The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is often analyzed from the point of view of opposing dreams and reality, the spiritual and material world, and the inconsistency of the genre diversity of the novel. The Great Gatsby is usually viewed as a characteristic novel for its era, the main theme of which is a conflict with the real world and the inevitability of disillusionment. However, much less attention has been paid to the illusiveness of the novel’s narrative itself, which leaves open the question of the figure of Great Gatsby. The reader of the novel does not get an answer to the question of why Gatsby is called great, and this is the main illusion that Fitzgerald has prepared for readers. In this paper, I show that The Great Gatsby is a magnificent discourse on the illusory nature of human existence, which is expressed in the artistic techniques used by Fitzgerald throughout the story. I claim that The Great Gatsby is based on phantasies, which is emphasized by the device of an unreliable narrator and the deliberate violation of the narrative chronology.
Nick Carraway is an unreliable narrator, who tells the story of Gatsby from his point of view, he can bring any subjective details to the image of the central character. As a person not confused by the desire for material values, the narrator had to dispel the illusions created by other characters. However, it is the narrator who creates the romantic illusion around the figure of Jay Gatsby. This type of storyteller is not all-seeing, he cannot tell the reader about the real thoughts and feelings of other people. Although Carraway states that he refrains from critical judgment, according to his father’s precepts, he is not a reliable source, agreeing that he may have forgotten some details (Fitzgerald 5-6). The image of the central character of the novel becomes illusory not only because Gatsby creates such an atmosphere around him, but also because the reader cannot trust the words of the narrator. Thus, Fitzgerald does not reveal the real image of the protagonist, using the technique of an unreliable narrator, which makes the reader think about the illusory human existence.
Fitzgerald uses the conscious chronological shift in The Great Gatsby to push the reader to think about the narration’s unreality. Carraway was previously familiar with several characters, but he did not see the beginning of the chain of tragic events. From the very beginning, Carraway creates a mysterious atmosphere around the figure of Gatsby. Events are revealed gradually, and the reader is unaware of the tragic denouement. The narrator mixes the events of the distant past and present, interjecting his impressions, rumors, and other people’s words. These techniques work not only to create a complete image of Carraway as a character but also lead to reflections on the illusory constituent of life. Another example of using time as a narrative detail is Fitzgerald’s choice of the story’s frame. The action takes place in the roaring twenties, symbolizing the unrealistic origin of human happiness after the war’s end. Thus, Fitzgerald creates a novel not only about the contrast between reality and dreams, but The Great Gatsby is also a deep reflection on the illusory nature of human existence.
Work Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. United States, Penguin Publishing Group, 2021.