The Great Gatsby as a Criticism of American Society Free Essays

In the novel The Great Gatsby, author F. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes American society through the eyes of his narrator Nick Caraway, as he watches the downfall and pathetic lives of what most consider achievers of the American Dream. Fitzgerald’s criticism of American Society is more prominently proven by his Harsh view of America’s materialistic standard of living, the tragic death of Gatsby, the negligence displayed by Gatsby’s friends, the reveal of Gatsby’s innocent childhood, and Fitzgerald’s personal life experiences. We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Gatsby as a Criticism of American Society or any similar topic only for you Order Now All lead the reader to see Fitzgerald’s unforgiving blow towards American Society. Fitzgerald first introduces the mysterious Gatsby through the thoughts of Nick Caraway who bluntly states â€Å"Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn,† (Fitzgerald 2) which sets the stage for a larger attack that demonstrates the affect of materialism on American Society. Gatsby is known throughout the city for his phenomenal parties at his large mansion in West Egg.The narrator Caraway later rambles for two pages uttering a long list of insignificant names that are only made insignificant due to the lack of information and anonymous nature of them all. â€Å"But I can still read the gray names, and they will give you a better impression than my generalities of those who accepted Gatsby’s hospitality and paid him the subtle tribute of knowing nothing whatever about him. † (61) Through this list Fitzgerald demonstrates the fakeness and lack of direction in Gatsby’s party goer’s lives.This is also displayed in the no vel by the vast amount of alcohol use at Gatsby’s parties even though it was illegal during the 1920’s. Gatsby himself was at one time a bootlegger which allowed him to obtain so much money, but the very people that drink his alcohol look down upon him for it showing the hypocrisy of the American high class at the time. Nick Caraway then goes on to compare Gatsby’s party scene to a Greco painting that displays how unglamorous the life of the wealthy really is. The night-vignette Nick paints of the East as a drunken woman carried on a stretcher is an image symbolic not only of the East but also of the West, for it signifies the plight of all these Middle Western Easterners (or Eastern Middle Westerners): their isolation, their loneliness, their anonymity. † (Bloom 62-63) In the painting nobody seems to care for the woman in the white dress on the stretcher as her lifeless body is dragged out of the party. Fitzgerald goes out of his way to demonstrate to his audience how the high class life which most Americans strive to achieve is a life simply an pretentious show full of fakes and materialism.In The Great Gatsby characters such as Tom, Daisy, Jordan, Myrtle, and Wilson demonstrate further Fitzgerald’s criticism of American society due to their outlandish personalities and bizarr e lives. The character Jordan in the novel describes these kinds of people as bad drivers stating to Nick, â€Å"You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver? Well, I met another bad driver didn’t I? † (Fitzgerald 177). Jordan uses the driver metaphor as a way to describe to Nick how a dishonest and awful person is fine until they meet another person who mirrors them. This connection will cause their abnormal personalities to clash, just as two bad drivers in a car crash unable to swerve out of the way. Tom and Daisy are both great examples of â€Å"bad drivers† and are couple caught up in their own materialistic bubble. Gatsby lives his life trying win the love of Daisy, but in order to do this Gatsby must acquire money in order to accommodate Daisy’s love for her â€Å"artificial world,† (Fitzgerald 151). Daisy ends up killing Myrtle accidentally in Gatsby’s car, and Tom tells Myrtles husband that it was in fact Gatsby who was driving the vehicle.This leads Wilson, Myrtles husband, to go to Gatsby’s estate, murder Gatsby and then kill himself. â€Å"It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the Gardner saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete. † (Fitzgerald 162). Ultimately, the wealthy Gatsby ends up dead never reuniting with the woman he lived to impress. The holocaust the novel refers to is symbolic of the death of Gatsby’s fantasy life in which money can by him his love Daisy and his friends. After the killing is complete to people thought of to be Gatsby’s friends flee before the funeral. But she and Tom had gone away early that afternoon, and taken baggage with them. † (Fitzgerald 164). This quote supports the idea of the false reality most Americans during the 1920’s lived in. Tom and Daisy break away from the holocaust and simply move on with their pointless lives making others clean up the mess they left. Nick Caraway and his judgmental narration ultimately allow one to see the flaws and corruption of American society as he responds to the events of Gatsby and Wilson’s death, and Tom and Daisy’s actions following the casualties.After the murder of Gatsby and suicide of Wilson, the book then goes into Gatsby’s funeral service where none of his so-called thousands of friends are present. By describing his vacant funeral Fitzgerald once again criticizes American society. Nick frantically contacts people around town trying to get them to attend Gatsby’s funeral service on of who is Meyer Wolfsheim. He creates an excuse stating, â€Å"I cannot come down now as I am tied up in some very important business and cannot get mixed up in this thing now.Wolfsheim declares this as if Gatsby’s death is unimportant which also demonstrates how in American Society people may appear to be close, but in the high class American Dream world it is usually it is for their on social and narcissistic benefit. The only people present at his funeral were Nick, a drunkard, and Gatsby’s father. By killing off Gatsby, one of the most admired millionaires who threw the best social gatherings die alone Fitzgerald further criticizes American society by showing the distortion of reality and carelessness of Gatsby’s â€Å"friends. In the novel there is a scene in which Nick discovers writings of Gatsby when he was a young boy. This reveal of Gatsby’s childhood makes his downfall greater because it allows the reader to relate to the innocent boy Gatsby once was, and how American Society ultimately corrupted him and led to his death. In a book he had when he was a boy it states normal activities one would do. GENERAL RESOLVES No wasting time at Shafters or [a name, indecipherable] No more smokeing or chewing Bath every other dayRead one improving book or magazine per week Save $5. 00 [crossed out] $3. 00 per week Be better to parents (Fitzgerald 173). Gatsby is first introduced to the reader as a mysterious and wealthy man who has ultimately achieved what Americans would consider success due to his vast amount of money and contacts. Fitzgerald on the other hand reveals Gatsby to us slowly throughout the novel and then one comes to see how truly pathetic Gatsby’s life really is. The diary presents Gatsby as a young boy that simply wants to better himself.As Gatsby grew however American societies never ending obsession with the material changed hopes directed him in a downward spiral. Fitzgerald’s life very much mirrors that of Gatsby and Nick which gives great insight into how he obtained his opinion of American Society. His wife Zelda is very much like Daisy because she also was drawn to the materialistic life style. Fitzgerald had to win her heart by making big money from his novels, and when he was successful Zelda finally fell in love with him. Both Gatsby and Fitzgerald were very wealthy and both enjoyed throwing and attending parties.Alcohol is prominent in The Great Gatsby and in the lives of Fitzgerald and Zelda who were both described as alcoholics. Fitzgerald was once a young innocent boy like Gatsby and cleary was also corrupted by American society and the false American Dream of materialism. Like Nick Fitzgerald has seen how unglamorous high class society can be. Both Nick and Gatsby derive from different aspects of Fitzgerald’s personality and he has shaped his opinion of American Society by a first hand upper-class experience.Fitzgerald became very critical of the way he was living and in The Great Gatsby criticizes what many American’s strive all their lives to achieve. The title of the novel The Great Gatsby appears to make Gatsby the star of a disturbing sideshow which is exactly what he was. The novel displays American society as a circus and Fitzgerald criticizes it harshly. The novel shows the Carelessness and lack of meaning in the lives of the wealthy. And how American Society has the ability to corrupt innocence and get in the way of what was once the American dream, simply bettering oneself. How to cite The Great Gatsby as a Criticism of American Society, Papers

Zapotecs free essay sample

This paper examines the Zapotecs of Mesoamerica, their culture and traditions. This is an in-depth look at the Zapotec Indians, both historically and currently and uses an exhibit from the Field Museum in Chicago to explain the people. The author pays special attention to historical civilization that evolved around Monte Alban. Included is an examination of their history and origins, homes, food and irrigation, trade, societal values, class systems, politics, religion, architecture, routine and kinship systems. The center of historic Zapotec civilization was in the Valley of Oaxaca, especially at a hill known as Monte Alban. Archeological knowledge of the Valley of Oaxaca began with the impressive landmark, Monte Alban, dating from approximately 400 BC. Evidence of an early food-collecting, incipient cultivation culture is known from a series of caves and rock shelters, located near Mitla, in a transition zone from piedmont to mountains. There the native inhabitants collected acorns, pinon nuts, mesquite beans, magueys, and other wild plants while hunting deer, cottontail rabbits, and mud turtles. We will write a custom essay sample on Zapotecs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I have done the same in order to present you with an amazing wedding present, so we may have our first dinner together eating traditional Zapotec food.

aspectos problematicos del espaol essays

aspectos problematicos del espaol essays Aspectos problemticos del espa Conocimientos previos: vocabulario sobre medios de transporte, relaciones entre parejas, verbos de movimiento, presente, pasado/copretrito, futuro. No se dar la regla gramatical, se pretende que el alumno infiera los diferentes usos de las preposiciones. No se presentarn todos los usos de por y para, durante el transcurso de la clase se tomarn slo 4 modalidades: Que el alumno sea capaz de utilizar expresiones con las preposiciones por y para. Dar y pedir informacin en situaciones causales, de finalidad, temporalidad, finalidad y medios. Interactà ºe con sus compan sobre Estados de la Repà ºblica Mexicana. Que el alumno identifique diferentes estados de la Repà ºblica Mexicana. Que hable sobre dichos estados. Que el alumno infiera la reglas para la utilizacin de las preposiciones por y para. 1. Sensibilizacin (3minutos). El maestro har preguntas del tipo  ¿Alguna vez has tenido que separarte de algà ºn ser querido?" Con el objeto de contextualizar al alumno con el tema de la actividad. Presentacin de los personajes. 2. Dilogo. Juego de roles. (1 minuto) Dos alumnos leern el dilogo propuesto en donde se presentar la situacin que da pie al uso de dichas preposiciones. Se le proporcionar al alumno una hoja con preguntas, las cuales contestar con la ayuda de su compan) 3.1 Revisin de las preguntas acentuando la importancia de las preposiciones (todos los usos juntos) (5 minutos). 4. Ejercicios de transformacin (10 minutos) El maestro presentar fotografà ­as de personas y dar informacin extra para asà ­, de esta manera, procurar que el alum...

South Koreas Capital City of Seoul

South Korea's Capital City of Seoul Seoul is the capital and largest city in  South Korea. Its considered a megacity because it has a population of over ten million people, with nearly half of its 10,208,302 people residing in the National Capital Area (which also includes Incheon and Gyeonggi). Seoul, South Korea The Seoul National Capital Area is the second-largest in the world at 233.7 square miles and an average elevation of just above sea level at 282 feet. Because of its very large population, Seoul is considered a global city and it is the center of South Koreas economy, culture, and politics. Throughout its history, Seoul was known by a number of different names, and the name Seoul itself is believed to have originated from the Korean word for the capital city, Seoraneol. The name Seoul is interesting, however, because it has no matching Chinese characters. Instead, a Chinese name for the city, which sounds similar, has recently been chosen. GoranQ/Getty Images History of Settlement and Independence Seoul has been continuously settled for over 2,000 years since it was first founded in 18 B.C. by the Baekje, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The city also remained as the capital of Korea during the Joseon Dynasty and the Korean Empire. During the Japanese colonization of Korea in the early 20th century, Seoul became known as Gyeongseong. In 1945, Korea gained its independence from Japan and the city was renamed Seoul. In 1949, the city separated from Gyeonggi Province and it became a special city, but in 1950, North Korean troops occupied the city during the Korean War and the entire city was nearly destroyed. On March 14, 1951, the  United Nations forces took control of Seoul. Since then, the city has rebuilt and grown considerably. Today, Seoul is still considered a special city, or a direct-controlled municipality, in that it as a city has a status equal to that of a province. This means that it has no provincial government controlling it. Rather, the federal government of South Korea controls it directly. Because of its very long history of settlement, Seoul is home to a number of historic sites and monuments. The Seoul National Capital Area has four  UNESCO  World Heritage Sites: the  Changdeokgung Palace Complex, the  Hwaseong Fortress, the  Jongmyo Shrine,  and the  Royal Tombs of the Joseon Dynasty. Diego Mariottini/EyeEm/Getty Images Geographic Facts and Population Figures Seoul is located in the northwestern part of South Korea. The city of Seoul itself has an area of 233.7 square miles and is cut in half by the Han River, which was previously used as a trade route to China and helped the city grow throughout its history. The Han River is no longer used for navigation because its estuary is at the border between North and South Korea. Seoul is surrounded by several mountains but the city itself is relatively flat because it is on the Han River plain, and the average elevation of Seoul is 282 feet (86 m). Due to its very large population and relatively small area, Seoul is known for its  population density  which is about 44,776 people per square mile. As such, much of the city consists of dense  high-rise  apartment buildings. Mostly all of Seouls residents are of Korean descent, although there are some small groups of Chinese and Japanese. The  climate  of Seoul is considered both humid subtropical and humid continental (the city lies on the border of these). Summers are hot and humid and the East Asian monsoon has a strong impact on Seouls weather from June to July. Winters are usually cold and dry, although the city gets an average of 28 days of snow per year. The average January low temperature for Seoul is 21 degrees F (-6 degrees C) and the average August high temperature is 85 degrees F (29.5 degrees C). Politics and Economy As one of the largest cities in the world and a leading global city, Seoul has become the headquarters for many international companies. Currently, it is the headquarters of companies like Samsung, LG, Hyundai, and Kia. It also generates over 20% of South Koreas gross domestic product. In addition to its large multinational companies, Seouls economy is focused on tourism, building, and manufacturing. The city is also known for its shopping and the Dongdaemun Market, which is the largest market in South Korea. Seoul is divided into 25 administrative divisions called gu. Each gu has its own government and each is divided into several neighborhoods called a dong. Each gu in Seoul varies in both size and population. Songpa has the largest population, while Seocho is the gu with the largest area in Seoul.

Universalism,impartialism, & utilitarianism Essay

Universalism,impartialism, & utilitarianism - Essay Example Two of the most powerful theories that have affected and are still affecting how people shape their mindset, goals, and life would be Universalist and Impartialist theories. Universalism is a theory that hinges on a central belief that all people are saved. Universalism is a theory that hinges on a central belief that all people are saved. This salvation has been paid in the most expensive and precious price of the body and blood of Jesus Christ that was shed on the cross. A lot of people ask why it was necessary for Jesus’ sacrifice and Universalists believe that it is the only way for sinful humans to be reconciled to God again after being separated from him because of sin. This salvation applies to all human beings whether they accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior or not because this redemption would be achieved in one’s lifetime or the afterlife where God will bring people to repentance. This reconciliation does not exclude evil beings. An example of a Universali st point of view would be a mind set wherein one does not depend on one's regularity in church attendance every Sunday because based on this view no amount of good works could save one from eternal death except for Jesus' death on the cross. Another would be the belief that there are no levels of sin. When one chooses to do bad, it displeases the Lord. However, this does not mean that one could be cut off from the love of God. On the other hand, Impartialist theory believes that Impartialism which means choosing something over the other is not necessarily a negative or a positive thing. Being impartial is not closely linked to morality (Hsieh, D., n,d.). This is because of the fact that one can be impartial, choosing another option based on rational qualifications without meaning any harm to the other party. One example of which would be to choose to not go to your friends beach party and yet attend your other friend’s house party because of the fact that you cannot swim. Fur thermore, a person could be impartial in a way that affects his or her action’s morality when one chooses something over the other based on personal motive or gain. A good example of which would be to choose to hire a friend you know is not totally capable of the job just because you can get a wide range of connection from that person and putting off an unfamiliar applicant who is clearly equipped for the job because you don’t see any obvious personal benefits from doing so. Based on the definitions of Impartialist and Universalist theory, both are strongly interconnected with Utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is a philosophy that was first developed by English philosophers John Stuart Mill and Jeremy Bentham. It was based on the experiences of women who were forced into slavery. From this, these philosophers developed the belief that criminals need not only be punished, instead reformed where every being is brought to their utmost positive potential. Thus, Utilitarianism in its entirety is a theory that puts premium on the value of happiness which is achieved in the absences of pain and where pleasure is the ultimate goal (Utilitarianism, n.d.). Impartialism is strongly applied in the theory of Utilitarianism because as Impartialism puts significance in welcoming impartial decisions or actions just as long as it is in line with moral ethics – not having ill motives, which is correlational to Utilitarianism which puts utmost importance on man’s happiness achieved through activities, social acceptance, success, power, luxury, and etc. If one successfully abides in the Impartialist theory, Utilitarianism is achieved as man can reach ultimate happiness. Aside from that, the Impartialist point of view is backed up by what ethics, morality, and at the same time natural law teaches us. Natural law which is the foundation of it all holds the universal law of humans’ right to live, have a decent home, be fed, be nurtured and cared for, be loved, be educated and etc

Global Warming (human beings are responsible) Term Paper

Global Warming (human beings are responsible) - Term Paper Example The sun’s warmth is trapped in the atmosphere due to the continuous air pollution that ensures there is a blanket, which prevents the warmth from escaping from the atmosphere. The main purpose of this essay is to prove that humans are the main cause of global warming because of their continuous activities that pollute the environment. The essay will thus prove that the earlier assumption that the sun is responsible for global warming is a vague assumption. This is because there are no evidences unlike the many evidences on the human activities. The assumption that the sun is the main cause of global warming has been used for years by some people due to the historical changes of the earth’s climate. For the past 650,000 years, the earth has experienced about seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat, which has affected the climate. In the last 7,000 years climate has been changing in unusual way and this has been attributed to the small variations of the earth’s orbit change that has increased the amount of solar energy received by the earth (Rosser, 249). People have assumed that the increment of solar energy is the main perpetuator of global warming forgetting that the sunrays are radiated away from the earth after hitting the earth’s surface. Then, the heat escapes the atmosphere into space. This radiation ensured that temperatures are regulated by the nature. Human civilization has led to humans venturing in activities that produce carbon dioxide and other gases that act as blankets preventing the solar energy and warmth from leaving the earth’s atmosphere. The continuous trapping increased solar energy in the atmosphere is the main cause of global warming (Rosser, 256). Since mid-20th century, the climate has changed drastically. This shows that the industrial revolution that began at this time is responsible for the climatic changes that were experienced. Industrialization has hit new levels and there have been more fossil fuels burned

Critically analyse the factors which influence the exercise of Essay

Critically analyse the factors which influence the exercise of management prerogative in employment relations - Essay Example Hence employer’s prerogative ensures the basic right of an employer to apply his/her creative concepts in the business. However, it does not entitle the employer to harass employees but only gives the right to satisfy his/her business interests. The following part will critically analyze the factors which normally influence the exercise of management prerogative in employment relations in the US, UK, and China. The US’s ‘right to manage’ is very different from that of the other developed countries. â€Å"Joint determination of relationship between employers and organized employees through collective bargaining is now a protected right in the United States† (James 1992). Obviously United States has adopted a more liberal policy towards employees’ rights. The US law insists that the managerial objectives should be achieved through good employer-employee relations in order to reduce the work difficulties and employees’ physical and mental stress. In the opinion of Summers (1976), the US considers employees’ termination as economical capital punishment (ibid). During the last decade, many states have limited employers’ traditional rights to terminate the workers any time as they liked. The adverse impacts of this law is that sometimes even the most unproductive workers get the opportunity to continue the job and thus the long term objectiv es of the enterprise get impeded. This law enforcement is against the employer’s right of ‘hire and fire the employees’. Numerous US regulations including EEO legislations and other non-discrimination acts tend to favor employees rather than employers rights. For instance, a company is liable to prove that the termination of any employee is not due to discrimination of any sort. As a positive outcome of such restrictions on employer’s prerogative employee-employer relationship has been enhanced in the US business environment. In contrast, the restrictions would pull back innovative