The Great Gatsby: Luhrmann v. Fitzgerald
Interpretation of Literature
6 December 2013
The Great Gatsby: Luhrmann v. Fitzgerald From super evildoer Tom Buchanan, to a modernistic, rap party, the Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann, contrasts the written version of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald in many ways. This contrast provided by the movie creates a different interpretation of the intended meaning and importance of the characters, scenes, and images in the written version. This is evident through the emphasis or importance of certain characters and the relationships between some characters, the modern, rap-filled soundtrack of the movie and the placement of those songs, and the different portrayal of Daisy and Tom Buchanan. In addition, the movie adaptation also leaves out a few important scenes that deem necessary to the plot. The movie and book relate in many ways, but it’s the small changes from the text to the movie that affect the interpretation that someone may have. The significance of changing the interpretation is that it can spin a new meaning and way of thinking about the content of the text or movie. First, the movie adaptation of the Great Gatsby begins with the symbolic green light that Gatsby fixates upon and the appearance of one of the narrator, Nick Carraway in “The Perkins Sanitarium”. Nick tells the entire story and writes the book in this sanitarium. Like the movie, the text begins with background story of Nick and how he ended up living next door to the mysterious, wealthy Gatsby. But, the difference in the beginnings can skew the interpretations between the movie and text. The text insinuates that Nick Carraway is the main character and focuses on the way that Nick judges and feels towards certain characters. On the other hand, the movie implies that Nick is just a “morbid alcoholic”, writer that is telling the love-filled, mysterious, story of Gatsby. The movie reverts back to Nick in the sanitarium and focuses in on the always-appearing green light. This
6 December 2013
The Great Gatsby: Luhrmann v. Fitzgerald From super evildoer Tom Buchanan, to a modernistic, rap party, the Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann, contrasts the written version of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald in many ways. This contrast provided by the movie creates a different interpretation of the intended meaning and importance of the characters, scenes, and images in the written version. This is evident through the emphasis or importance of certain characters and the relationships between some characters, the modern, rap-filled soundtrack of the movie and the placement of those songs, and the different portrayal of Daisy and Tom Buchanan. In addition, the movie adaptation also leaves out a few important scenes that deem necessary to the plot. The movie and book relate in many ways, but it’s the small changes from the text to the movie that affect the interpretation that someone may have. The significance of changing the interpretation is that it can spin a new meaning and way of thinking about the content of the text or movie. First, the movie adaptation of the Great Gatsby begins with the symbolic green light that Gatsby fixates upon and the appearance of one of the narrator, Nick Carraway in “The Perkins Sanitarium”. Nick tells the entire story and writes the book in this sanitarium. Like the movie, the text begins with background story of Nick and how he ended up living next door to the mysterious, wealthy Gatsby. But, the difference in the beginnings can skew the interpretations between the movie and text. The text insinuates that Nick Carraway is the main character and focuses on the way that Nick judges and feels towards certain characters. On the other hand, the movie implies that Nick is just a “morbid alcoholic”, writer that is telling the love-filled, mysterious, story of Gatsby. The movie reverts back to Nick in the sanitarium and focuses in on the always-appearing green light. This