Literature Analysis of novel The Great Gatsby - Essay Example

ANALYSIS OF NOVEL THE GREAT GATSBY Introduction In “The Great Gatsby”, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses characterization to bring out the various differences that exists between different people and the power of men to follow their ego into getting what they want in life. But perhaps the most memorable spot of the story should be the fact that for whatever a man sows, it is that, which he reaps: and that there is not escaping the evil that men do because the evil that men do leads after them. Certainly, F. Scott Fitzgerald was a master with the characters because he was in a position to make the characters connect well to get the personality of each of other character coming out clearly and to complement that of the other person. Each character is made to play a unique role in the story that could stand out on its own as comprehensive, but at the same time become connected to what the other had been doing. In the following sections therefore, the roles played by some of the key characters and how the roles complemented the characterization of others to make the story unique is explored. Analysis of Characters There is evidence in the character of Jay Gatsby that each man is born with an innate ambition and desire and that this innate ambition and desire, which could also be referred to as ego, is not easily suppressed by external factors, mostly environmental factors. This is because even though Jay Gatsby was born into a very poor home and family, and he was brought up as a pauper, his environment could not change his perception about life. As the led character, Jay Gatsby would strongly desire for greatly and work his way out to achieving that. Though his childhood situation was bleak, Jay Gatsby was a man of great hope in the future. So we read about him that: “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us” (1925, p. 211). Uncharacteristic of a person coming from the kind of background that Jay Gatsby was coming from however, his way of looking for wealth become through the engagement in illegal activities such as the sale of banned alcoholic products. As he becomes more powerful, Gatsby would lead extravagant life and take the law into his own hands, killing other people. But Gatsby had to pay for his actions when he was also shot dead in the long run. Nick Caraway is somewhat made to play an opposite character to Jay Gatsby. The opposition was not in terms of the financial wealth of Gatsby but in the personality of Gatsby. This is because unlike Gatsby, Nick Caraway is a quiet, sober young man who would want to give critical reflection to actions before he takes them. Because of his ability to observe well before acting, Nick Caraway is made to assume the role of the narrator of the story in most cases. The reason why this role best fits Nick Caraway is because of the fact that he was very close to the led character and considered his confidant. It was also because he had a unique way of describing almost everything that happened around him. In the description of his own shortfall for example, he remained that “there was quality of distortion to life in New York” (1925, p. 13) because unlike his usual self, the distortion could make him get drunk at the party of Gatsby. The author of “The Great Gatsby” put out a lot of sensitive lessons of life in the novel and one of them was the fact that to every effect, there is a cause. That is to say that cause and effect principle was made to work out perfectly in the novel. This assertion is made against the backdrop that the author directly linked the cause of the character and personality of Gatsby to Daisy Buchanan. Daisy Buchanan was described as a beautiful young woman whose love had taken the better side of Gatsby. It was actually in the quest to win her love that Gatsby decided to get rich at all cost. But Daisy Buchanan also had her own personality that flourished the story. This personality was in the fact that she also had some degree of love for Gatsby. It was in this direction that she remarked “Do you ever wait for the longest day of the year and then miss it? I always wait for the longest day of the year and then miss it!” (1925, p. 124). The character of Tom Buchanan is also introduced to square up an important component of the story and that is conflict. In essence, the writer of “The Great Gatsby”, F. Scott Fitzgerald could use his characters to not just explore the physical components of humankind but to also bring out other segments of the literature work that he put out, such as literary devices. Being used to exhibit conflict, Tom Buchanan is made to become the eventual husband of Daisy Buchanan. Daisy Buchanan was therefore faced with the conflict of choosing between Tom and Gatsby. The character of Tom Buchanan was also used to reflect the personality of other characters, particular, Daisy. This is because, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures” (1925, p. 132). What this depicts of Daisy is that she was the type who would always want to go with the notorious because both Gatsby and Tom were of a violent nature. For all the wrongs that Gatsby had done in story, there was no indication of how the laws of legal justice could make him face punishment. This is perhaps because he was very powerful and could influence the legal system. But there was one character that the writer introduces, who would give out the punishment to Gatsby on the basis of natural justice. This character was George B. Wilson. George B. Wilson believed that Gatsby had knocked his wife and killed her and so shot Gatsby dead and later shot himself. This was a sad end for Gatsby but the essential picture that the writer was trying to paint was that if you play with monkeys, you may be regarded as one. If indeed Gatsby had lived a quiet, sober and innocent life, he would not have been associated with the death of Myrtle Wilson. George B. Wilson was therefore the final judge of what would become of Gatsby for all his lawless living. Though introduced very briefly, the role played by Henry C. Gatz cannot be overlooked. This is because he came into the story to give readers a true background of the character of Gatsby, his son. Without Henry C. Gatz, readers would perhaps not have had a true reflection of the life of Gatsby and his quest to achieve his ego because they would not have known about his past. So Henry C. Gatz was introduced at the tail end of the story when the funeral of his son was on going. Conclusion Indeed, there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. This could be rendered as a central focus of what the individual characters played in the story. This is because in one way or the other, one character made the most secretive aspects of other characters become known. Consequently, each person who deserved some kind of reward or punishment would have it, after the secrets were made known. It is therefore important to reiterate the thesis that even though mankind is gifted by nature with every kind of power that makes it possible to achieve one’s ego, the processes and approach by which we achieve our egos would be accounted for. To them who do evil, evil will pursue them till it lays its hands on them. But to them who do right, their righteousness would become a shining star to lead them in the rest of their lives. Ultimately therefore, it is important that man strives for perfection in this life; and the perfection must be echoing in our character and ways of approaching our desire for greatness. REFERENCE LIST Fitzgerald S. F. (1925). “The Great Gatsby”. Charles Scribners Sons: New York Read More