Brittney J. MurugesanMrs. Valerie WatsonEnglish 9 GT11 April 2014The Great GatsbyFrancis Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby has established himself as a great American author. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is classified as modernism and highlights life during the Jazz Age. One of the dominant themes of the novel is the search for the "American dream". Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is somewhat autobiographical; emphasizes the literary elements of setting, theme, and symbolism; and received widespread criticism. The Great Gatsby is narrated by Nick Carraway who recently traveled to New York to pursue his new career. Luckily, Nick's cousin Daisy Buchanan lives in New York and is the wife of Tom Buchanan, who is also Nick's former friend from college. Nick moves into his new house and meets a popular, mysterious and successful neighbor, Gatsby, who throws extravagant parties every Saturday night. Nick and Gatsby begin to develop a strong friendship. Gatsby is essentially living the American dream. Over the course of the book, the reader learns that Gatsby grew up in a poor family and went to serve in World War II. Nick discovers that Gatsby and Daisy have an intimate history and Gatsby is still attached to those feelings. In an attempt to win Daisy back, Nick invites her to tea with Gatsby. They rekindle their love for each other and a romance begins. Tom, Daisy's husband, is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Even though she has a husband, Tom and Myrtle continue their relationship. Tom realizes the love Gatsby has for Daisy, and after receiving the two ultimatums, Daisy chooses wealth over true love by choosing Tom. Daisy accidentally killed Myrtle while driving... middle of paper... Despite Gatsby's love for Daisy and how much he thinks he knows her, he is still blind to who she really is. It is not surprising that the real man closest to God or some other providential figure is not Gatsby, but rather Nick Carraway, because he is the only one who objectively truly sees everyone for who they are. It is clear that the life Francis Scott Fitzgerald experiences greatly influenced the novel The Great Gatsby. He was not just an author, but was something far more superior due to his artistic use of figurative language as setting, symbolism, and theme. Furthermore, the notable reviews received by The Great Gatsby are the reason why the novel is recognized as his best novel. An artist would be a more accurate term to describe Fitzgerald. He doesn't just write words on paper. He takes the agony of his life and paints a picture with words.