Examples Of Modernism In The Great Gatsby

The moment the U.S declared war on Germany, a great effort was put into recruiting soldiers to fight. Thousands of propaganda posters were put up, encouraging people to join the war. These posters depicted that the war offered one the chance to thrive, to fight for their country and prove that they’re worthy. But by the time the soldiers realized how wrong they were, it was too late. On the outside war appears as a glorious institution that shows power and bravery, but in reality the destructive nature of war causes one to lose their old sense of identity, and struggle to find their new one. Modernism was born from a distrust in the old, traditional society, and the ways in which people looked and observed different aspects of that society.

Nick tried telling him what he was doing was crazy, because you can’t repeat the past. But Gatsby would hear nothing of it, “Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously,” why of course you can!”. (Gatsby, 98) Gatsby was running around in circles trying to get Daisy’s attention, but there was no ending point in sight. Gatsby truly is a hopeless romantic stuck in a modernist world, a world that has no place for people like Gatsby. By being trapped in a modernist world after the war, he had already lost Daisy, without knowing it. It was inevitable that he would never reach the understanding that Daisy would never be a true part of his life, until it was too late. The life that he led flashing his wealth and throwing his extravagant parties was a sign that he had already lost his fight. The war was the most devastating event to occur in Gatsby’s depressing life, because not only had he lost Daisy, but he lost himself too. It had caused him to lose the part of himself that smiled, and embraced life, and just lived. The identity that he knew, and everyone else knew before the war, was gone. There was no one that Gatsby could truly relate with that would understand his pain, so he let it take control of his life, and was consumed by his own sorrow and his self-hatred. War, even though someone always claims a victory, destroys the identities of the men who are initially promised a life of honor and glory, but instead left with their old life shattered around them, waiting for someone to piece it back together- but no one