An in-Depth Perspective of the Great Gatsby

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An In-Depth Perspective of The Great Gatsby The 1920s, a fascinating era defined by its contradictory image, was the time period in which the novel The Great Gatsby was set. Known as the “Roaring Twenties,” the 1920s was a time period with a booming economy and many significant changes. Both the 18th and 19th Amendments went into effect in 1920. The 18th Amendment created Prohibition while the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. Although it might have been a great time for people and the economy, it was also a time of immorality and deception. Most people were constantly trying to find ways to get alcohol; therefore, they were only interested in parties and drinking. People also became very immoral, especially with the way they treated women and all the lies that were circulating among certain groups. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays how there was a decline of the American Dream and a lack of morality mainly through all of the different symbols that can be found in the novel. One of the major and most important symbols in The Great Gatsby is the green light. The green light is first seen at the end of Chapter One. Nick, the narrator of the story, notices Gatsby standing outside of his house with his hands in his pockets looking across the bay that splits the East Egg and the West Egg. Nick goes on to say, “Involuntarily I glanced seaward–and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 21). Just as the green light on a traffic light signals a car to proceed, the green light that Gatsby stares at is a symbol for him to go. “What exactly does Gatsby have to go for?” one may ask himself/herself. Gatsby is considering whether or not to go for Daisy, the love of his life, who lives just across the bay. Although Daisy might seem a short
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