Fitzgerald was considered a “sloppy” writer by many critics, and
indeed letters to his friends showed a sort of endearing mistakes in grammar
and spelling. The Great Gatsby is a sort of embodiment of that carelessness
that permeated the 1920s. Its wide use of juxtaposition, as well as quirky word
syntax completely captured the era; just like a picture captures a moment in
time. I found that; by creating a relationship between his content and form;
Fitzgerald married emotion to action. The reader thereby can feel the emotions
that ran underneath the faceless carelessness; they understood the times, as if
they were there.
The wide use of imagery and symbolism was kind of confusing. I guess
the purpose was to make the reader understand all the mixed messages that were constantly
bombarding the people of the 1920s. there wasn’t a single moment of real
reflection; and this is heightened by Nick’s sense of objectivity and his duty,
however little he fulfilled of it; to follow it. Peter Drucker once said, “The
most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't being said.” I believe
this saying is totally relevant to The Great Gatsby…there’s just so much
symbolism and reference to historical as well as philosophical things; that I
kind of got lost in all the hidden meanings. What I need to work on, in the
later units; is probably understanding motifs and imagery in literature.
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