Egg and New York City, and follows the lives of wealthy socialites and their relationships. The novel's narrator is Nick Carraway, a young man from the Midwest who becomes friends with the mysterious Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who throws extravagant parties and is known for his mysterious past. Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan, a woman from his past who is now married to Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man with a violent streak.

The novel explores themes of love, wealth, social status, the decline of the American Dream, and the moral decay of the era. Through Gatsby, the novel portrays the idea of the self-made man, who rises from humble beginnings to great wealth and success, but ultimately finds that true happiness and fulfillment remain elusive. The novel uses a number of literary techniques to create a sense of atmosphere and convey the moral and social issues of the period.

The Great Gatsby is considered a literary classic and is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels of the 20th century. It has been adapted into films, stage productions, and other media numerous times, and is still widely read and studied today for its commentary on the human condition and its exploration of the American Dream.

 1. How did the film capture the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, the Flappers & the Prohibition Act of the America in 1920s?

The 2013 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" captures the Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, the Flappers, and the Prohibition Act of America in the 1920s through its portrayal of the main characters and their lifestyle, as well as its use of set design, costuming, and music. The film's depiction of the main characters' opulent parties and extravagant lifestyles is meant to evoke the excess and excess of the period, while the costumes and set design are intended to capture the fashion and architectural styles of the era. The film's use of music, particularly jazz, helps to create the sense of the cultural upheaval taking place during the 1920s, as jazz represented a new form of music that was seen as a symbol of the changing times. Additionally, the theme of the prohibition act is also portrayed through the parties that are given by the characters in secret and bootlegging, the illegal selling of alcohol.

2) Watch the PPT on the difference between the film and the novel and write in brief about it.

The 2013 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" directed by Baz Luhrmann, is different from the novel in several ways.

One of the main differences between the film and the novel is the portrayal of the characters. In the novel, the characters are described through their thoughts and actions, whereas in the film, the actors' performances and the visual elements help to convey their personalities and motivations. The film also emphasizes the excess and opulence of the time period more than the novel, particularly in its depiction of Gatsby's parties and the extravagant costumes worn by the characters. Additionally, the film adds some more visual effects and graphical element to the story which is not in the novel

Another difference is that the film has more focus on music, especially jazz, which is used as an effective tool to convey the cultural upheaval of the era and to create a sense of atmosphere in the film, which is less prominent in the novel. The film also makes some changes to the story, such as the elimination of certain subplots and characters, and the rearrangement of events in the novel's timeline.

The film adaptation of The Great Gatsby stays true to the main themes and characters of the novel while providing a more visually rich and immersive experience, with emphasis on the excess, music, and lifestyle of the era.

The hotel scene in the movie differs from the novel for one main reason: Gatsby does not grab Tom and yell "shut up" in the novel but does in the movie. This gives the audience of the movie a reason for Daisy to have doubts about Gatsby, but this doubt is not portrayed in the novel. In the book, Tom simply sends Daisy and Gatsby away. This difference can be seen in the following clip:

 

In Gatsby's death scene, he is shot as he is climbing out of the pool after hearing the phone ring. Gatsby is then fatally shot by Wilson and dies thinking Daisy was going to run away with him. In reality, the phone call was from Nick, but none of this happened in the book. Gatsby is floating on an air mattress in the pool and is fatally shot by Wilson. The difference can be seen in the following clip...

3) How did the film help in understanding the symbolic significance of 'The Valley of Ashes', 'The Eyes of Dr. T J Eckleberg', and 'The Green Light'?

The film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" helps to understand the symbolic significance of "The Valley of Ashes," "The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg," and "The Green Light" through its use of imagery, cinematography, and special effects.

The Valley of Ashes: In the novel, The Valley of Ashes is described as a desolate and poverty-stricken area between West Egg and New York City, where the ashes from the city's factories are dumped. The film does an excellent job of visualizing this area, depicting it as a gray and gloomy wasteland, covered in ash and soot, representing the moral and social decay of the era. The ash heap is further emphasized by the use of special effects such as smoke, and the use of costuming, which shows the people living in the ash heap, who are dressed in gray and black, looking dirty and defeated.

The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg: In the novel, the "Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg" are described as a pair of spectral, dilapidated billboards, bearing the image of a bespectacled doctor, that tower over the Valley of Ashes. The film, again, uses visual techniques like close-up shots, lighting, and special effects to emphasize the eyes, making them look menacing and ominous, symbolizing the moral surveillance of the characters and the judgment they fear.

The Green Light: In the novel, the green light is described as a symbol of Gatsby's unrequited love for Daisy, as well as his longing for the past and the American Dream. The film uses lighting, camera angles, and special effects to create a sense of longing and desire, as the green light is often depicted in close-up shots, and is filmed in a way that makes it appear to be beckoning and alluring. This emphasizes the idea of Gatsby's obsession with Daisy and his desire to re-create the past.

The film helps to enhance the symbolic significance of these elements by using visual elements like imagery, camera angles, special effects, and lighting to create a sense of atmosphere and convey the themes and motifs of the novel.

4) How did the film capture the theme of racism and sexism?

These both are the themes of the Novel.

The 2013 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" captures the themes of racism and sexism through its portrayal of characters and the use of imagery and dialogue.

One way the film explores racism is through the character of Tom Buchanan, who expresses openly racist views throughout the film. He uses racial slurs and denigrates black characters and people, the film portrays him as a character who represents the prejudice and racism of the time period.

Another way the film explores racism is through the depiction of the "African Americans" characters as secondary figures in the story and as servants who are not part of the main action. This also reflects the racism and discrimination that existed in society at that time, where people of color were often relegated to subservient roles and not given the same opportunities as white people.

The film also explores sexism through its portrayal of female characters, particularly Daisy Buchanan and Jordan Baker. Daisy is portrayed as a shallow, emotionally unstable woman who is used to getting her way and is more interested in her own pleasure than in the feelings of others. Jordan is a more independent woman, but is often described as "masculine" and portrayed as someone who is not fully accepted in the world of the wealthy and powerful.

The film also touches on the theme of classism and discrimination, showing how the wealthy elite looked down on and treated those who were not of their social class. The depiction of the Valley of Ashes and its inhabitants, the poor and the working class, serves as a reminder of the social divide and the way it perpetuates discrimination.

The film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" captures the themes of racism and sexism through its portrayal of characters, imagery, and dialogue, in addition to exploring other forms of discrimination such as classism.

5) Watch the video on Nick Carraway and discuss him as a narrator.

Nick Carraway is the narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby." As the narrator, Nick plays an important role in the novel, providing the reader with a firsthand account of the events and characters. He is presented as a young, curious, and honest man from the Midwest who is new to the East Coast and becomes friends with the wealthy Jay Gatsby. He is also a neighbor of Gatsby, living in West Egg, and becomes a participant observer in the events that unfold. Throughout the novel, Nick serves as the reader's guide, introducing the other characters and providing insight into their actions and motivations.

Nick is an introspective and reliable narrator who reflects on the events he witnesses and the people he meets, and his interpretation of the events adds to the novel's themes and motifs. He is also a character with a moral compass, giving a commentary on the actions of the other characters, and showing the reader the moral ambiguity and the decay of society in the 1920s. Nick's relationship with Gatsby is particularly important to the novel, as Gatsby confides in Nick and reveals his past, his love for Daisy, and his plans for the future. Nick's admiration for Gatsby and his disgust for other characters like Tom Buchanan and Jordan Baker is another important aspect that shapes the novel's narrative.

This video is from The Great Gatsby Movie 2013. At the start of the movie, Nick is Narrator.

Nick Carraway serves as an important narrator for the novel, providing a first-person perspective on the events and characters, and his comments and reflections offer deeper insights into the novel's themes. His character arc, relationships, and moral compass make him a significant character in the novel and a guide to understanding the world of "The Great Gatsby".

6) Watch the video on the psychoanalytical study of Jay Gatsby and write about his character.

Jay Gatsby, the main character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," can be analyzed as a representation of the psyche of the self-made man and the American Dream.

From a Freudian perspective, Gatsby can be seen as a representation of the id, the primitive, instinctual part of the psyche that drives behavior. Gatsby is driven by his desire for Daisy, and his actions are motivated by a strong sense of longing and desire. He throws extravagant parties and amasses great wealth in an attempt to win her back, a representation of the pleasure principle which is the desire for instant gratification.

From an Ego perspective, Gatsby's character can be seen as a representation of the ego, the part of the psyche that mediates between the id and the outside world. Gatsby is a self-made man, who through his determination and hard work, was able to rise from humble beginnings to great wealth, but he also finds that true happiness and fulfillment remain elusive, representing the struggle of the ego to reconcile the demands of the id with the reality of the external world.

From a superego perspective, Gatsby's character can be seen as a representation of the superego, the part of the psyche that represents the conscience and internalized values. The guilt and moral ambiguity Gatsby feels, especially towards the end of the story, represents the influence of his superego, as he realizes that his actions and values are not in line with societal and moral standards.

Here is the video related to the psychoanalytical study of Jay Gatsby by Emory Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Jared DeFife.

In summary, Gatsby's character can be analyzed from a psychoanalytical perspective as a representation of the psyche of the self-made man and the American Dream, and through the different parts of the psyche, the Id, Ego and Superego, the novel explores the different aspects of human nature such as desire, longing, determination, moral ambiguity, guilt, and the struggle to reconcile internal desires with external reality.

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