F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby
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Themes
The Rich (New $ vs. Old $), or the dichotomy
of Rich & Poor
Love (Modern love as a matter of violence &
egoism rather than tenderness & affection)
Capacity for Dreaming (Idealism vs Realism)
The American Dream (Its Corruption)
Symbolism
The Automobile (fast & dangerous, symbol of
power)
Green Light on Daisy’s Dock (the essence of
Gatsby’s dreams)
Valley of Ashes (the wasteland of 20th century
American life)
The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
Fitzgerald’s Writing Style
 Language varies from the lyric to the satiric;
interestingly enough, both of these tones are
predominantly present in the narrator’s voice.