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Literary Devices In The Great Gatsby

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Chapter 3 of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby’ portrays one of the superficial and lavish parties thrown by Jay Gatsby, a prosperous man with dubious sources of money, from the point of view of his neighbour Nick Carraway. The novel recurringly depicts the American dream through the parties, including wealth, love and finally isolation. F. Scott Fitzgerald makes use of many literary devices and character descriptions to create an extravagant party atmosphere and setting.

Fitzgerald demonstrates the frivolousness and carelessness shown by the characters through their descriptions, allowing for the reader to grasp a taste of the American dream. The line “men and girls” exhibits the young age of the women who attended the party, implying them as inexperienced toward this kind of parties; which have alcohol.
Subsequently the line “came and went like moths” exhibits the people who weren 't invited were lively parting. When using the word moth it implies that just as insects or in this case guests are always following the light or the party and they travel without having any reason. It’s also a simile because it 's comparing men and girls to moths using the word ‘like’. This gives us the impression that the people at Gatsby’s party are moving around without purpose. Moths also follow the light wherever they go. Fitzgerald compares Gatsby’s guests to moths which means that they are attracted to the party’s brightness and popularity but they are also leading themselves

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