The Great Gatsby Commentary Essay

Commentary is used by the majority of writers in order to depict the author’s beliefs about a subject that is usually prevalent at the time it was written. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses his commentary to explain his ideologies about several factors in the American’s life, such as the time period of the 1920’s, the American Dream and social stratification. He also uniquely utilizes the setting to illustrate his ideologies. The first commentary that is offered is about the 1920’s woman. F. Scott Fitzgerald is calling attention to how the definition of the typical woman is altering. The average woman in the 1920’s stopped conforming to traditional gender roles and became independent. However, some women did not want to become the new image of the average woman. Both of these stereotypes can be found in the women of East Egg. Jordan Baker of East Egg is a prime example of the new and improved American Woman. She is

These residents are also wealthy, but have obtained their wealth in a much different way than the East Eggers have. West Egg residents have had to work for their money, usually through entrepreneurship. This is the sole reason why East Eggers place them in a lower spot on the social totem pole, and shun those who attempt to be one of them. This then causes social stratification between the two Eggs. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s commentary on social stratification in The Great Gatsby greatly ties to the social stratification of the 1920’s. He makes a direct correlation with the population of West Egg and East Egg in the novel to those with old money and those with new money in the 1920’s respectively. Citizens of West Egg and those with old money are similar because they inherited their wealth from their long line of ancestors. They also disdained those of East Egg and those with new money. A rich and wealthy working class is a factor that East Egg and those with new money