'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Hello readers! This blog is written as a part of a thinking activity assigned by Dilip Barad sir, Department of English MKBU. In this blog I am going to write about the Movie The Great Gatsby which is based on the novel with the same title by F. Scott Fitzgerald.

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Introduction of the novel 'The Great Gatsby':

'The Great Gatsby' is a fiction novel published in 1925 by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. Inspired on Fitzgerald’s own experiences during the Jazz Age of the 1920s. It is published in 1925. 'The Great Gatsby', follows Jay Gatsby, a man who orders his life around one desire: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier. Gatsby's quest leads him from poverty to wealth, into the arms of his beloved, and eventually to death. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is a classic piece of American fiction. It is a novel of triumph and tragedy, noted for the remarkable way Fitzgerald captured a cross-section of American society. The Great Gatsby was controversial due to the sex, violence, and language it contains. The extramarital affair between Jay Gatsby, the mysterious millionaire in the novel, and his elusive love interest, Daisy Buchanan, is alluded to but never described in intimate detail. 

The Great Gatsby is memorable for the rich symbolism that underpins its story. Throughout the novel, the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock is a recurrent image that beckons to Gatsby’s sense of ambition. The novel is fascinated by how people make their money, what they can and can't buy with it, and how the pursuit of wealth shapes the decisions people make and the paths their lives follow. It also represents class clashes, sexism and racism.

Movie:

Director: Baz Luhrmann

Based on: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Producers:

•  Baz Luhrmann
• Catherine Knapman
• Douglas Wick
• Lucy Fisher
• Catherine Martin

The Great Gatsby is a 2013 historical romantic drama film based on the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann. A polarizing film among critics, The Great Gatsby received both praise and criticism for its visual style, direction, screenplay, performances, soundtrack, and its interpretation of the source material.

This film adaptation is very helpful to understanding the novel - each and every element of the novel is well captured by Baz Luhrmann in this movie. Luhrmann's film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" effectively utilizes visual and cinematic techniques to reinforce and enhance the symbolic significance of these key elements of the novel, providing a deeper understanding and appreciation of Fitzgerald's rich and complex symbolism.

How did the film help in understanding the symbolic significance of The valley of Ashes, The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg and The Green Light.

Baz Luhrmann's film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" helps to visually reinforce and enhance the symbolic significance of several key elements of the novel, including the Valley of Ashes, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and the green light.

The Valley of Ashes:

The Valley of Ashes, which is a desolate and polluted wasteland situated between West Egg and New York City, symbolizes the moral decay and social inequality of the era. In Luhrmann's film, the valley is depicted as a sprawling landfill filled with piles of garbage and smokestacks, which serve to reinforce its bleak and oppressive atmosphere. Additionally, the frequent use of close-up shots of the characters' faces as they drive through the valley highlights their discomfort and unease in this desolate and oppressive environment.

The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg:

The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, which is a billboard advertisement for an optometrist located in the valley, are a recurring symbol throughout the novel that represents the loss of moral values and the corruption of the American Dream. In Luhrmann's film, the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg is depicted as a looming and omnipresent presence, gazing down on the characters from above and serving as a constant reminder of their moral decay and spiritual emptiness.

The Green Light:

The green light is perhaps the most important symbol in the film and also presents very well. The green light, which is situated at the end of Daisy's dock and represents Gatsby's unattainable dream of love and success, is a powerful and evocative symbol throughout the novel. In Luhrmann's film, the green light is depicted as a pulsing and ethereal glow that shimmers across the water, reinforcing its otherworldly and intangible quality. The use of slow-motion and sweeping camera movements as Gatsby gazes across the water at the green light also serves to emphasize the intensity and desperation of his longing for Daisy. As it is positioned directly across the harbor from his mansion, Gatsby looks at it longingly as a symbol for his desire to be reunited with the woman he loves. The green light represents the distance between the two lovers, both emotionally and physically. As the film goes on and Gatsby's romantic dreams fall farther and farther out of reach, we see that the green light symbolizes an even deeper desire in Gatsby to attain the unattainable. 

Difference between Film and Novel 'The Great Gatsby':

After watching the film by Baz Luhrmann on 'The Great Gatsby' here I want to discuss is Film adaptation and novel are similar or not? Film starts with the scene of narrator Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald’s Nick does refer to Gatsby as “the man who gives his name to this book”, so the idea that The Great Gatsby is a text written by Nick is not entirely original with Luhrmann, though the filmmaker takes this much further than Fitzgerald, showing Nick writing by hand, then typing, and finally compiling his finished manuscript. He even titles it, first just Gatsby, then adding, by hand, “The Great,” in a concluding flourish.

The plot of the film is pretty much entirely faithful to the novel, but Luhrmann and his co-screenwriter Craig Pearce do cut out one of the side stories: the affair between Nick and Jordan Baker, the friend of Daisy’s from Louisville who is a well-known golfer. Some scenes of the apartment party are also different from the novel. 

In the book, Gatsby takes Nick to lunch at a “well-fanned 42nd Street cellar,” where he introduces his new friend to Meyer Wolfsheim, a Jewish gangster. In the movie, Gatsby and Nick go to a barber shop with a hidden entrance to a speakeasy, and once inside they see not only Wolfsheim but also the police commissioner. 

The very important scene of Gatsby's death was also well captured by Baz Luhrmann. In the film Gatsby is murdered by George Wilson. Fitzgerald doesn’t depict the murder: The book says that Gatsby grabbed a “pneumatic mattress” and headed to his pool, then Gatsby’s chauffeur hears gunshots. In both book and movie, Gatsby is waiting for a phone call from Daisy, but in the film, Nick calls, and Gatsby gets out of the pool when he hears the phone ring. He’s then shot, and he dies believing that Daisy was going to ditch Tom and go away with him. None of that happens in the book. Gatsby is, in both versions, lonely in death, but the film is even crueler to him in this regard, dropping the last-minute appearance of his father and the unexpected arrival at the funeral. In conclusion we can say that the movie adaptation captured the main themes of the novel and there are also some changes in the movie.

Give a psycho analytical study of Jay Gatsby and write about his character.

From ChatGPT -

Jay Gatsby is the central character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, "The Great Gatsby," and a complex figure who is subject to various interpretations. From a psychoanalytical perspective, there are several aspects of Gatsby's character that can be explored. 

Firstly, Gatsby's obsession with wealth, status, and power can be viewed through the lens of Freud's theory of the unconscious. According to Freud, the unconscious is the repository of repressed desires, fears, and memories that influence our behavior without our conscious awareness. Gatsby's relentless pursuit of wealth and success can be seen as an attempt to compensate for his feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem. His obsession with Daisy can also be viewed as an attempt to fill the void left by his impoverished childhood and lack of social connections.

Secondly, Gatsby's mysterious past and his tendency to reinvent himself can be examined through the lens of Jung's theory of the persona. According to Jung, the persona is the social mask that we present to the world, and it can be seen as a defense mechanism that protects our inner selves from external threats. Gatsby's persona, as the wealthy and glamorous host of lavish parties, can be viewed as a way of concealing his true self from others and projecting an image of success and power.

Thirdly, Gatsby's romanticism and idealism can be analyzed through the lens of Freud's theory of love. According to Freud, love involves a complex interplay of sexual desire, romantic attachment, and interpersonal dynamics. Gatsby's obsession with Daisy can be seen as a manifestation of his repressed desires and his attempt to find a sense of fulfillment and completion in his romantic relationships.

Overall, Gatsby's character is a fascinating study in the intersection of psychology, society, and culture. Through his various conflicts and contradictions, he embodies the tensions and contradictions of the American Dream and the cultural forces that shaped the 1920s.

Thanks for visiting my blog!

Words - 1,592

Images - 5 

Videos - 2