The Intertwining’s of Society to The Author
Throughout history and even today, many authors have analyzed the impact that society has on a character, or they have used a specific character to explain the troubles within the society of their respective time. F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby in 1925, and two decades later in 1947, A Streetcar Named Desire was published by Tennessee Williams. Each of these novels explain the oppression against characters within a given society and how it too, has an impact on one’s individual life. Continuing the theme of exceeding societies ideals, Fitzgerald and Tennessee also highlight materialism and alcoholism in many of their other novels. Each author lived in a world populated by the selfishness of those around them and represented their views on the oppression of women and money in society through their powerful and renown novels. Together, Fitzgerald and Williams allow their readers to understand the ideals of life in society, while also relating those ideals back to themes that they too struggled with while growing up.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was an author that was known for his reflection of heartbreak, drunkenness, and the pleasing of society. Readers are drawn to the Great Gatsby because of its theme of romanticism and emphasis of living to the ideals of an average American. The words that he wrote and stories he told through characters were glimpses into struggles that personally affected Fitzgerald in his own life. Each of his stories reflected his dedication of public image. He would use different rhetorical strategies like; similes, syntax, and diction. Through his description of certain characters or through their actions, he was able to let the audience make assumptions for themselves and gave the readers a sense of imagery which reflected his lifestyle. Every one of his novels, represented a different part of his life. Through marriages, family troubles, alcoholism, and the chaos of life; Fitzgerald used these struggles to write through his adversities and metaphorically relate those in his novels.
Plagued by alcoholism, Fitzgerald took his thoughts out on paper, and created many awe-inspiring novels. Two characters from two novels ultimately reflect Fitzgerald’s hardships with alcohol and mental illness. Many could say that Fitzgerald unintentionally wrote stories that contained characters that were a parallel to his own life, while others could argue that Fitzgerald used this technique as a way of facing his addictions and family issues. Either way, it was clear that he wanted to escape reality and write. Because Fitzgerald experienced intense criticism from his father, he was hard on himself. Often resorting to alcohol to hide away from the harsh reality of the world and seek to live the dream of everyone around him. That dream ultimately was to be extremely wealthy and have a beautiful family. This “dream” was reflected in The Great Gatsby through fancy parties and beautiful people. Mental health was another factor that Fitzgerald often reflected in many of his novels. His wife, Zelda Fitzgerald once had a mental breakdown which she never fully recovered from, sparking the idea for Tender Is the Night. The main character strives for the approval of those around her, which ultimately led to her mental insanity. Both novels shared something in common, the desire of forming to society and conforming to the desires of the world.
The Great Gatsby provides many examples of how Fitzgerald expressed the impact that society has on a person. Taking place in 1922, The Great Gatsby focuses on the search of a new life for Nick Carraway. During this time, the United States experienced an economic explosion which provided an extreme amount of financial gain for many of the luckier people. This story emphasized how almost every character strived to be well-known, rich, and happy. Society during this time was judgmental. “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had.”’ (Fitzgerald 1.1-3.) Wealth was what was to be ultimately achieved even if someone wasn’t their happiest. Society was the focus of each character, whether or not they could achieve the greatness that society had determined for them would be their ultimate happiness. From extravagant parties, to romance, the novel results in the murder of Gatsby which is the ultimate symbolism of what society can do to a person. Gatsby sought wealth and love and once society found out who he truly was, his life went downhill.
In “Tender Is the Night,” Fitzgerald symbolizes the impact that mental health had on his wife, Zelda. Through the character Nicole mental health is brought to life. After her mother died, her father raped her. Nicole is diagnosed with schizophrenia, just like Zelda. He describes Nicole as a “broken roly-poly that couldn’t stand up straight” (Fitzgerald 136) which is a correlation between what he actually believed of his wife and he was able to connect his views on both Zelda and Nicole. Nicole and her husband Dick put up the façade that they are in love and are in a healthy relationship by attending parties in France while their marriage is actually crumbling. Fitzgerald brings to light how many people try to make it seem like they are perfect in happy so that they can exceed to society’s needs, but they are miserable. Nobody truly understands what a person could be going through, until they fully know them and know their struggles.
Tennessee Williams was a famous playwright known for dramatic plays that would condemn the South. He would express the influence that men had on women and express the “real” side of the South. This writing style was similar to that of the Southern Gothic writing style but instead of involving a hero or damsel in distress, Williams would emphasize that the damsel in distress had more of damaged qualities. Because Williams grew up in Mississippi, he was able to see the South under a light that most authors couldn’t. He brought to life the awareness that the south has a specific façade of being romantic, and care-free, but people need to understand the reality of it being a broken area. Many people chase the standards of those around them. Facing drunkenness and high ideals, many southerners try to be people that they are not.
Williams grew up in an abusive household. His father tried to gain control over his decisions and impact his sexuality. His father was an alcoholic and his mother was controlled by society, seeking the approval of those around her. She wanted her family to be not only liked by those around them, but to have the highest status. Williams also was a victim of bullying and because of this, he confided in his relationship with his sister Rose. She was diagnosed with schizophrenia and braved a surgery which resulted in her loss of her freedom and she was then sent to a mental institution. Williams struggled with his sexuality and fully being open about being gay. Many of his plays reflect what he went through; abuse, alcoholism, and the need for social acceptance. Specifically, in A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams outlines the impact that alcohol and loneliness has on a character. Two characters specially highlight those characteristics. Blanche and Stanley are characters that face the addiction of alcohol. Blanche represented Williams’ mother, being weak and a southern belle; Stanley, representing Williams’ father, a macho drunk. Williams’ mother dreamed of achieving wealth and status, thus being very similar to Blanche. In The Glass Menagerie, Williams almost exactly reflected his families personalities in each character. Laura Wingfield symbolized Williams’ sister who struggled with mental illness. Williams even had a character that represented himself, Tom Wingfield. Both stories give insight into Williams’ heartaches, endeavors he writes. He escaped the reality of the world and wrote about his life.
“A Streetcar Named Desire.” Taking place in New Orleans, Williams brings out the unpleasantness in society, while also bringing about the dreamy style of the musical city. Through the character Blanche, she expresses her extreme need for approval of those around her. After her husband died a traumatic death, she craved for intimacy to replace her husband. She tried to hide from her past so that she can become a new version of herself but ultimately fails. Her desperate need to be likeable began to overtake her desire for ultimate happiness and she became an alcoholic. Society is her ultimate failure, and she seeks to perform to the way that the people around her would want her to perform. For example, Blanche says “After the death of Allan—intimacies with strangers was all I seemed able to fill my empty heart with . . . I think it was panic, just panic, that drove me from one to another, hunting for some protection” (146). Blanche needed love, she tried to fill the hole in her heart after her husband died and she became mentally insane. Williams reflects his struggles with alcohol and loneliness through the character Blanche. Stanley represents the abuse that Williams underwent with his father. Stanley would yell at Blanche and harass her about her past, which is similar to what Tennessee’s father did to him.
In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams also focuses how social class effects one’s character. Taking place during the Great Depression, the Wingfields begin to come to terms with their money situation and have to do what it takes in order to make money. Each character battles with their own fears. For example, Tom fears that his job will prevent him from moving up, which then results to him escaping to writing poetry and literature, while also facing the harshness of alcoholism. Amanda, the mother to Laura and Tom, tries to push Laura to get married to be more popular and well known. Amanda is a character that clings to society. She needs approval from those around her and symbolizes Tennessee Williams mother. Laura is a character who is pushed away from society because of her mental incapability’s. She plays with glass figures all day, giving the name of the play, The Glass Menagerie. Amanda is a mother who ultimately wants what is best for her children but has an extreme fear of their future. "Oh! I felt so weak I could barely keep on my feet! I had to sit down while they got me a glass of water! Fifty dollars’ tuition, all of our plans – my hopes and ambitions for you – just gone up the spout, just gone up the spout like that." (Williams 2.16). She worries constantly about her children fitting in, if they are going to college while she almost expects them to fail. The need for societal gain is prevalent in this play and Williams focuses on how certain characters will do what they need to do in order to receive popularity, or financial gain.
In conclusion, society is what is leading to the downfall of one’s character. Whether that be through the struggles of mental health, the need for materialism, or alcoholism, people put up a façade of being “okay” while they truly may not be. Both Fitzgerald and Williams highlight the need for fulfilling one’s place in society. These authors expressed their lives into their novels and gave insight into what their struggles truly were. While Fitzgerald reflected his addiction to alcohol and materialism, Williams highlighted his family struggles. Each one, being impacted by society. Fitzgerald was afraid to fail, to not please society which ultimately lead to his death, being surrounded in liquor bottles, Fitzgerald died an alcoholic. Society will drive people to do the unknown, push past their own happiness to achieve the approval of those around them. Williams desired to be accepted by his family, and by those around him. His sexuality was something that he constantly struggled with throughout his life. Williams felt the need to get approval from his father, who disapproved of his homosexuality. His father mentally abused Tennessee and made him feel unworthy of a place in this world.