F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby has captivated readers for centuries and is often regarded as a semi-autobiographical masterpiece. The story is set during the roaring twenties, a period of significant social and cultural change, and it incorporates many of the author’s personal experiences, feelings, and perceptions of the time. It reflects the author’s struggles and goals and reflects society’s superficiality and moral decadence (Eleftherakis 17). By drawing extensively on his thoughts, impressions, and experiences, Fitzgerald uses characters to build a story that portrays the spirit of the time. In numerous aspects, The Great Gatsby is an autobiographical book. The author accurately captures 1920s life based on what he saw and experienced. Fitzgerald’s own conflicted nature is revealed through the difference between Nick Carraway, the book’s narrator, and Jay Gatsby, the book’s hero.
The narrator, Nick Carraway, illustrates how Fitzgerald incorporates autobiographical elements into his work. Carraway, like Fitzgerald, is a young, aspiring writer from the Midwest who is attracted to the East Coast’s world of the affluent and glamorous elite (Fitzgerald 12). Much like Fitzgerald did during his time in New York City, Carraway allows readers to witness the excesses and moral decline of the time. This adoption of a character closely matching the author allows Fitzgerald to portray his sentiments and experiences of the historical period more directly and authentically.
Additionally, Jay Gatsby is a significant example of how the author incorporated his emotions and perceptions into the novel. Similar to Fitzgerald, Gatsby is a self-made man from a humble beginning who climbs to great fortune and success before being undone by his unrequited love for a woman from a higher social class (Fitzgerald 12). Gatsby’s tragic tale mirrors Fitzgerald’s personal experiences, notably his unfulfilled love for Ginevra King (Qin 3). The author’s use of a character based on his own experiences allows him to exploit the theme of unrequited love in a more intimate and relevant way.
Fitzgerald’s own conflicted nature is revealed in the novel through the contrast between the characters of Nick Carraway, the book’s narrator, and Jay Gatsby, the book’s hero. Gatsby is depicted as a rich, secretive, and passionate guy who is desperately in love with Daisy Buchanan, a woman from his past (Qin 4). He organizes lavish parties and is adamant about winning Daisy back, even though she is already married. Gatsby represents the affluent elite’s excess and irresponsibility, and his tragic demise reflects the era’s superficiality and moral decadence. Gatsby’s character is a representation of Fitzgerald’s desires, as well as his disappointment with the world of the privileged elite.
In contrast, Nick Carraway is presented as a more restrained, honest, and moral individual. He is a critical observer of the affluent elite’s excess and depravity, and he acts as a juxtaposition to Gatsby’s character (Yan 4). Furthermore, in contrast to Gatsby’s aggressive pursuit of his aspirations, Nick’s status as an observer and narrator represents Fitzgerald’s battles with self-doubt and inactivity. This contrast reveals the author’s ambivalence towards the lifestyle and ideals of the wealthy elite, which he both envied and condemned.
In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is an autobiographical book in which the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, accurately captures the life and culture of the 1920s based on what he saw and experienced. Overall, The Great Gatsby serves as a reflection of Fitzgerald’s own experiences and emotions, and the contrast between the characters of Nick and Gatsby represents his inner conflicts. The novel is a commentary on the superficiality and moral decay of the era and a reflection of the author’s struggles and aspirations.
Works Cited
Eleftherakis, Antonios. “The Roaring Twenties as Depicted in Scott Fitzgerald’s ‘The Great Gatsby.’” University of Piraeus, 2022, pp. 3–69.
Fitzgerald, Scott F. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2018.
Qin, Zhang.” A Deconstructive Analysis of The Great Gatsby.” Journal of Literature and Art Studies, vol. 8, no. 12, 2018, pp. 1–5.
Yan, Wang. “Discovering Nick: An Analysis of the Narrative Features in The Great Gatsby.” Psychology, vol. 12, no. 8, 2022, pp. 1–4.