Great works of art are often unappreciated as they are first premiered, yet rise to great acclaim years later. Picasso himself lived as a struggling artist, yet is now considered one of the most influential artists in history. This occurrence is also true through literature. As renowned author F. Scott Fitzgerald released his book The Great Gatsby in 1923, he was met with criticism from other writers of the time. Freelance Writer Ruth Hale stated, “Find me one chemical trace of magic, life, irony, romance, or mysticism in all of The Great Gatsby and I’ll bind myself to read one Scott Fitzgerald a week for the rest of my life.” While these and other pessimistic views predicted that the novel would quickly be forgotten, Fitzgerald’s masterpiece has stood the test of time and solidified its legacy as an American classic.
Hale’s review of The Great Gatsby can be disproven through detailed analysis of the novel. Fitzgerald’s use of irony as a literary technique in order to expand the meaning of the novel is seen in multiple instances. One key example of this can be observed in the characterization of Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is a married to a poor man and is desperately trying to escape and seek and more fortunate life. In order to do this, she becomes the mistress of Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man married to Daisy. Tom showers her with gifts such as expensive clothing and an apartment in Manhattan, as well as a puppy and jewelry. The irony of the situation becomes evident in Myrtles shift of personality. While she is living her “wealthy lifestyle”, Myrtle becomes vain and shallow, even expressing contempt against the servants. This treatment can be seen in the quote “ ‘I told that boy about the ice.’ Myrtle raised her eyebrows in despair at the shiftlessness of the lower orders. ‘These people! You have to keep after them all the time’ ”. (pg 67) The irony of the situation lays in the fact that Myrtle is a primarily poor woman, but when she is “playing the part”, her personality shifts into a pompous one. In this situation, Fitzgerald is portraying the idea that money can twist morality. As Myrtle assumes the role of a wealthy woman, her morals shift and she is disgusted by the work of those she deems beneath her. This is a commentary of the culture of the affluent and why they think of themselves as superior, and is an important theme throughout the novel. Fitzgerald incorporates for the duration of the novel, including the attendance of Gatsby’s funeral. Gatsby is introduced to and known by the read as a wealthy man throwing extravagant parties on a weekly basis. While these parties were extremely well attended, there were no worthwhile interactions. Contrary to these parties, Gatsby’s funeral is attended by a very small party. This irony is again used to add meaning to the story and reinforce the ideas that fortune can not buy relationships or happiness.
To further disprove Hale’s claims, Fitzgerald is able to sufficiently incorporate the idea of romanticism into his novel as well. This primarily takes the form of Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy. Jay Gatsby is seen as a wealthy and opulent character who is shrouded in mystery. As the novel progresses the reader comes to find out the secret behind his wealth. Jay Gatsby, originally James Gatz, grew up in an extremely poor family from North Dakota and earned his fortune through organized crime such as illegal distribution of alcohol and trading in stolen securities. These activities are confirmed in the quote “He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That's one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't far wrong.” (pg. 122) Gatsby partakes in these actions with the sole purpose of winning back the affection of Daisy, and has dedicated his life to earning the fortune he believes she wants. Romanticism is clear in this situation as Gatsby is driven by his emotions, disregarding reason in his mission to make her love him. Gatsby ignores the potential consequences of engaging in illegal activities. This use of romanticism is able to effectively communicate another important theme, namely that love can drive you to questionable actions. This is an observation of the use of romantic ideals in American literature during the time period. Contradictory to Hale’s critique, Fitzgerald employs different literary techniques in order to create a multifaceted narrative.
Today, The Great Gatsby is a staple in the educational environment. In his review of F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Man and his Work by Alfred Kazin, Bradford Booth argues that “his work engaged the attention of the best critical minds of our day” (509). Fitzgerald’s success in the world of literature stems from his ability to use his writing as a commentary and treatise on the American Dream and it’s overuse as a theme literature. Three of the characters are shown to be either contradictory or representative of the American dream and shows a criticism of the American Society. Tom and Daisy are representative of the former category, as they are beneficiaries of inherited money and therefore are shown to have a safety net both financially and socially. Their actions are parodies of the idea that wealth is a factor of immorality, and therefore these characters are representative of the crippled American society. Jay Gatsby is shown to be a pursuer of the so called American Dream, with a negative approach on how to reach it. Gatsby is involved in a corrupt and illegal dealing in order to gain his wealth. Bob Batchelor says “[d]uring the 1920’s, many Americans began to equate self-worth with material possessions,” and this is shown through the actions of the protagonists including the purchase of expensive shirts and cars. This is Fitzgerald’s take on the hysterical quest for wealth as well as the consumerist dreams that take such a negative toll on society. Through his use of these characters, Fitzgerald effectively creates a criticism of the American dream, and provides an educational look at the issues that plagued America in the 1920’s.
Since its publication, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby has only increased in popularity. Upon initial release, fellow authors and critics had expressed negative views, such as Ruth Hale’s iconic review, however through deeper analysis these critics have been disproved. Fitzgerald’s use of literary techniques such as irony and romanticism augments his work by adding depth and meaning. More so, his novel serves as a vital analysis of the American society and dream, making it a historically significant novel as well. The Great Gatsby is stated to be “… an important piece of Americana […] it stands as one of the few works of literature that nearly everyone is at least acquainted with in text or film form, its influence is broad and important as a part of popular culture” (119) according to Bob Batchelor. Through his commentary of American society and control of themes in his novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald effectively disproves criticism of The Great Gatsby and solidifies its legacy as an American classic.