Personal Review

The Great Gatsby, one of Fitzgerald’s most intriguing novels is well-expressed material that anyone can feel attached to. The themes, motifs, problems from physical to emotional and other aspects in life are greatly ranged in variety, providing personal insight. The simple fact that there are parties in the novel can be compared to modern day, as well as how wealth dominates the world’s virtues, for both wealth in the novel and now in days is shined on as a main priority. The narrator’s style and diction keep the novel at an impulsive level. I personally like the way the author added a spiffy side to the narrator, as in his own distinct personality, rather than just having him explain the story. The narrator’s lively personality, in particular his sarcasm, presented much humor into the story. Another interesting detail is how the author ambiguously maintained Gatsby’s identity obscure, creating an impressive curiosity build-up that remains increasing; not even the characters in the book knew Gatsby’s background! This kind of method used by the author definitely makes the book the type that cannot be put down. Although the story ends with the tragic demise of the “Great Gatsby”, this unfortunate event leaves the reader in profound thought and the novel in high esteem. Furthermore, symbols throughout the novel are revealed thoroughly and in a unique way, for they are extensive and associated in depth with the characters and general ideas. For example, the green light is introduced in chapter one as Gatsby’s guide to hopes and aspirations, including his pursuit for Daisy and the American dream. It is again proposed symbolically from Nick Carraway in chapter nine as a guide for early settlers arriving to America. Equally important, the eccentric weather in The Great Gatsby coincides with the emotions in the story, uncovering conflicts in between the characters. Fitzgerald’s unique and sophisticated style as well as his efficient use in figurative language is what can intensify any reader’s interest and broaden their knowledge.

Text-to-world/text-to-text connection

A text-to-world connection is made in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, thus giving the reader a greater apprehension of the novel’s confrontations, both physical and emotional. One of the themes that is constantly stressed on throughout the novel is the American dream. This American dream continues to be everyone’s main priority present-day. It is advertised through various ways such as actions, speech, and media. Gatsby himself went from “rags to riches” and Daisy’s voice was “full of money” (120), therefore promoting the American dream. All around the world people are in need and pursuit of money, even Wilson admits, “but I need money pretty bad” (123). A text-to-text connection is also made, thus providing general concepts in history. In the provision of the CUSD U.S. history textbook, The American Vision: Modern Times, I read and learned about the “Roaring 20s”, the time period in which The Great Gatsby takes place. In this time period, prohibition was established, which resulted in an increase of crime rates, such as bootlegging. Al Capone was one of the well-known and richest experts in illegal business, especially bootlegging. He relates to Gatsby because Gatsby was a wealthy man and even considered “some big bootlegger” (107). Many “of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers,” reasserts Tom Buchanan. These text connections add an apprehensible knowledge that can apply to anyone or anything, for we all have interest in success and as U.S. citizens, we all have learned our country’s history.

The Way Fitzgerald's Syntax Influences Purpose

• “They were gone, without a word, snapped out, made accidental, isolated, like ghosts, even from our pity” (135).
• “Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment…” (30).
• “Thirty---the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning briefcase of enthusiasm, thinning hair” (135).
• “A breeze blew through the room, blew curtains in at one end and out the other like pale flags…” (8).

Fitzgerald varies his use of syntax, emphasizing certain ideas and erratic changes in emotion. The narrator abstractly defines the state in which Gatsby and Daisy’s love had been left in by stating, “They were gone, without a word, snapped out, made accidental, isolated, like ghosts, even from our pity” (135). The short, abrupt sentence fragments in between the commas relate to the blunt change in relationships throughout the novel, for they are all disloyal and end in a sudden matter. Gatsby and Daisy’s love affair is also expressed through this concise sentence structure because at that moment, the fact that their love even existed was ignored all so suddenly and left behind “like ghosts”. “Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment…” (30). The noted asyndeton here leaves a lasting effect on Mrs. Wilson’s exposure, for the repetition of “her” highlights every aspect of Mrs. Wilson in a direct way. Carraway conveys his birthday as “Thirty---the promise of a decade of loneliness, a thinning list of single men to know, a thinning briefcase of enthusiasm, thinning hair” (135). The dash in this sentence separates the main idea from its breakdown, thus forcing all attention on the new decade that Carraway is encountering. Carraway then continues with the repetition of “thinning”, which powerfully reinforces the idea of future loss in Carraway’s identity, for “thinning” refers to other verb forms of “diminishing” or “trimming”. Fitzgerald’s continuous variation of syntax spotlights extreme voltas in the narrator and the other characters from long, sophisticated sentences, as well as elucidates various key ideas.

How Diction Creates Tone

The narrator, Nick Carraway, maintains a rather superior tone throughout the novel by his use of witty and profound, formal language. Carraway sets the terrain for the valley of ashes by describing it as a place where “occasionally a line of grey cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight” (23). Carraway’s use of abstract diction such as “invisible”, “impenetrable”, and “obscure” evidently give off his sense of predominant language in order to communicate the current conditions of the neglected valley. The verbs such as “crawls”, “swarm”, “stir”, and “screens” keep the reader aware in a more sophisticated manner. This formal word choice arranges the new setting, a valley of ashes, to stand out in a unique way. During a ride with Gatsby, nick builds an internal grudge in going with him for Nick sardonically states, “We hadn’t reached West Egg Village before Gatsby began leaving his elegant sentences unfinished and slapping himself indecisively on the knee of his caramel-colored suit” (64). Clarifying Gatsby’s ridiculous mien in society due to his refined lifestyle, Carraway describes Gatsby’s speech as “elegant” and “unfinished”. This creates an ironic common base between Gatsby and the narrator himself because Carraway also tends to ramble on in elaborate means. “Slapping” and “indecisively” are a direct and specific approach to Gatsby’s posture. Carraway develops an obvious peek to his vague language. 

The Effect Of Rhetorical Strategies On The Author's Style

• Aphorism: “ ‘Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,’ he told me, ‘just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had’ ” (1).
• Anecdote: “…One autumn night, five years before, they had been walking down street when the leaves were falling, and they came to a place where there were no trees and the sidewalk was white with moonlight…” (110).
• Imagery: “…Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in. He was pale, and there were dark signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes” (84).
• Simile: “…then the glow faded, each light deserting her with lingering regret, like children leaving a pleasant street at dusk” (14).
• Juxtaposition: “…and I was conscious of wanting to look squarely at every one, and yet to avoid all eyes” (15).

Fitzgerald employs countless different rhetorical strategies, emphasizing his vague and detailed style. Nick Carraway begins the novel with an aphorism, which intends to foreshadow the approaching bias judgment to come toward Gatsby. The aphorism serves to reserve judgment and be left as a moral, thus revealing the author’s confessional style. “…One autumn night…” (110), begins the narrator to orate an anecdote, as a result adding energy to the piece and providing a sense of one-on-one intimate story-telling between the author and the reader. Consequently, anecdotes such as this one promote the author’s confessional expression. Fitzgerald’s detailed writing continues to build interest into the novel with his use of other rhetorical strategies such as imagery and similes, which contribute to crystal clear images and profound comparisons along with satire. Juxtaposition in the author’s work creates an immediate couple second confusion but also adds a ridiculous ironic effect, for Carraway desires to have direct eye contact and yet avoid all eye contact at the same time. In an obvious manner, rhetorical strategies in The Great Gatsby make the novel exceedingly grasping.