The Great Gatsby Essay -- Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzgerald

In the 1920s the values and morals of the majority of America were changing from very conservative to extremely liberal. People became more interested in what benefited them most, while disregarding what the cost would be. This is what essentially gave this era the title of â€Å"The Roaring Twenties†. The total rebellion of people changing from having a great set of morals and values to being corrupt and materialistic entirely reshaped the start of this era. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Nick Carraway to show the worldly view of what good values and morals should be against the skewed values of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Nick Carraway is portrayed by Fitzgerald as a small town guy from the Middle West that, while purpose-driven, isn’t focused as much on being wealthy as being successful. This is very evident when Nick’s new house is introduced. He describes it by saying, My house was an eye-sore, but it was a small eye-sore and had been overlooked so I had a view of the water, a partial view of my neighbor’s lawn and the consoling proximity of millionaires – all for eighty dollars a month (Fitzgerald 9-10). Nick knows he does not have the biggest and best house on the block, and he doesn’t really care. He takes pride in the fact that he is making away for himself and getting to live in a first class neighborhood. Harold Bloom supports this when he says, â€Å"Compared to Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, Nick has modest means and modest desires† (1). These quotes both back up the fact that Nick is not a money-craving American. He is content with where he is in his life. Nick was also taught to be non-judgmental and to use his mind to succeed. The readers see this when Nick repeats father’s is advise when he is younger an... ...ay the wide difference between good and right morals and values of the 1920s and corrupt and superficial morals and values of that era. The â€Å"Roaring Twenties† was becoming full of people that are focused solely on satisfying their own wants and desires, instead of what would propel them further in life. The world had just gotten out of a war and was enjoying every minute of its life. It was a total change from people who had been extremely conservative, always living life by the book, to a whole new generation of liberals who would change the way Americans lived their life. Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a great example of the diversity of values at that time. He made sure to include every criteria, from old money to new money, humbleness and pride, and true love versus love for money, these are all aspects that help to form a persons morals and values.