Tuesday, January 17, 2012
The Great Gatsby
In chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby the reader is able to view different aspects of New York society. In what ways does this society and it's unwritten rules mirror, or appear different to those that were in The Age of Innocence? Are there still unwritten rules at all? Recall what was important to the characters in Age of Innocence and see if those aspects seem to still be important in The Great Gatsby.
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I think the characters in the Great Gatsby are more open to soeity not in New York City. The ladies travel to Europe and Monte Carlo. In the age of Innocence this was unheard of. Countess Olenksa was the outcast becuase she was so worldly. I feel that both books women still gossip as a hobby. Also, the view of marriage in the Great Gastby has changed. Myrtle married a man that people didnt think he was right for her, but she did it anyway. Even though Myrtle knew he was not right for her. People are not caring as much to what other people think.
ReplyDeleteI think that the society in The Great Gatsby is much more open and people are not as restricted by their class. In the Age of Innocence the artists and writers were thought to be bad company and the upper class was not supposed to socialize with them. But in The Great Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, a very upper class man socializes with Mr.McKee who is a photographer. So the position that artists hold in society has changed. Also Tom's mistress, Myrtle Wilson, is married into a much lower class judging from her home and her husband's occupation. I think that this would be considered very vulgar in The Age of Innocence's society, but social rules have changed and this mixture between classes is seen as normal.
ReplyDeleteAs we can see only in the beginning two chapters of the book, this society has become more accepting and not so restricted. In The Great Gatsby's New York society, it is acceptable to be seen with those of a lower class compared to the Age of Innocence. However, Tom does not want to necessarily be seen with Mr. McKee, but society does not think too much into it. As for unwritten rules, this does count for one of them. The intermingling between social classes is now more lenient. In the Age of Innocence, Archer was somewhat forced to marry May due to their equivalence in social structure. Myrtle, in The Great Gatsby, did not follow similar rules and married much lower than her own class. I think the relevance of the two light and bright parts of New York City and the gray in between where the ashes are, is very important to the context of society. I believe this shows you cannot be completely wealthy and pure without other classes getting in the way.
ReplyDeleteI think there are less unwritten rules if any in the Great Gatsby. There are ways you are suppose to act in society but they are not as strict as the ones in the age of innocence. The society seems more open to different class changes then those of Age of Innocence. Tom Buchanan is having an affair with a women from a lower class. The class difference does not seem to effect Tom. In the Age of Innocence Archer and the other men would not have an affair with somebody lower then them, they would never even talk to them. There still seems to be gender roles in The Great Gatsby but they are different then those of Age of Innocence. There seems to still be rules but they are less strict and it is not such a big crime if they are broken.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lauren I think that there are still unwritten rules in The Great Gatsby but, not nearly as strict as The Age of Innocence. In The Age of Innocence people did what was expected of them (for the most part), for example I think that Olenska cared what people thought about her and thats why she conformed to New York society. Unlike The Great Gatsby were women like Lucille who flat out say "I never care what I do thats why I have a good time". I believe that this is a good example of the difference of what is important in theses two societies. I feel like the unwritten rule of protecting your statues is not as much as an importance as it was in The Age of Innocence. In the Age of Innocence people were worried about Archer spending time with Olenska would make him look bad. While with Tom and Myrtle who seem more open about there affair and less scared of what people think of them. Overall The Great Gatsby does have definitely has unwritten rules and innuendoes but they are less strict with the "rules" than in the Age Of Innocence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everybody about the fact that Gatsby's society is more open than the society in "The Age of Innocence". As you all said, people in higher classes don't mind being seen with people in lower classes as much. Also, New Yorkers seem to interact with people who aren't from New York like Gatsby and Mr. Wolfsheim. Even Nick who very recently moved to New York isn't being rejected from New Yorkers. The parties in this new society are also very different compared to the parties in "The Age of Innoncence".
ReplyDeletei think that this society in Gatsby is much more accepting than Age of Innocence, and with less of an unwritten social code. i think this can be seen in the way that everyone in the upper class parties so much. things happen and are said during these parties that would never be acceptable in age of innocence. but in this culture its completely fine. i also think theres less of a distain towards the lower classes, such as when tom has an affair with somebody from a lower class and it isn't seen as bad.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what everybody said and like Cedrik said about the parties between the two books. The parties in The Great Gatsby are much more wild and crazy and people get really really drunk and there are tons of people there who don't even know who the host is they just get drunk and leave. But in Age of Innocence it isn't drunken madness it is people of high class who know the host well and it is very proper and elegant. I also agree with what everybody else said in that they don't really focus on what social classes people are from in the Great Gatsby. People are friends with people of other social status' and it isn't a big deal. But in the Age of Innocence you could only be with people of the same class as you.
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