Introduction
The Great Gatsby is a full-feature adaptation of a book by the same name written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald in 1925. The novel has received a number of adaptations throughout the years, with 2013 one being the most recent. Its production has been quite expensive, and the end product has been positively received by the public. While the general critical consensus on the film remains uncertain, the impression left by the film should not go unnoticed. Some of its scenes have been deeply ingrained in the popular culture of today, and are understood even by people not familiar with the source material. While it cannot be said that the film is without its faults, both as a standalone work and as an adaptation, it is worthwhile to engage with and analyze. The themes of the film include discussions of wealth, happiness, the American dream, and romance. Through actively analyzing this work, one can understand how thematic composition, framing, and acting can function in a movie to deliver a particular message. This process becomes especially interesting when one tries to analyze the information relayed on a subtextual level, to become closer both with the creator’s vision and the way their unconscious might have influenced the work. The Great Gatsby, as a film, can be read in a variety of ways, depending on the individual that examines it. The meaning of symbolic imagery, the interactions, and relationships between characters, of them are shaped primarily through the viewer’s lens. This work will focus on highlighting the possible readings of the film according to rhetoric, semiotics, the gaze, and queer theory. Some of these critical looks can be applied directly, while others are reliant on implied information.
Rhetoric
Rhetoric, or rhetorical criticism, is primarily concerned with investigating the use of words, phrases, and other symbolic interactions between people. Rhetoric works in symbols, particularly ways of indirectly relaying meaning. They can come in the form of literal objects representing specific ideas or concepts, something given value and meaning by people, chosen arbitrarily in most cases (Foss). Humans use symbols to translate emotion, connect with each other, and evoke particular feelings in others. The most apparent and common example of symbols, then, is language itself. People use their ability to speak to give objects, events, and concepts a particular denomination that is understood universally, allowing them to more fully connect with others (Foss). Symbols, however, can be much more than words, and be evident in ways both open and subtle. They can be expressed by people in any way that their creativity allows for, taken that somebody else is able to understand them. A symbol can be created both intentionally and unintentionally, depending on a person’s actions.
In the case of The Great Gatsby (2013), many symbols present in the narrative represent particular ideas that are conveyed to the audience. In particular, the green light becomes one of the recurring images in the movie. Inside the story itself, it is seen by the characters as both a literal object and a particular symbol, translating a specific meaning to the audience. The light comes from the docks near Daisy Buchanan’s residence in the East Egg, it can be seen from Gatsby’s residence. The man often finds himself observing the light, thinking about Daisy, the love of his life that married another person. Rhetorically, the green light can be seen as a symbol of the man’s dreams and ambitions, something he strives for, even amidst his life of luxury and fame. While enjoying a lavish and extravagant life, he can be seen as deeply unsatisfied and misunderstood by other people. Chasing an unreachable ideal, Jay Gatsby forever stays within an arm’s reach of it, unable to see his ultimate goal through. The light can be seen as both a broad and specific symbol. In relation to Jay, the light most assuredly symbolizes his desire to get with Daisy, but for the audience and Nick, as the narrator, the light is seen as something grander. While reminiscing about Gatsby in the final scene of the film, Nick imagines him standing on a dock, reaching out to the green light illuminating the distance. For Nick, it represents the “orgiastic future” that awaits him and others like him (Fitzgerald and Bradbury). It is a belief in success, in reaching the top of society and finding fulfillment, the fabled American Dream. However, as the film shows, that ideal is as fantastic and ever-present as it is unreachable, shining like a literal beacon for the people that chase it. Ultimately, the light does not bring fulfillment, nor does it help people in achieving their dreams, existing as an ever-present delusion for those stuck perpetually chasing it. Jay Gatsby, for all his wealth and influence, died alone having never achieved what he wanted in life becoming a literal representation of the failure of the American Dream.
Semiotics
Semiotics is the theory concerning signs and the production of meaning. In Relation to film, this can mean a variety of studies, all centered on a desire to decode and understand how the audiovisual media constructs and delivers meaning. In this context, meaning can be understood as a particular message, feeling, or point being translated to the watcher. A cinematographer can use a variety of tools at their disposal to relay full experiences, and raw emotions on the screen, and make the audience think about what they are watching. Film language, from a semiotic perspective, is constructed through a combination of denotations and connotations. The obvious and the hidden, are two ways of presenting information and it is perceived by the viewer. Denotations are defined by the literal – what is said and done on the screen, what the audience learns through the direct statements or depictions. Connotations, on the other hand, are what can be inferred indirectly. Something that might be left to interpretation, a movement, a passing gaze, a phrase with seemingly no meaning or stated purpose, are all created to make the audience actively engage with the work and understand the subjects brought up in a more full manner (Baseheart). The inclusion of both methods of translating information also speaks to the complexity of the real world and translates it into the film. Not everything that is being said is always said in a straightforward manner and many of the things an individual learn come to them through understanding social cues and minute details.
Semiotics is used in the film to add extra meaning to the narrative, to show characters in a more complex, full light, and translate the main messages of the film to the audience. A good example of this would be the scene when Gatsby shows Nick and Daisy around his house. The man makes a clear show of the process, impressing his guests and making a display of the various expensive luxuries he has. On a surface level, the whole scene can be seen as Gatsby flaunting his wealth to impress the guests and have some fun. He plays golf with them, goes for a swim, and gives the two a full tour of the giant mansion he lives in. The story explicitly lets the audience know that he lives alone, has a lot of wealth, and often invites guests onto his property. On a deeper level, however, one can also see other connotations for his behavior. When Daisy ascends the staircase, Gatsby can be heard commenting that she makes his house look splendid, which is indicative of his love for the woman. It also shows the viewer the sheer importance the image of Daisy has for him, as he does not find the mansion he lives in beautiful by itself, but only when Daisy is there. Another connotation that can be drawn from that scene comes from the time when Gatsby throws shirts at Daisy. The action of reckless and meaningless abandon can be seen as a need to impress the lady, to show her how much he has come through to get to the point where she would love him.
The Gaze
The gaze is a concept that can be a bit difficult to define. In essence, it refers to the way the audience perceives things on the screen and how these things are meant to be looked at. The filmmakers have specific intentions in making their work, and these intentions can often be shown through how they frame specific parts of the film. Oftentimes, the particular term “male gaze” can be heard, which is closely related to portrayal and perception in the media. The male gaze is the way in which male authors often depict women – by intentionally or unintentionally objectifying them and making them seem like a point of attraction (Smelik).
In the Great Gatsby, the male gaze can also be seen in the portrayal of female characters. Nick, as a male narrator of the whole story, constantly shows the audience the events through his own perception of them, affecting how many of the film’s women are characterized. In the party scene, many of them are depicted specifically for the attention of the male viewer, as an object of desire, not a human beings. This can be tracked through the camerawork which emphasizes the body, and what parts of women are explicitly shown to the viewer.
Queer Theory
Queer theory is the last framework through which an analysis of the work will be attempted. This approach is a more new and emerging way of looking at media, primarily concerned with how gender and sexuality that are a part of the LGBTQ spectrum are reflected in film, imagery, and literature. This can include both works with the open portrayal of queer characters and subtle, or even unintentional depictions. Queer theory seeks to define ways in which society looks at queer people, and analyzes them.
In the Great Gatsby (2013), queerness is something that has to be analyzed from the subtext. Most characters are openly depicted as straight, though specific camerawork, personal interactions, and relationships. However, Nick, the narrator of the movie, can be read as gay and having feelings for Gatsby. As the only person that is left to attend his funeral or remember him, Nick shows a considerable level of care for the other man, even going so far as to write a book about him. It is clear that Gatsby was a big inspiration for Nick, and it is possible that some of it came from unrealized romantic feelings. The party scene, in particular, where Gatsby is seen saluting the crowd while fireworks go off in the background, can be read as a subtle display of Nick’s queerness. Seeing Gatsby smile, the narrator perceives the gesture as intensely personal, understanding, and deep, looking at Gatsby with pure adoration in his expression. The intense personal feelings that a simple smile evokes in Nick can be seen as a sign of his budding romantic attraction to the other man.
Works Cited
Foss, Sonja K. Rhetorical Criticism: Exploration and Practice. Waveland Press, Inc., 2018.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Malcolm Bradbury. The Great Gatsby. Campbell, 1991.
Sister Mary Christopher Baseheart. “Christian Metz’s Theory of Connotation.” Film Criticism, vol. 4, no. 2, 1980, pp. 21–37. JSTOR.
Smelik, Anneke. “Feminist Film Theory.” The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Gender and Sexuality Studies, 2016, pp. 1–5.