GATSBY AND BROWNING
MODULE A-COMPARATIVE STUDY
OF TEXTS AND CONTEXT
Elective 2:TEXTS IN TIME
GATSBY AND EBB
• In this elective students compare how the
treatment of similar content in a pair of texts
composed in different times and contexts may
reflect changing values and perspectives. By
considering the texts in their contexts and
comparing values, ideas and language forms
and features, students come to a heightened
understanding of the meaning and significance
of each text.
• Key Vocab:
Similar content--- Key ideas and concepts,
characterisation, thematic concerns, authorial
commentary
Different times--- Specific socio/historical
And cultural influences
Changing values —Key values that have shaped
each work. What has changed? How?Why? How
is this reflected? What was/what is?
• Changing perspectives –Identify focus and
the perspective presented. Whose view
are we presented with? What is the shift
in perspective? Why does it occur? How is
it reflected?
• Context– Key socio/historic/cultural
influences that have shaped and are
reflected in the works
• Values---What values are reflected in each text?
• What values are challenged?
• What is important, given status, seen as
significant?
– After WW1 people got away from the traditional life
style and were recovering from a violent and bloody
war- their moral considerations were suspended.
• As Nick observes Tom and Daisy who
have been cruel ad vulgar, he explains
their attitudes towards others by saying
that “they smashed up things and
creatures and then retreated back into
their money or their vast carelessness or
whatever it was that kept them together,
and let other people clean up the mess
they had made“(187).
• SETTING- Secondly, although people
meet frequently in social events, they lack
sincere intimacy. At Gatsby’s party, Nick
hears the guests milling around,
exchanging rumours about their host but
no one seems to know the truth about
Gatsby’s wealth or personal history.
• This indicates that although people seem
very close, they don’t really share anything
and are distant. The corruption of society
is clearly indicated by this secession
among people.
• In addition, suspension of devotion to
family comes along with corruption of
values. For example, Jay Gatsby was in
fact called James Gatz.
• He changed his name because “His parents
were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people-his
imagination had never really accepted them as
his parents at all .The truth was that Jay Gatsby,
of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his
Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of
God” (104). As it is emphasized in this quote,
Jay Gatsby struggles to establish a new life for
himself just because his parents are poor and
don’t fit into the idealistic figure of modern family.
• Furthermore, materialism replaces the
vanishing values and money promotes to
be the only aspiration of the people. The
luxury of Tom’s house is described by
elaborate decorations such as “the frosted
wedding cake of the ceiling”, “wine-colored
rug” and an “enormous couch” (12
• This rich and detailed description shows how
important Fitzgerald felt appearance and money
were in his society. The fact that decorations of
this house are considered significant and
worked on elaborately despite the problematic
relationships is a proof of the corruption and
materialism in the society.
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• Barrett Browning’s era
• Patriarchal society
• Highly religious- shown by her use of
religious imagery
• traditional
• conventional
• a more innocent age – no war atrocities
• also a time of great technological
advances, industrialization and scientific
discovery.
• concept of the ‘ideal woman’
• time of contrast- more churches built at
this time and more brothels existed.
• IDEAS -- What are the central ideas
explored and how are they explored?
• What do they say about the society they
reflect?
• Language forms and features, structures
connotations, resonances and their impact
• use of imagery in both texts
• Petrarchan sonnet model- typically male
form. Her manipulation of it highly adept
and effective- the set line length, rigid
rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter
helped Barrett Browning constrain her
overwhelming feelings.
• Use of first person in both texts- personal
• intertextuality- Theocritus – known for his
pastoral poetry
• dark and gloomy imagery
• contrasted with positive connotations of
love ‘Not Death but love’
• use of punctuation- ellipsis, exclamation
marks
• use of descriptive language in ‘Gatsby’
• imagery
• setting - houses, parties, East egg, West
egg, Valley of Ashes
• characterisation
• symbolism-green light
• dialogue
• Heightened understanding-what has
changed/shifted? How has it developed?
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Meaning–
What is the intention of the composer?
What is the message of the text?
What concepts underpin the text?
What is the comment about humanity?
What is the focus of this story
What is the moral function?
How is the meaning relevant to you and your values?
What connections can be made with contemporary
concerns?
• Significance• What is significant to the module focus and the
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specific elective?
What is the importance in terms of your own
response to the texts?
What are the concerns of the texts?
What is memorable, notable?
What distinguishes this text as note-worthy?
• Similar content
Both ‘Gatsby’ and ‘Sonnets from the Portugese’
deal with similar content.
Idealised love ( or lack thereof)- therefore
commodified love
In SFTP love is seen as monogamous/spiritual. It
is not superficial and not principally physical. It
is described in terms of religious images, love
thought to exist beyond the grave. The physical
aspects are barely hinted at and presented as
elevated passion.
• Love in Gatsby is seen as transitory- a
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disposable item in a materialistic societytherefore commodified.
Daisy seems to love both men simultaneously
but is she capable of loving either? Nick is
unsure if he loves Jordan and George and
Gatsby’s love is depicted as pathetic . Physical
love is depicted as tawdry and symbols of
sexuality ( Myrtle’s breast in the accident) are
depicted violently and in a tawdry manner.
• Idealised love can make you vulnerable
• Gatsby’s life is dominated by the dream
of love , he dies protecting someone
unworthy
• The speaker in the sonnets risks being
hurt by owning love, she is torn by her
passion versus her paternal love ( garment
ripped apart image)
• Idealised love impossible in Fitzgerald’s era.
• Materialism, war, social class apathy of the time, nihilism
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all impede idealised love.
The war literally separated Gatsby from Daisy, but also
his social class “rich girls don’t marry poor boys”
Fitzgerald wants us to see that in this morally vacuous
time ideal love was impossible.
Myrtle’s love based on her lust for possessions- the
diamond studded dog collar
Daisy’s love based on her need for status and security
Nick also unsure of his own love and ability to love
• The reality of social and personal restrictions
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initially interfere with Browning’s idealised love
because of personal constraints. She is unwellan invalid- common in women at this time.
She has low self esteem.” worn out viol” and is
unsure of Browning’s true intensions.
Her father’s dominance. His desire for her not
to marry reflective of the patriarchal world she
lived in
• However, she overcomes these personal and social
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restrictions because her love is sound and genuine- thus
reflecting that the Victorians, particularly the Romantics
valued idealised and transcendent love.
This is shown through the religious and natural imagery
used by Browning.
The inadequacies of using measurement or economical
terminology to express deep personal emotions- a
personal insight into Browning’s thoughts on the
burgeoning industrial Victorian society.
• Both texts offer ideas about hope or hopelessness
• In ‘Gatsby’ the pervading atmosphere of the novel is
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pessimistic reflecting the nihilism of the Post World War
1 era.
Gatsby’s hope and dream of finally winning Daisy’s
heart, seen as unattainable, beyond his reach- like the
green light.
Myrtle’s hopes, of escaping the valley of the ashes and
George, are crushed literally by her death. Symbolically
by a car- representing Fitzgerald’s perspective on the
hedonistic society of the Jazz Age.
• The inevitability of death
• the finality of death
• mortal struggles
In ‘Gatsby’ death is ineviatble bit
insignificant
The characters approach to death is
uncaring – no one attends Gatsby’s
funeral
• For Barrett Browning death is ineviatble and
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significant
A religious event, involving judgement, God’s
power asserted
In ‘Gatsby’ death is final- no religious beliefreflected in materialsim, carelessnesss and
apathy
BB- love can transcend death, eternal life is
perfect
• G- life involves struggle
• mortal life unpleasant- shallow
relationships, lack of emotions, superficial
motivations, sense of hopelessness
• BB -Mortal life can be unpleasant but faith
and love give it purpose. Love raises us
above the realities of living.