Symbolism vs Reality essay
The Great Gatsby is more effective as a Symbolic Novel than as a Realist Novel
The Great Gatsby is more effective as a Symbolic Novel than as a Realist Novel because of the evident signs of symbolism through out the novel. A symbol is an object, or even an animal, that represents an abstract value or entity. In The Great Gatsby one of the clearest symbols in novel is time. Time is very important throughout the narrative as well as to the main protagonist Jay Gatsby. He wants to erase the five years he had lost when he was at war. “Can’t repeat the past, why of course you can” “I don’t think he had ever really believed in its existence before”. Gertrude Stein created a term called ‘The Lost Generation’ which refers to the people of the 1920’s who rejected American post World War 1 values. Men who participated in the war either died or returned home physically and emotionally wounded which lead to their faith the moral guideposts that had earlier given them hope, were no longer valid, henceforth becoming ‘Lost’. This establishes that The Great Gatsby is more effective as a symbolic novel rather than as a realist novel because of the clear evidence that time is one of the most important aspects that make the novel as successful as it was when Fitzgerald had created it. We realize that time was truly not on Gatsby’s side because of the harsh reality of Daisy. “I don’t think he had ever believed in its existence before” this corroborates the effective use of time as a symbol because Gatsby seems to be happy physically, with the new found money he gained, but emotionally he feels lonely because Daisy is not his. He puts a façade of happiness to hide the sadness and reality that Daisy has a family with someone else. He was so caught up in his dream of once again having Daisy as his that he became vulnerable and blind to see the true and harsh reality of the one he loves. However, one could then argue, that The Great Gatsby becomes more effective as a realist novel
The Great Gatsby is more effective as a Symbolic Novel than as a Realist Novel because of the evident signs of symbolism through out the novel. A symbol is an object, or even an animal, that represents an abstract value or entity. In The Great Gatsby one of the clearest symbols in novel is time. Time is very important throughout the narrative as well as to the main protagonist Jay Gatsby. He wants to erase the five years he had lost when he was at war. “Can’t repeat the past, why of course you can” “I don’t think he had ever really believed in its existence before”. Gertrude Stein created a term called ‘The Lost Generation’ which refers to the people of the 1920’s who rejected American post World War 1 values. Men who participated in the war either died or returned home physically and emotionally wounded which lead to their faith the moral guideposts that had earlier given them hope, were no longer valid, henceforth becoming ‘Lost’. This establishes that The Great Gatsby is more effective as a symbolic novel rather than as a realist novel because of the clear evidence that time is one of the most important aspects that make the novel as successful as it was when Fitzgerald had created it. We realize that time was truly not on Gatsby’s side because of the harsh reality of Daisy. “I don’t think he had ever believed in its existence before” this corroborates the effective use of time as a symbol because Gatsby seems to be happy physically, with the new found money he gained, but emotionally he feels lonely because Daisy is not his. He puts a façade of happiness to hide the sadness and reality that Daisy has a family with someone else. He was so caught up in his dream of once again having Daisy as his that he became vulnerable and blind to see the true and harsh reality of the one he loves. However, one could then argue, that The Great Gatsby becomes more effective as a realist novel