Point of View

The Great Gatsby is narrated from Nick Carraway's perspective, one of the central characters. This technique resembles that of British novelist Joseph Conrad, one of Fitzgerald's influences, and reveals Nick's feelings about the other characters. Chosen expertly by the author, Nick is a romantic, moralist, and judge who provides the reader with retrospective flashbacks about Gatsby's life and foreshadowing of his tragedy. Nick is portrayed as a trustworthy individual. He undergoes a personal transformation due to his observations of the experiences surrounding the enigmatic Jay Gatsby. Through this first-person ("I") narrative approach, we also gain insight into the author's viewpoint. Nick expresses many of Fitzgerald's own views on life, including the idea that "you can never judge a book by its cover" and that a person's true worth can be hard to discern at first. Among the various impressions we have of these characters, we can concur with Nick's final assessment that Gatsby is worth more than the "rotten bunch of them put together."

Setting

As in all of Fitzgerald's works, the setting plays a critical role in The Great Gatsby. The West and East represent two opposing sets of values: one is pure and idealistic, while the other is corrupt and materialistic. The Western states, including the Midwest, symbolize decency and basic ethical principles like honesty, whereas the East is characterized by deceit. The contrast between East and West Egg mirrors this cultural divide. The characters' moral alignments are reflected in their geographical choices. The Buchanans started their lives in the West but moved to the East and remained there. Gatsby did so as well, but only to pursue Daisy and watch her house across the bay. His simplicity and naivete indicate an idealism that remains intact. Nick serves as the moral compass of the book and eventually returns to the Midwest. To him, the land represents “not the wheat or the prairies or the lost Swede towns, but the thrilling returning trains of my youth, and the street lamps and sleigh bells in the frosty dark and the shadows of holly wreaths thrown by lighted windows on the snow. I am part of that.” He realizes he cannot adapt to life in the East, and the memory of the East haunts him upon his return home. Another significant setting is the wasteland of ash heaps between New York City and Long Island, where modern life's mechanization destroys past values. Nick views the modern world as a place where God is dead, and humans create a valley of ashes, corrupting ecology, the American Dream, and desecrating it. The only Godlike image in this desolate existence is the eyes of Dr. J. L. Eckleburg on a billboard advertising glasses.

Satire

Fitzgerald crafted The Great Gatsby as a satire, using humor to critique society's flaws. The satirical elements in the novel include the portrayal of the nouveau riche (the "newly wealthy"), the vulgarity of the characters, the extravagant parties meant to lure Daisy, and the ironic use of the name "Great" Gatsby in the title. Satire has its roots in Roman times, where it similarly mocked wealthy individuals lacking values, tapped into cultural pessimism, and offered readers a glimpse into societal chaos. The Great Gatsby tells the story of the irresponsible affluent. Initially, the book was titled "Trimalchio," referencing an ancient satire about a man named Trimalchio who pretends to be wealthy.

Light/Dark Imagery

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald employs light imagery to highlight idealism and illusion. One example is the green light shining from Daisy's dock, which Gatsby views as a symbol of his dreams, representing his journey from humble beginnings to a successful future with Daisy. Daisy and Jordan are often surrounded by an aura of whiteness, likened to angels—though they are far from angelic, everything associated with Daisy in Gatsby's perspective is luminous. Nick describes their conversation as “cool as their white dresses and their impersonal eyes.” The lamp light in the house is “bright on [Tom's] boots and dull on the autumn-leaf yellow of her hair.” Gatsby remarks to Daisy and Nick about how the light enhances the front of his house, making it appear magnificent, and Nick observes how Daisy's brass buttons “gleamed in the sunlight.” Through frequent references to moonlight, twilight, and the women's white gowns, Fitzgerald suggests the dreamlike nature of Gatsby's world and, indirectly, Nick's romantic vision. In contrast, Meyer Wolfsheim, the gambler, is introduced in a dimly lit restaurant cellar. Nick recounts, “Blinking away the brightness of the street, my eyes picked him out obscurely in the anteroom.”

Fitzgerald has received well-deserved acclaim for the narrative structure of The Great Gatsby. Critic Matthew Bruccoli highlights that Fitzgerald's "narrative control solved the problem of making the mysterious—almost preposterous—Jay Gatsby convincing by letting the truth about him emerge gradually during the course of the novel." Fitzgerald admired novelist Joseph Conrad's use of a partially involved narrator, and everything in the novel is seen through Nick's perspective. This approach, as Bruccoli notes, combines "the effect of a first-person immediacy with authorial perspective."

Nick's balanced outlook on life and his undeniable honesty add credibility to his observations. In Nick's narration, Fitzgerald seamlessly blends the language of a lyric poet with topics not typically associated with lyrical expression. Gatsby's car is more than a flashy display of wealth; it represents a mobile domain. His drawer of unique shirts is not merely a showcase of purchasing power but suggests a generosity of abundance. The Buchanans' mansion is not just an example of ostentatious consumption; it symbolizes an almost natural force of limitless power. Gatsby's gestures are not just deliberate actions; they are expressions of genuine aristocracy. Daisy's voice is not only "full of money," but it also embodies the magic that captivates the senses.

One of Fitzgerald's greatest talents is his ability to bring the vision of the American dream to life while simultaneously exposing the forces that have corrupted, if not destroyed, that ideal. Nick's list of "guests" at one of Gatsby's parties hints at the ugliness of the "high" society that lures and often consumes those who see its glitter as the fulfillment of their dreams and desires. Predatory names like Leeche, Civet, Ferret, and Blackbuck evoke these people's voracious and beastly habits. The suspect nature of "fishy" individuals like Whitebait, Hammerhead, Fishguard, and Beluga is suggested by their surnames, as is the murky, swamp-like quality of Catlip, Duckweed, and Beaver. These people's lives revolve around extravagant, tasteless displays of wealth, unearned status, or power obtained through criminal means. For them, the American dream has lost its meaning or never held any significance. They exist in a hollow world that mirrors the surface dazzle of advanced technology but lacks any connection to nature or morality. Most importantly, these people lack culture; they have nothing to rejuvenate their souls and nothing to replace their desperate search for diversion and excitement. This is the world where the dream has perished.

Fitzgerald has rightfully received praise for his skillful structuring of The Great Gatsby. As Matthew Bruccoli notes, his "narrative control solved the problem of making the mysterious — almost preposterous — Jay Gatsby convincing by letting the truth about him emerge gradually during the course of the novel." Fitzgerald deeply admired Joseph Conrad's technique of using a partially involved narrator; thus, everything that transpires in the novel is filtered through Nick's perspective. This approach, as Bruccoli describes, combines "the effect of a first-person immediacy with authorial perspective." Nick's measured approach to life and his undeniable honesty lend credibility to his observations. Despite Nick's appeal and the reader's trust in the accuracy of his account, the narrative structure of The Great Gatsby serves merely as the novel's framework. Its completion is achieved through a poetic sensibility that captures both the fleeting essence of romance and the intense chaos of psychological conflict. These elements reflect the mythic spirit of the American nation that Fitzgerald aims to convey. In a remarkable display of skill, Fitzgerald employs the language of a lyric poet to address themes and situations not typically associated with lyrical expression. Gatsby's car is more than an ostentatious display of wealth; it represents a mobile realm. His collection of unique shirts signifies more than purchasing power; it suggests the generosity of abundance. The Buchanans' mansion symbolizes not just conspicuous consumption but an almost natural, boundless power. Gatsby's gestures are not merely calculated effects; they are signs of true aristocracy. Daisy's voice is more than "full of money"; it is an expression of enchantment that captivates the senses.

Fitzgerald's imagery brings to life the vivid world of The Great Gatsby while maintaining the tranquility needed to grasp its deeper meaning. The essential counterpart to the poet's voice in rapture is the poet's mind in contemplation. Nick's reflections provide a standard of value that allows for an appreciation of Gatsby beyond his material wealth. The true poet must also be a philosopher, and Fitzgerald, much like his mentor John Keats, understands the impact of transient beauty on the human psyche. Fitzgerald has crafted an epic of American experience in lyrical language, a unique blend that perhaps only he could achieve.

The narrative unfolds in the summer of 1922, primarily within the fictional locales of East and West Egg on Long Island, along with the bustling streets of New York City. These settings serve not merely as a backdrop but as an integral part of the story, reflecting the opulence and moral decay of the era. At the heart of this world is Nick Carraway, who takes up residence in a modest cottage in West Egg, positioned inconspicuously beside the extravagant mansion of Jay Gatsby, a man of extraordinary wealth and enigmatic charm.

Nick's reconnection with his cousin Daisy Buchanan and her husband Tom, who reside in the more aristocratic East Egg, sets the stage for the unfolding drama. The proximity of these two contrasting environments—West Egg's nouveau riche to East Egg's old money—highlights the societal tensions and aspirations characteristic of the Roaring Twenties.

Gatsby, yearning to rekindle a past romance with Daisy, enlists Nick as a trustworthy intermediary, drawing him into a world where glamour belies a deeper corruption. The whisper of Daisy's voice, described as "the sound of money," resonates throughout the narrative, symbolizing the era's materialism and allure.

The setting's vivid details, from the extravagant parties at Gatsby's estate to the bustling energy of New York City, encapsulate the Jazz Age's spirit. These elements are not merely decorative; they underscore the themes of ambition, love, and the elusive pursuit of the American Dream that drive the story forward.