Great Gatsby - Film Adaptation - Term Paper Example

Ideological Analysis in the Great Gatsby Introduction The film, “The Great Gatsby” is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American author. The film includes a cast of characters dwelling in the town of West Egg during the summer of 1922. The film revolves around a mysterious and younger millionaire called Jay Gatsby. The film is composed of different themes which include the hollowness of the upper class and the American dream decline in the 1920s among others. The film is full of lessons because it teaches the audience on the kind of life to adopt and how to relate with other within a society. The audience can interpret the film in different ways depending on the social background. Brief Synopsis The events in the film take place back in 1922. At the beginning of the film, Nick Caraway, who is a World War I veteran and a graduate of Yale University is given a salesman job in New York. After getting the job, he rents a house in Long Island, village of West Egg next to Jay Gatsby (a younger and mysterious millionaire) who holds series o extravagant parties without attending. Nick drives to have dinner with his cousin and her husband at East Egg. Daisy Pay (Nick’s cousin) together with her husband introduces Nick to Jordan Baker. Nick starts a romantic relationship with Jordan, who is a cynical younger golfer. Jordan reveals to Nick that Tom has a mistress called Myrtle Wilson who lives in a dumping ground located between New York City and West Egg. After the revelation, Nick travels together with Tom and Myrtle to New York and had a party at the apartment. The party ended with Tom breaking Myrtle’s nose because she mentioned Daisy several times. At the time of summer, Nick receives an invitation to the Jay Gatsby parties. At the party, Nick encountered Jordan Baker. They both mate Gatsby and he recognized Nick since they were in the same division in the World War I. Nick realized that Gatsby knew Daisy from their romantic relationship they had in 1917, and he was in love with her again. Gatsby spends nights looking at the window of the mansion hoping that one day he will have a romantic relationship with Daisy. Gatsby holds extravagant parties in order to attract Daisy hoping that Daisy will come back to her house again. Nick pleads to help Gatsby by inviting Daisy for a cup of tea to her house. Daisy attended not knowing she will meet Gatsby. They both mate and connected again and eventually started having romantic relationship again. Tom suspected that Daisy and Gatsby had a relationship, and he was worried despite that he also had a mistress. Tom confronted Daisy with Gatsby at the Plaza hotel. Tom told Daisy that Gatsby did not love her, and also he acquired his wealth through criminal activities. He ordered Daisy to go back to East Egg together with Gatsby. Later, Tom, Nick and Jordan drove through the valley of ashes in which they discovered that Gatsby’s car stuck and killed Myrtle (Tom’s mistress). Nick discovered that Daisy was the one who was driving the car at that time, but Gatsby wanted to take the blame from Daisy and claimed he was the one driving. George (Myrtle’s husband) claimed that his wife’s lover was the one driving the car and started finding the owner of the yellow car. George stepped at Gatsby mansion and shot Gatsby and then himself. Nick arranged for Gatsby funeral and moved to Midwest after ending his relationship with Jordan (Fitzgerald 86). The Hollowness of the Upper-Class Theme From the theme of the hollowness of the upper class, the film explains different ideologies. The ideological values in the film help the individual involved in the control of the economic system today. The major ideology explored in the film is the sociology of wealth. The film explores how the 1920’s minted millionaires relate and differ to the old aristocracy of the richest families in the country. In the film, the newly rich are represented by West Egg and its denizens while the old aristocracy is represented by East Egg and its denizens especially Tom and Daisy (Fitzgerald 13). In the film, the old aristocracy possession lacks heart because the people from East Eggs proved to be careless. They were used to use the money to ease their minds without worrying about hurting others. At the end of the film, the Easter Eggers never mind about Gatsby but they moved to a new house far away without arranging for Gatsby funerals. Gatsby acquired his wealth through criminal activities but has a loyal and sincere heat. He stayed at Daisy’s window until morning to make sure that Tom does not hurt her. The good acts possessed by Gatsby lead to his death after taking the blame for killing Myrtle in order to save Daisy (Fitzgerald 84). From the film, the values possessed by the wealthy people are good than those possessed by the poor. The moral values upheld by the people of West Egg or the wealthy are good than those of the East Egg. The rich believe in helping other unlike the poor who do not mind about hurting others but use the money they have to ease their minds. The people from East Eggs also do not have emotions or care because they never mourned Gatsby death (Fitzgerald 8). Even Daisy did not care about Gatsby death, and he sacrificed in order to save her after killing Myrtle. George also killed Gatsby and took his life because he claimed that Gatsby had a romantic relationship with his wife. At the end of the film, Nick ended his relationship with Jordan since he noticed that they were careless, and they never minded about the feeling other people. Those controlling economic system today should consider operating business with the new millionaires because they are willing to generate money in the economy. Gatsby used his money extravagantly in holding parties in order to attract Daisy's attention. Holding parties ensured that the money is not kept in the bank but is generating so it is good to work with new millionaires since they ensure circulation of money (Fitzgerald 86). Extent in which the Text is Hegemonic or Counter Hegemonic The film is in a form of hegemony. It is hegemonic because it involves two different groups with different values and social status. The two groups involved include the people from East Egg (Tom, Daisy, and Jordan among others) and the West Egg people (Nick and Gatsby). The people from East Egg dominate over the West Egg people. At the end of the film, West Egg people are done away with because Nick moves away due to fear and Gatsby is killed. The East Eggers are left going on with their lives (Fitzgerald 19). Opposing or Supporting the Power Relations of the Status Quo The power relationship in the status quo is not good. The two groups do not use their power properly while dealing with each other. Gatsby is rich than the people in East Egg, but they do not show kindness after his death. Tom does not care about sleeping with George's wife, but he is concerned when Daisy starts a romantic relationship with Gatsby. The two groups does not relate properly because Gatsby uses his wealth in order to get Tom’s wife (Fitzgerald 18). Interpellation The film encourages the audience to take the position of the wealthy person like Gatsby. Gatsby was wealth younger person who cared about other people and protected the weaker. The audience is encouraged to take the social position of Gatsby by standing with the loved one even taking blame for them to be saved (Fitzgerald 17). Social Identity the Audience Encouraged To Adopt The social identity for adoption by audience is the wealthy or the rich social class. People from West Egg are kind and take care of others feelings. Gatsby is a good person and wealth because he protects Daisy, holds parties for people in the area. Holding the social class of the rich, the audience can be caring and bring up a peaceful society (Fitzgerald 11). Ideas, Attitudes or Behaviors Being Normalized or Naturalized The behavior nature in the film is sexual immorality. Tom is going out with George's wife, and Gatsby is also going out with Tom's wife and Nick is having affair with Jordan. At the end of the movie sexual immorality leads to death of Myrtle and Gatsby. From the film is not good to have sexual affairs with married people (Fitzgerald 13). Character and Attitudes the Text Encourage Relating The character people encouraged to relate to is that of Gatsby and Nick. Nick helps Gatsby to get Daisy, and he is the only who arranges Gatsby burial. Gatsby is caring and even takes blame in order to save Daisy (Fitzgerald 85). Dealing with the Social-Economic Status in the Film Social, economic status is handled in the film. Gatsby is wealth younger man, and he gets Tom's wife due to his money. He uses money to organize for parties in order to get Daisy. Tom also claims that Gatsby is rich because he contacts illegal business in order to prevent his wife from going away. Nick is not wealth because he rents a small house near Gatsby mansion (Fitzgerald 15). The Level of Indication of Income Level on Characters The income level on characters is indicated on the live style of each character. Gatsby lives in a mansion and drives a car while Nick drives but lives in a small house. On the other hand, Tom uses his money to spend with his mistress in New York away from his wife. The more a character has money, the more he or she is involved in sexual immorality (Fitzgerald 4). Conclusion In conclusion, the film contains a lot of moral lessons. The rich should not mistreat other, but they should help and have a kind heart like Gatsby. It is not also good to help people who are not willing to support you because Gatsby took the blame out of Daisy, but Daisy did not even mind on arranging his burial. Works Cited Fitzgerald S. F. The Great Gatsby. Boston: Antlantica Press, 2012. Print. Fitzgerald S. F. The Great Gatsby. New York: Interactive Media, 2013. Print. Fitzgerald S. F. The Great Gatsby. Viewed June 16, 2011, from http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/g/the-great-gatsby/summary-and-analysis/chapter-1 Read More