Open Prompt #2

1.      1997. Novels and plays often include scenes of weddings, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the society in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole. You may choose a work from the list below or another novel or play of literary merit.

Social occasions are oftentimes used within a novel to reflect a character's way of portraying him or herself. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel, The Great Gatsby, the name Jay Gatsby was far from unfamiliar to those who resided in the wealthy side of Long Island area during the 1920s. Gatsby's name reflected his legendary lavish parties which always consisted of an unlimited supply of alcohol, food, and partying. This, along with his mysteriously large sum of money, was what made The Gatsby so great. The parties of which Jay Gatsby threw not only succeeded in accomplishing a well-known name and status for him, but it also contributed towards creating the false image of his high class value.

Beginning with the first few chapters of the novel, Gatsby's presence is introduced into the story through periodic sightings of him during the night. By not immediately introducing Gatsby, Fitzgerald is able to create the sense of mystery behind this particular character, which further raises the sense of uncertainty behind Gatsby's background story. As the novel progresses, Fitzgerald begins to shed more light on Gatsby by making his formal introduction to both Nick and the reader occur during one of the many extravagant parties he is known to throw. The emphasis applied to how and where Gatsby is formally introduced contributes towards making him appear to be extremely wealthy, therefore allowing him to fit into the high class society.

The effort that Gatsby puts into his parties also hints towards the fact that he is after something more than just making a name for himself. The descriptions within the novel of the amounts of food and  time spent just to prepare for a single event contributes to the overall idea that Gatsby is trying to create the image of wealth and hierarchy for himself in order to attract the attention of the person he loves. By becoming the life of the party, Gatsby utilizes his events as a distraction to mask his true identity and value, which is not nearly as impressive as everyone believes he is.

Through associating himself with the wealthy society and hosting luxurious events, Jay Gatsby is able to present himself of having equal fortune and prosperity as the society around him. Although the parties of which he hosts successfully portrays him as a high class citizen, Gatsby is unable to achieve his true goal of winning the heart of his love through these events.