Introduction
Described by literal critics as the greatest work of Scott F. Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby not only remains one the greatest stories of all the time but also opens insight into the intrigues of the real life situation during the “Roaring Twenties.” This book has been linked by many as the best symbol to the “Jazz Age” which is an era that was depicted by the emergence of class and great promises in the lives of Americans.
On the other hand, I know why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou is another powerful literature that captures the subject of racism in the American society. The author presents challenges faced in the society as a result of the mixture racial and gender discrimination that a young black girl goes through in search of her dream and personal identity. In addition to the above, the book presents other social issues in the society such as child abuse, relationships between children and parents and the search for a future so distant.
Main body
Whereas these two powerful works are written by different authors, an analysis of the major characters shows both similarities and differences. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is represented as a young man struggling to find personal identity and live the life of his dream by marrying Daisy Buchanan. This main character in this book is regarded as a young man in search of personal identity in a society that is polarized by social ills and separated by class. The psychoanalytic criticism of Gatsby character is well illustrated in the text by Fitzgerald (46) in stating that “there must be something in our biological make up as specie to explain this death work, this psychological and physical destruction.” This could explain the reason behind Gatsby’s desire of Daisy even if it the eventual consequence may be death.
On the other hand, Maya as the main character in I know why the Caged Bird Sings also depicts the real search for personal identity within a society that is encompassed by racial and class discrimination. As a young black girl, Maya endures all forms of racial discrimination in search of her dream and is never cowed by acts of racial discrimination by the whites she came into contact with. She successfully overcomes the challenges and realizes her full potential despite numerous challenges she faced in her search for her on path in life. In addition to the above, the two characters share common childhood backgrounds in that they were brought up in humble households. This has provided the foundation for the struggle of the two characters in search of their dreams within the same harsh society. The American dream in the analysis of these two characters is all about individuality, discovery and pursuit for happiness despite all odds. Last, the two characters are used in both literatures as depictions of hollowness in the upper class.
The main difference in character between the two works is in Daisy Buchanan. It is in this character that the to literatures deviate from the other. Daisy is demonstrated as an agent of corruption. The early explorers travelled thousands of miles in escape from corruption only to discover that their Daisy of desire – America – is also corrupt. The characters in The Great Gatsby therefore travel in all directions in the search of wealth and materialistic life – abandoning their moral values and beliefs as they move to the east side. The eastern side is described as the valley of ashes where there is totally lack of human values and people are driven by the desire to achieve superficial illusions. The change of direction is used by Fitzgerald to depict the deterioration of American ideals and the erosion of personal ethics. It is also a demonstration to the extent at which our search for wealth and sophistication is impacting on the moral values of the society. In addition to the above, Gatsby is demonstrated as one who feels contented with his newly acquired status. Complications arise as Gatsby dream seems to follow a varnishing path because of his obsessions with the materials of this world, just like the Americans are fully obsessed by wealth. On the other hand, the characters in I know why the Caged Bird Sings such as Maya, Bailey Johnson Jr. Annie Henderson (Momma) and Vivian Baxter all exemplify straightforward American citizen who live within their means in the search of happiness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, characters in this Scott F. Fitzgerald’s great literal work tend to drive in the theme of how America’s culture of material wealth and sophistication desire has gone beyond the mere search for comfort in life to levels of worship. This intense desire ends up in disastrous consequences depicted by the flaws in life. It remains one of the greatest analytic literal works on the American society in the Roaring Twenties. The characters in I know why the Caged Bird Sings project the lifestyle of a humble family supporting each other in search of a dream in a society encompassed by racial discrimination.
Reference
Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: NuVision Publications, LLC, 2008.