For my presentation, I made a Canva slideshow of Gatsby’s life if he were alive today.
My first slide is talking about where he would live. I chose that Gatsby would live in Paris. Gatsby’s life was very boujee in the 1920s, and Gatsby would still want to live that way. Paris is known for luxury. I was able to go to Paris this summer, and everyone wore extremely fancy clothes, unlike how in America, we all go out in sweatpants. You would get stares over in Paris for doing that, and they automatically knew you were a tourist. Paris is also known as “The City of Love,” which we all know Gatsby is a hopeless romantic.
My next slide is the house I chose for Gatsby. I think if Gatsby were to live in Paris today, he would downsize. He would realize he only needs enough room for his parties, so I chose a penthouse with a massive terrace with a view of the Eiffel Tower. Gatsby would still be able to wow his guests, but he would be able to do it without owning a huge mansion for one person.
The next few slides are designs that I chose for rooms in his penthouse. I incorporated a lot of the Art Deco style that was prominent in the 1920s like patterns, dark colors, and gold accents. I also chose a lot of green because it reminds Gatsby of Daisy. For his bathroom, I kept it more modern Art Deco by using white on the walls and brighter art.
The next slide is about what Gatsby would wear. I chose a simple black tuxedo with a green tie to remind him of his love for Daisy again. I also chose a green watch to match the tie. Then, for his shoes, I just kept it simple with some brown dress shoes.
The next slide is Gatsby’s car. I chose a Mercedes AMG GT S for the low price of 150,000 dollars. I chose the car in yellow to match the classic car that he drove in the book. I chose Mercedes because they are known as luxury cars. I do not think Gatsby would drive a flashy car like a Lambo or a Bugatti, but he would still want to be able to show off in a classy way.
My last slide is about what job I think he would have, and that is being a Mafia mob boss. That may be a bit controversial, but I can totally see Gatsby being in the Mafia. That might be a little bit different than him selling alcohol during prohibition, but just imagine Gatsby being in the French Mafia with his yellow Mercedes in his nice tux.
While we will never know how Fitzgerald would have wrote Gatsby’s character today, I think that my interpretation would not be far off.
I’m arguing that Gatsby would have grown to become associated with the modern times, but still have some connection to the past. This is seen when I have him updating his mansion to a penthouse, but he has a connection to the past through his use of Art Deco.
As Thanksgiving has just happened, I think deciding what each character would be as a Thanksgiving food is very fitting.
Starting with Jay Gatsby. I think that Jay Gatsby would be the pumpkin pie. Everyone knows that the pumpkin pie will be there but does not get seen as much as everything else, just like Gatsby is always at his parties. People know that Gatsby is there, but no one usually sees him.
Next is Nick. I think that Nick would be the green bean casserole. There is nothing too special about the casserole, but it is delicious, and there is nothing wrong with it. Nick is not the novel’s main character, but he is not hated, and no one has anything against him.
Next is Daisy. Daisy just gives off mashed potato vibes. When made right, they are light and fluffy. Daisy’s personality is very innocent and light-hearted. When mashed potatoes are made wrong, though, mashed potatoes are very runny and no good. Daisy’s personality by the end shows that she is actually not very innocent and is trying to find love for the wrong reasons.
Next is Tom. Tom would be the turkey, but not the good juicy turkey, the dry one your grandma burned and forgot to season. Tom thinks that he is the main character, just like the turkey thinks it is going to be. That is, until you take a bite of it and figure out grandma left it in the oven a little too long.
Next is Jordan. Jordan would be the rolls. The rolls are not a main dish or even a side dish. They are just something you grab at the very end of the food line. Jordan is no main character, nor does she really even add anything to the novel, just like rolls to the Thanksgiving meal.
Next is Myrtle. Myrtle would be the stuffing because she is full of it. She thinks that she deserves all of Tom’s wealth, all while being a horrible wife to Wilson. Myrtle is a dry character who only cares about the life Tom could give her while not caring about how she affects others around her. The stuffing is only there for the sake of the turkey, just like Myrtle is only there for Tom.
Last is Wilson. Wilson would be the gravy. The gravy is kind of sad that runs all over the plate. Wilson is a mess and can not keep his emotions in check. Gravy is supposed to be there to help out the mashed potatoes, just like Wilson is there to try and help out Myrtle, but she does not want him, just like how the gravy always runs off the potatoes onto everything else on the plate.
While everyone may have different opinions on what Thanksgiving food is the best, I think we can all agree on the personalities of the characters and how it relates to the foods.
[Website] Britannica is offering information on the art movement of Art Deco. States the Art Deco is a popular design of the 1920’s and 30’s characterized by a sleek geometric or stylized form and by the use of man-made materials. Art Deco originated in France in the mid to late 1910’s. Main characteristics reflect the new age of machine designs like simplicity, symmetry, and repetition of elements. Art Deco was associated with a clean and simple look. Represented modernism turned into fashion.
Rosales, Miguel. “Art Deco: Style with a Timeless Appeal.” The New York Public Library, 9 November 2020, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/11/09/art-deco-95-years-and-thriving. Accessed 8 November 2023.
[Website] The New York Library talked about why Art Deco was timeless. Stated that Art Deco flourished between 1919 and 1939. It was initially known as the “le style moderne” or “Jazz Moderne”. The style was crafted by the French to represent elegance, wealth, and sophistication. Art Deco was closely related to the appreciation for decorative arts. During the height of Art Deco, it was referred to as “futuristic.” It is important to note that the Art Deco movement was popular during the time of an economic boom. The height of Art Deco ended with the Great Depression.
Etynkowski, Marta. “Book Review: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald — Art Deco Style.” Art Deco Style, 9 August 2016, http://artdecostyle.ca/art-deco-style-blog/2016/8/9/book-review-the-great-gatsby-by-f-scott-fitzgerald. Accessed 8 November 2023.
[Website] The Great Gatsby illustrates the Art Deco period in its book. The women with bobbed hair, the accessories the women wore with sparkling jewels, down to the glasses the champagne was served in. Gatsby’s mansion also embodied the Art Deco period. His library was “paneled with carved English Oak, and probably transported complete from some ruin overseas”. He also had “Marie Antoinette music rooms and Restoration Salons”. Down the vast corridors were other “period bedrooms swathed in rose and lavender silk”.
Keyterms: Art Deco, Art Nouveau, Decorative, Designs, Visual Arts, Architecture, Fashion, Jewelry
“Art Deco Movement Overview | TheArtStory.” The Art Story, 3 November 2016, https://www.theartstory.org/movement/art-deco/. Accessed 16 November 2023.
[Website] Art Deco is a modern art style that attempts to infuse functional objects with artistic touches. “Art Deco’s pursuit of beauty in all aspects of life was directly reflective of the relative newness and mass usage of machine-age technology rather than traditional crafting methods to produce many objects.” Among the best-known examples of the American Art Deco style are skyscrapers and other large-scale buildings. American Art Deco is often less ornamental than European Art Deco. Art Deco inspired the design and production of an array of objects – from things like magazine covers and advertisements to functional items such as silverware, furniture, clocks, and cars.
van Huyssteen, Justin. “Art Deco Architecture – The History of 1920s Art Deco Architecture.” Art in Context, 9 June 2022, https://artincontext.org/art-deco-architecture/. Accessed 16 November 2023.
[Website] This is a website about Art Deco and Architecture. Art Deco buildings featured the new structures featured simple lines, rectangular shapes, and no adornment on the facade. The design was most often utilized in the United States for office spaces, government facilities, theaters, and railway stations. Some examples of Art Deco are the Golden Great Bridge and the Hoover Dam. Art Deco interiors were vibrant and bright, with sculpture, murals, and intricate geometric designs made of glass, marble, ceramics, and stainless steel. “Detroit’s Fisher Building was an early form; the foyer was lavishly adorned with art and ceramics.”
Etynkowski, Marta. “Art Deco Fashion — Art Deco Style.” Art Deco Style, 12 February 2009, http://artdecostyle.ca/art-deco-style-blog/art-deco-fashion- part-1. Accessed 21 November 2023.
[Website] This website offered information on Art Deco and how it affected fashion. Flapper girls became a thing during this period. Flapper dresses were characterized by masculine forms, streamlined, short hemlines, tubular silhouettes, beaded fringe, geometric designs, and rolled-down stockings.
Gerlinger, Marion. “Arts Décoratifs: The History of Art Deco.” Linearity, 4 May 2022, https://www.linearity.io/blog/art-deco/. Accessed 28 November 2023.
[Website] Art Deco is an art style that attempts to permeate practical objects with artistic touches. Art Deco had shapes that were harmonious, vertical, repetitive, symmetrical, clean, geometric forms, sleek, and uncomplicated. The aesthetic was overall sleak and polished. Art Deco color palette was deep blue, purple, and dark burgundy with gold and silver accents. The materials used in Art Deco were expensive and most times exotic. The style reflects speed, time, and space using bold geometric forms and vivid shades. Art Deco, on the contrary, celebrated the mass production of modern times. However, it has to be mentioned that Deco pieces were rarely mass-produced.
“Art Deco on a Grand Scale – Exhibits Area 1 | Golden Gate.” Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District, https://www.goldengate.org/exhibits/art-deco-on-a-grand-scale/. Accessed 28 November 2023.
[Website] The Golden Great Bridge is one of the largest examples of the influence Art Deco had on architecture. The chevron design and the angular, stepped brackets on the horizontal struts of the Bridge are nonstructural, added for visual effect. The round lights pointing up emphasize the height of the towers at night, an up-lighting technique often used on Art Deco skyscrapers.
Research I ended up not using.
Hillier, Bevis. Art Deco of the 20s and 30s. Schocken Books, 1985. Accessed 14 November 2023.
[Book accessed online] Hillier talks about why he choose the name Art Deco. He chose it because it was easily anglicized, because the name was similar to Art Nouveau, because the name does not only associate to the 1920’s, and because Art Deco was already among common use. I specifically looked at the section of the book which talked about the 1920’s and Art Deco. In the book Hillier showed lots of statues and art of the 1920’s that reflected Art Deco.
“Art Deco Era Jewellery – Lillicoco – Lillicoco.” Lillicoco, https://www.lillicoco.com/pages/the-art-deco-era. Accessed 13 November 2023.
[Website] Art Deco was a reaction to the Art Nouveau movement. Art Deco infused simple decorative designs into everyday objects. The website says, The name is a shortening of the phrase Arts Décoratifs, which was taken from Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes – an art exhibit held in Paris, France in 1925.” Art Deco was already in use, but it was this event that brought it to light. At the beginning of Art Deco it utilized rare materials but when The Great Depression hit it start using more common materials. Art Deco was commonly used in the visual arts like posters and statues. Art Deco in architecture was embodying a spirit of modernism. Art Deco also became popular in fashion and jewelry.
“Art Deco Origins & Influences | ArtDeco.org.” Art Deco Society of New York, https://www.artdeco.org/origins-influences. Accessed 8 November 2023.
[Website] The Art Deco Society of New York was able to offer insight into the history of Art Deco. Art Deco drew its inspiration from the tribes of Africa, Paris, ancient Greco-Roman architecture, and the stepped pyramid structures and bas relief carvings of the pre-Columbian cultures of Mesoamerica. The most common Mesoamerican influence in Art Deco architecture, decorative arts and design is the ziggurat. That is the thing that you see on lots of New York building that get more triangle shape at the top, like a pyramid. Art Deco inspiration could be found in many things of its time from objects like perfume bottles to skyscrapers. Art Deco wasn’t officially given its name until 1966
It is no secret that clothes were a big part of the The Great Gasby. The 1920’s is notable for its fashion. During the 1920’s an era of “fast fashion” began to emerge. More and more people were buying ready-to-wear clothing and started filling their wardrobes with more simple, casual, and practical items. While this was true for most people, there was still groups of people that dressed above and beyond what they needed to, to show their class.
During the 1920’s is when women started gaining more freedom, and with that came a change of clothing. Women started weaning more straight, loose, short, and flowy clothing items. One of the most notable articles of clothing from the Roaring 20’s is the flapper dress. Flapper dresses had no shape to them with fringe making the article of clothing “fun”. Flapper dresses were usually worn for a night out on the town.
Not all dresses were flapper dresses, though. Most womens wore casual sundresses while at home. The dresses were usually loose in style with colorful patterns including stripes, gingham, florals, and solids. As the 1920’s went on and women gained more and more freedom, they started wearing fancier work dresses most of the day.
Mens fashion did not change as drastically as womens fashion did. As a whole, their outfits became a little more casual. Unless men were working or doing activities, they would wear suits while out. These suits were usually slim fitting and accompanied by a hat. As the decade went on, mens suits became longer and more loose paried with a flashy tie and luxury suit fabric.
Men’s sportswear also become more popular during this time. This included things like khaki wide-legged pants, sweaters and sweatervests, “plus-fours”, and flannels could be seen worn more often.
Clothing can describe someones personality, and the changes of clothing that was made in the 1920’s is a tribute to how that generation was and some of the major things that happened.
The Great Gatsby is set in the time period of the “Roaring 20’s”. It is no secret that prohibition was a huge thing during this time period. Prohibition was a nation wide ban on the consumption and sale of alcohol which lasted from 1920 to 1933. Although alcohol was banned, that did not stop the demand for alcohol. This led to many speakeasies, bootleggers, and an increase of crime. In The Great Gatsby alcohol was involed at the majority of gatherings, even though it was during the height of prohibition. Jay Gatsby was a gangster in the novel and might have made most of his money by selling alcohol. This would explain how he was able to have so much of the illegal substance at his parties. If the novel had been set in a different time period, Gatsby would most likely have not been a gangster at all.
Another significant aspect of the “Roaring 20’s” was an economic boom. This came following the end of World War 1. This boom started the beggining of a consumer culture which we can very clearly see in The Great Gatsby. Many things that made life easier started being produced like cars and household appliances. Automobiles play a big deal into the novel and ultimately lead to the death of two people: Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby. Cars were used to display wealth when they first came out. We can see Tom even brag to Wilson about the Rolls Royce he borrows from Gatsby.
Another key aspect of the “Roaring 20’s” was womens rights. The 19th amendment was passed in 1919, so women start to become more empowered during the 1920’s. There was an increase of working women in the 1920’s even though we do not directly see this in the novel. Divorced women became more popular during this time period. We do see Daisy contemplate leaving Tom, but she loves the lifestyle he gives her.
The “Roaring 20’s” made The Great Gatsby novel so profound. If the novel had been set today we might see Gatsby as some drug addict living in LA with the love of his life, Daisy, being a crystal seller. All of this being said, F. Scott Fitzgerald incorporated the time period perfectly into the novel.
Jay Gatsby is a name on everyone’s tongue. He is known among New Yorkers for having the most lavish, extravagant parties; but where did this mystery man come from? The thing is, no one truly knows. Gatsby told Nick that he came from a wealthy family in the Midwest. Gatsby also says that he was educated at Oxford, which we found out later on was only a tiny portion of the truth. Gatsby also tells Nick that he inherited all of his wealth from the death of his family members. He then uses this money to travel around Europe. A little later on Gatsby gets enlisted in the military and serves during World War I.
When Gatsby tells Nick his backstory, Nick is certain that Gatsby is lying to him. He sees that Gatsby can barely keep a straight face while spitting out what Nick assumed to be lies. Nick had also heard many outrageous theories as to how Gatsby had gotten his wealth. Gatsby proves his backstory to Nick by showing him proof. He shows Nick a picture of him at Oxford and a war medal he had earned. Nick was astounded and after being charmed over by Gatsby, he has no choice but to believe him.
Gatsby’s stories did have many inconsistencies in them. For example, he said he was from the Midwest but then tells Nick he is from San Francisco. I’m not that great at geography but I’m pretty positive San Francisco is not in the Midwest. Another inconsistency in Gatsby’s story is that he “hunted big game” in Europe. I went to Europe over the summer and there was definitely no one hunting big game in the cities. Some of Gatsby’s stories were not complete lies. For example, Gatsby did attend Oxford but only for 5 months.
Although Gatsby’s backstory may never be one-hundred percent known, it is no secret that Gatsby did live a luxurious life.
Jay, Gatsby, Pinterest, Accessed October 16, https://pin.it/6tfBQX8.
It is no secret that The Great Gatsby has served as an inspiration for writers for generations. From books to movies and TV to songs by everyone’s favorite artist, Gatsby has surely left his mark.
The Fault in Our Stars is a classic novel by John Green. Just like The Great Gatsby, it was also turned into a movie. In the novel, Green writes about a green light. When interviewed about it, he admits that it is, in fact, a reference to The Great Gatsby. Green also writes about a green car, which he correlates back to the blinking green light. While it does not have as great a meaning as it does in The Great Gatsby, it is still a reference worth noting.
A TV classic, The Gilmore Girls, had its Gatsby moment, too. In one episode of the show, a character called Sookie runs into an old friend, Joe, from earlier in her career. Joe had been dreaming of her for years, just like Gatsby had dreamed of Dasiy. He then asks Sookie out on a date. Sookie contemplates the idea of getting back with the man from her past, but she has to tell Joe she is married, just like Daisy was. While this reference was not a big part of the show, it still referenced back to the novel.
Another television classic that references The Great Gatsby is Pretty Little Liars. The entire plot of Pretty Little Liars revolves around a murder. The teacher in the show is named Mr. Fritz, short for Fitzgerald. On top of the name, the students of the class are also required to read The Great Gatsby. In season two of the show, there is a billboard with a creepy pair of eyeglasses; this is definitely a reference to T.J. Eckleberg’s eyes in the novel.
Taylor Swift uses many Gatsby references in her songs. One of the most well-known references is the song “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” In the song, Taylor talks about throwing magnificent parties where everyone is going absolutely crazy; they are throwing things around, jumping from balconies into the pool, and breaking things. During the song, Taylor says, “feeling so Gatsby for the whole year. In Taylor’s song “Happiness,” she says, “I hope she’ll be a beautiful fool.” This references Daisy saying that the best thing in life to be is a beautiful fool.
F Scott Fitzgerald created a novel so great that others just can’t help but use it as a reference in their own works.
Jay Gatsby, Pinterest, Accessed October 8, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/6825836923777751/
Is The Great Gatsby overhyped, or does it live up to its claim? This weekend I made my family watch the movie The Great Gatsby. At the end of the movie, my dad says, “That was so close to being great, but it just wasn’t there.” This got me thinking, is The Great Gatsby really a great topic, or is it just something that has been around for centuries that it can’t get out of the spotlight?
Let me start with all of the reasons it is a great novel. First off, Fitzgerald does a great job with his use of figurative language. As a reader, I am able to picture every scene in the book through his descriptive words. This also helped the novel be turned into a movie not once but twice. Second, Fitzgerald wrote Nick Carraway as the perfect unreliable narrator. Throughout the whole novel, it is up for interpretation by the reader whether everything we are reading is true or if it is being filtered through Nick’s mind. The characters are also extremely well-written. I feel as if they are real-life characters and actually grow an attachment to them throughout the novel. Jay Gatsby’s character comes across as a hopeless romantic who would do anything to get the woman he loves, including dying. Nick Carraway comes across as a true friend who would stick up for anyone. Daisy comes across as a hopeless fool who does not truly know what she wants in life. All the characters’ points are able to be read easily, which I think, in turn, makes The Great Gatsby an amazing novel.
On the other hand, there are some downsides to the novel. For example, it is rushed. The book, in all, is only nine chapters. The first two chapters are slow. We are getting to know a little of Nick’s backstory and meeting Tom, Daisy, and Jordan. We don’t even meet Gatsby till chapter three, and he is dead by chapter eight. That means that he and Daisy reunite, they get together, and Tom finds out what happens in just five chapters.
Another downside is we don’t get a happy ending. Most romance novels end with the couple getting together, but in this case, they definitely don’t. We start to fall in love with Gatsby and Daisy as a couple after we see everything he has done to get her back and how badly she is treated by Tom. Gatsby would’ve done anything for Daisy, but by the end of the novel, we see that is not reciprocated as Daisy lets Gatsby take the blame for her killing Myrtle which ultimately ends in his death. As a romantic myself, I think the novel would have been better if Gatsby and Daisy had ended up together. While there is no right answer to whether The Great Gatsby is “Trash or Gas,” it is still a classic novel that everyone should read at least once in their life. You will thank me later.
Dinner Party, Pinterest, Accessed October 1, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/18788523439193389/
One of the greatest questions in the literary world is “Is the book or the movie better?” Let’s decide this for the case of The Great Gatsby. Even thought the novel is one of America’s greatest, it was definitely not an instant success. In fact, it took until World War II for it to become well know.
The book is told from the viewpoint of Nick Carraway. The book is actually being told two years after the instances being relayed. This is different from the movie. When the movie starts, Nick is in some sort of institution getting treated for what seems to be depression and alcoholism. His doctor is telling him to write about his story to help him get out of his funk. The whole movie is then told from the institution.
Another big difference is found in the characters; specifically in Jordan Baker. In the book we are able to learn quite a bit about Jordan; we know she is dishonest, a cheater, has some sort of romance with Nick, and many other things. In the book, Jordans character is almost unlikable to a point. In the movie, we barley dive into Jordan’s character. Nick and her do not have any sort of romance and she is basically a blank canvas. To me, Jordan is more likeable in the movie than the book.
Another character that is different between the books and the movies is Daisy. In the books Daisy has a certain charm about her, but she does not care what her actions do to the people around her. In the movie, she acts like a victim. Instead of just being careless, she almost seems to just be thoughtless. Daisy’s character in the movie does not have that spark that the readers find in the book. Tom also has some difference between the book and the movie. In the book, Tom is an unlikeable guy. He cheats on his wife, throws Gatsby under the bus, and does not seem to have any remorse, but he still seems to be human. In the movie, Tom seems like a ruthless villain by the end. He makes Gatsby out to seem like a ruthless murderer giving Wilson almost no choice but to revenge his wifes death. While Tom is not likable in either forms of The Great Gatsby, I think he is more humanless in the movie.
Now a character that I think is extremely well done in both the book and the moive is Jay Gatsby. Leonardo DiCaprio is the definition of The Great Gatsby. He gives off the same charm and charisma that readers and viewers both have know to love. Gatsby is the hopeless romantic in both forms of media and everyone can love him and feel for his situation. While I think both versions of The Great Gatsby are well done, there is only one true winner in my heart and that is the book. Nothing can beat the timeless classic that Fitzgerald wrote. The detail of the characters and the many different ways the novel can be interpreted make it the clear winner in my eyes.
