Text Connections

 

In F. Scotts Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the author makes it available for the readers to make different connections from the text (world, text, self, etc.). One of the many connections that can be made is that of text-to-text. One of the main themes of this book is how far love will take someone. It is illustrated through out the novel that Gatsby will do anything for Daisy, the only love of his life, to make her happy. He throws extravagant parties to impress her and get her attention, he tells Tom, Daisy’s husband, about their love for each other, and he even takes the blame for running someone over to spare her the punishment, which ultimately led to his death. In another well known story, Romeo and Juliet, their love for each other caused both of them to go to extreme measures, such as hiding it from their parents, and in the end, killing themselves because one could not live with out the other. This theme that is portrayed in these two stories convey the consequences that can come from love.

Syntax

·      In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, various types of syntax is incorporated through out the novel for different situations for the purpose of influencing his style. For example, in Chapter 5, Gatsby is waiting at Nick Carraway’s house for the arrival of his lost love Daisy, who he hasn’t seen in five years. He has been literally counting the days to see her again, but when the time had actually arrived, he is very nervous and anxious, which is conveyed through short, telegraphic sentences. When he first makes contact with Daisy, all he can say is “We’ve met before” (86). After a long sentence, Gatsby leaves to speak with Nick in which he says “Oh, God!” “This is a terrible mistake” (86). These brief and concise sentences that are exhibited in this situation are meant to portray the uneasiness and tension that Gatsby is experiencing. Even though he has yearning for this moment for five years, the style in which this situation is written in demonstrates that he is nervous to confront the love of his life that he was separated from. In another situation, which occurs in chapter 7, involves Tom finding out that that someone had been killed by a hit-and-run. When realizing that it was his mistress, Myrtle, he reacts by yelling “Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od! Oh, my Ga-od!” (139). And later when the police is taking a statement from a witness (in which a number of dashes are used), Tom loudly interrupts to ask what happened. With the extreme use of dashes incorporated into this situation, in addition to interruptions, Fitzgerald’s style in this case illustrates the frustration and irritation that Tom is undergoing. Tom can barely believe what he is witnessing and the author expresses his emotions through this particular use of syntax.

Diction

·      F. Scotts Fitzgerald constantly utilizes different forms of diction in order to convey his various tones through out the novel. For example in Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, the author incorporates positively connoted word choice to demonstrate the immense excitement and exhilaration that the characters experience in result of one of Gatsby’s parties. Using such words demonstrate the liveliness and enjoyable scene in which the characters are experiencing. For example, he discusses how “girls were putting their heads on men’s shoulders in a puppyish, convivial way, girls were swooning backward…” (50). Formal diction, such as “puppyish,” “convivial,” and “swooning,” all contribute to the positive emotions emanating from the crowd. In addition, other words and phrases such as “prodigality,” “enthusiasm,” “happy, vacuous bursts of laughter,” “provocation to uncontrollable laughter” and “fraternal hilarity” successfully develops the author’s tone of excitement and joy in this situation. Instead of using simple word choice such ‘happy’ and ‘exciting,’ the author makes sure to utilize more sophisticated and effective words to illustrate the different aspects of the party. While describing Gatsby’s ostentatious party, and how “significant, elemental, and profound” it is, Fitzgerald includes a variety of different words and phrases in order to express his ecstatic and cheerful tone. Through out the novel, when his tone changes, he matches the diction to exhibit that particular tone.

Rhetorical Strategies

Examples of Rhetorical Strategies:

·      Similes: “In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (39).

o “A damp of streak of hair lay like a dash of blue paint across her cheek…” (85).

o “…She blossomed for him like a flower…” (111).

·      Symbolism: “[Gatsby] stretched out his arms toward the dark water…[to a] single green light…that might have been the end of a dock” (21).

·      Personification: “The quiet lights in the houses were humming into the darkness...”(110).

·      Metaphors: “The exhilarating ripple of her voice was a wild tonic in the rain” (85).

·      Repetition: “Old Sport” (XX).  “Hot!...Hot!...Hot!...Hot!...” (115).

In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author incorporates a variety of rhetorical strategies to improve the effectiveness of his story and to represent a mature and sophisticated style of writing. He primarily uses devices such as similes, metaphors, and personification as a form of imagery in order to help the reader imagine a vivid picture, which positively impacts the reading experience. Other strategies, such as symbolism and repetition, include a single concept or phrase that is repeatedly conveyed through out the novel. For example, the green light, which symbolizes the distance between Gatsby and his ultimate dream to be together with Daisy, or the way that Gatsby constantly addresses Nick Carraway as “Old Sport” are displayed a number of times to emphasize the important role that they play. These rhetorical strategies that Fitzgerald involves in a number of different situations positively influences his style of writing.

Final Review

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was a novel that I both enjoyed, yet passionately disliked, which made the reading experience quiet interesting. Towards the beginning of the novel, the descriptions of the aspects that divided West Egg and East Egg gave me a very vivid image of what it was like to live in the 1920s. Fitzgerald’s description of the characters as well gave me a sense of how to picture everyone when I play the situations in my head. I highly enjoyed the friendship between Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby, even though it was confusing at times. The author’s imagery and use of rhetorical strategies positively impacts the effectiveness and sophistication of his writing. My absolute favorite aspect of this novel would have to be the love story. The way that Daisy and Gatsby both still loved each other after they were separated for five years makes the story so intense, in addition to the way that Gatsby would do anything for Daisy’s happiness, which just makes all the girls swoon. Every teenage girl fantasizes about a love like that. However, what really disappointed me about this novel was how they did not even end up together at the end of the book. The ending was definitely unexpected and not in a good way. However, I enjoyed reading this book because it was realistic in the sense that, unfortunately, there is not always a happy ending. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the tragic love story that takes place in the 1920s.