The commodification of the American dream in
Fitzgerald the Great Gatsby: A Marxist analysis
Introduction: A philosophical and economic framework that
analyzes society and history through the lens of class struggle, economic
determinism, and dialectical materialism, with the goal of understanding
and critiquing capitalism and promoting socialism or communism. Marxist
theory is also known as Marxism, is a philosophical and economic
framework developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It's a complex
and multifaceted theory. Marx's approach to understanding history and
society, which emphasizes the conflict between opposing forces (thesis
and antithesis) leading to a higher level of understanding. The concepts of
thesis, antithesis, and synthesis are central to understanding the
dialectical process of historical development. The initial state or condition
of society, characterized by a dominant ideology, economic system, or
social structure. The thesis represents the existing order, Marx argued that
society is divided into two main classes: the Bourgeoisie (those who own
the means of production) and the Proletariat (those who sell their labour).
The bourgeoisie exploit the proletariat, leading to class struggle this is
known as thesis. Whereas antithesis refers to the opposing force or
contradiction that arises within the thesis. The antithesis represents the
negation or opposition to the existing order. Marx believed that capitalism
alienates workers from their labour, their fellow workers, and their
humanity. Marx also argued that the historical events are determined by
economic and class factors, rather than individual actions or ideas.
The early 19th century saw the rise of industrial capitalism in Europe,
marked by the growth of factories, the expansion of trade, and the
emergence of new social classes. The bourgeoisie, or capitalist class,
accumulated wealth and power, while the proletariat, or working class,
struggled to make ends meet. This growing inequality and social unrest
sparked a wave of revolutionary movements across Europe. Karl Marx
began to develop his ideas on communism and the role of the proletariat
in shaping history. Born in Trier, Germany in 1818, Marx studied
philosophy and economics at the University of Berlin, where he was
heavily influenced by the ideas of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. After
completing his studies, Marx worked as a journalist and editor, writing for
various radical publications and advocating for democratic reforms. In
1848, Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels published The Communist
Manifesto, a pamphlet that outlined the principles of communism and
called for a proletarian revolution to overthrow the capitalist class. The
Manifesto was a response to the growing social unrest and revolutionary
movements sweeping across Europe, and it quickly became a rallying cry
for radical socialists and communists Throughout the 1850s and 1860s,
Marx continued to develop his ideas on communism and the role of the
proletariat. He published numerous articles and books, including Das
Kapital, a comprehensive critique of capitalism that outlined the principles
of dialectical materialism. Marx's ideas gained widespread attention and
influence, shaping the development of socialist and communist
movements around the world.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, known professionally as F. Scott Fitzgerald,
was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. He is widely
regarded as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. He was born
on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Fitzgerald grew up in a middle-class family. He was named after his
famous ancestor, Francis Scott Key, who wrote the lyrics to "The Star-
Spangled Banner". Fitzgerald's writing career spanned over two decades,
during which he published four novels, including: This Side of Paradise,
The Beautiful and Damned, The Great Gatsby (1925) Fitzgerald's works
are known for their vivid portrayals of the Jazz age, exploration of themes
such as love, greed, class, and the American dream and innovative
narrative structures and lyrical prose. Despite struggling with personal
demons, including addiction and financial troubles, Fitzgerald left an
indelible mark on American literature. He died on December 21, 1940, at
the age of 44.
Set in the roaring twenties, The Great Gatsby is a classic novel by F. Scott
Fitzgerald that revolves around the mysterious millionaire Jay Gatsby and
his obsession with winning back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. The story is
narrated by Nick Caraway, a young man from the Midwest who moves to
Long Island's West Egg to work in the bond business. Nick rents a small
house next to Gatsby's grand mansion, where he becomes fascinated with
his neighbour's extravagant lifestyle and the lavish parties he throws. As
the story unfolds, Nick learns more about Gatsby's past and his
motivations for throwing these parties. Gatsby's ultimate goal is to win
back Daisy, who is married to the wealthy and brutish Tom Buchanan.
Gatsby and Daisy had a romantic relationship before she married Tom,
and Gatsby is determined to rekindle their love. Through Nick's efforts,
Gatsby and Daisy are reunited, and they begin an affair. However, their
love is ultimately doomed by the corrupting influence of wealth and the
rigid social structures of the time. Tragedy strikes when George Wilson,
the husband of Tom's mistress, seeks revenge against Gatsby, mistakenly
believing that he was the one who was having an affair with his wife.
Wilson tracks Gatsby down and shoots him, kill him in the pool. In the
aftermath of Gatsby's death, Daisy returns to Tom, and Nick moves away
from Long Island, disillusioned with the excesses and superficiality of the
wealthy elite. Through Gatsby's tragic tale, Fitzgerald critiques the
American Dream, revealing the dark underbelly of wealth, class, and
privilege in the roaring twenties.
Research Objectives:
1. To examine how the novel represents the American Dream as a
commodity that can be bought, sold, and possessed, and what this
representation reveals about the nature of capitalism and consumer
culture.
2. To investigate how the characters of Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, and
Tom Buchanan embody the commodification of the American Dream, and
how their experiences reflect the tensions between old money and new
riches.
3. To analyse how the novel critiques the idea of social mobility and the
notion that anyone can achieve the American Dream through hard work
and determination.
Literary review:
F. Scott Fitzgerald's American masterpiece, The Great Gatsby, has
captivated readers for nearly a century with its timely themes and
haunting prose. It is 1925 novel, scathing in criticism against the American
Dream, class, and social stratification along with the corrupting influence
of wealth and materialism. Through the eyes of the morally grounded and
introspective narrator, Nick Caraway, the reader is taken into the world of
opulence in West Egg and East Egg where the old money and new rich
collide (Fitzgerald, 1925).
The novel is most especially interesting in its treatment of the American
Dream. Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy Buchanan, this wealthy and
beautiful woman who actually represents the American Dream that
somehow eludes Americans. It also symbolizes the destructive capacity of
desire and the sterility of material wealth, as critic Lionel Trilling notes,
"The Great Gatsby is a novel about the pathos of the American Dream"
(Trilling, 1947). Gatsby's love for Daisy is the ultimate representation of
the American Dream's guarantee of social mobility and happiness through
material possessions. But Fitzgerald himself criticizes the notion as he
exposes the empty, loveless lives of the upper class, the corrupting
influence of money and power.
Fitzgerald's view of class and social stratification is very critical too. The
old money aristocracy, represented by the Buchanans and the Sloane’s, is
depicted as hypocritical, snobbish, and morally decayed. In contrast, the
new rich, represented by Gatsby and his cohorts, are portrayed as vulgar,
tasteless, and ultimately, doomed to fail (Fitzgerald, 1925). As critic
Edmund Wilson notes, "Fitzgerald's picture of the American aristocracy is
one of the most devastating critiques of the social system that has ever
been written" (Wilson, 1941). Fitzgerald's critique of class and social
stratification remains as relevant today as it was when the novel was first
published, highlighting the ongoing struggles of social mobility and
economic inequality.
Class, social stratification, and the corrupting influence of wealth and
materialism are themes of the novel, which are also heavily associated
with the concept of the "Lost Generation." This refers to the generation of
young Americans who came of age during World War I and the Roaring
Twenties-the term was coined by none other than Ernest Hemingway. As
critic Barbara Will notes, "The Great Gatsby is a novel that continues to
haunt us, a reminder of the darker aspects of the American Dream" (Will,
2014). The portrayal of the Lost Generation's disillusionment and moral
bankruptcy by Fitzgerald serves as a commentary on the emptiness and
superficiality of modern life.
In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is a masterpiece of American literature
that continues to captivate readers with its timeless themes and haunting
prose. Fitzgerald's critique of the American Dream, class and social
stratification, and the corrupting influence of wealth and materialism
remains as relevant today as it was when the novel was first published. As
a literary fiction novel, The Great Gatsby is a book that should be read by
any individual interested in knowing the complexities of the human
situation.
References
Fitzgerald, F. S. (1925). The great Gatsby. Charles Scribner's Sons.
Trilling, L. (1947). The liberal imagination: Essays on literature and society.
Viking Press.
Wilson, E. (1941). The wound and the bow: Seven studies in literature.
Oxford University Press.
Will, B. (2014). Unlikely collaboration: Gertrude Stein, Bernard Faÿ, and the
vichy dilemma. Columbia University Press.
Bewley, M. (1954). The complex fate: Hawthorne, Henry James, and some
other American writers. Penguin Books.
