Gatsby context

• The Great Gatsby was set in 1922 in America
• The social problems going on at the time included the Prohibition, organised crime, a massive social divide and The American Dream
• Fitzgerald shows himself through the character of Nick
• East Egg is where people from old/inherited money live e.g. Tom and Daisy whereas West Egg is where people from new money live e.g. Gatsby and Nick
• The novel was first released in 1925
• Fitzgerald was born in Minnesota (American Midwest) which means that he shares his midwestern roots with all of the main characters
• Fitzgerald was from new money
• Fitzgerald attended Princeton University where many of his peers were from old money.
• Fitzgerald struggled with alcoholism throughout his adult life which was thought to have affected his work.
• After WW1, people became much more materialistic
• Fitzgerald fell in love with his wife Zelda while he was in WW1. He asked her to marry him and she said yes but delayed the wedding day until Fitzgerald was a successful man as all she desired was wealth and luxury.
• Fitzgerald is like Gatsby in that they both:

  • idolise wealth and luxury
  • fell in love with a woman outside of their social class
  • tried very hard to prove their social standing in order to secure love
  • suffered a lot of sadness in their endless pursuit of happiness
• The American Dream was advertised as the ‘land of opportunity’: a place where is you worked hard enough you would be successful and wealthy regardless of social background.

  It was unachievable.