Criticism Of The Great Gatsby

“Though the Jazz Age continued it became less and less an affair of youth. The sequel was like a children’s party taken over by the elders,” said F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby (n.p.). After the World War I, in 1920s, abnormal economical success dominated over Americans which is called the Jazz Age. At that time, people pursued cheap pleasure and full of entertainment: parties, extravagance, and dissipation. The Great Gatsby criticizes such profligate appearances and fakes in the Jazz Age through the protagonist, Jay Gatsby, who was in the lower class, was full of fakes, and struggles with Tom Buchanan and with George Wilson to gain power for achieving his ex-lover, Daisy—who is the reason that he yearns for power.

As the common people in the Jazz Age, Gatsby desires the great power and spends his time to achieve his own goal without considering ways and means. The story spends many parts to describe those behaviors. Even though Gatsby is not original rich class, he has always mentioned “old sport,” which is the language of a high class. For example, “I thought you knew, old sport. I’m afraid I’m not a very good host,” said Gatsby to the narrator (53). Also, Fitzgerald indicated metaphorically that Gatsby forged his scholarship. According to Wolfsheim who is the partner of Gatsby, he called Gatsby as an “Oxford man.” He said “And, an Oggsford man. Oggsford College in England. You know Oggsford?” to the narrator, but there is no Oxford “College” in