Jealousy

Jealousy plays a main role in The Great Gatsby. Almost every character in the story experiences a feeling of jealousy towards another character. Some of them include Gatsby, Tom, Myrtle, Wilson, and even Daisy. They all commit scandals out of their jealousy and anger towards each other.

Gatsby is extremely jealous of Tom because he is married to Daisy, the woman he has been in love with for many years. He wants Daisy to leave her husband Tom for him so that he can live the lifestyle with Daisy that Tom and her have. Tom Buchanan is another very jealous character in the story, he is jealous of Gatsby once he finds out he is having a secret relationship with his wife Daisy. This makes him very upset because not only is he sneaking around with his wife, but he is not very fond of Gatsby to begin with.

The women of Gatsby are very jealous as well. Myrtle is jealous of Daisy because of the wealthy Tom Buchanan. She loves the lavish lifestyle Tom is able to offer her even though she knows she is nothing but his mistress, she wants to have a normal life with Tom as his wife and live as an upper class woman just as Tom's wife Daisy does. Daisy however, is jealous of Myrtle because she is wise to her relationship with her husband. She does not know who she is but she knows that their is another woman in Tom's life and this upsets her.

Sources: sparknotes.com

Mafia/gangsters

The American gangsters were feared and revered and often controlled liquor sales, gambling, and prostitution. They wore silk suits and diamond rings which became popular over time. Although most gangster were murderers and robbers some were actually involved in political, economical and social conditions during this time.

Lots of gangsters owned speakeasies which brought in a surplus amount of money for them. If you don't know what a speakeasy is then it's a bar or secret club where you can buy and drink illegal alcohol. Since prohibition was going on during this time lots of people went to speakeasies for alcohol since they couldn't buy it from stores anymore.

One of the most famous gangsters was Al Capone who became infamous over time. Capone first started in the business by managing Torrio's speakeasies for him since he needed help. Capone eventually got up to being Torrio's number two man and became a partner in all of his dealings. Capone became the boss when Torrio was shot and fled Chicago. Through all of his illegal dealings Capone made about 100 million dollars a year.

sources-http://www.chicagohs.org/history/capone.html, http://www.legendsofamerica.com/20th-gangsters.html

Film Versions

The story The Great Gatsby is a very popular book and a great story of love and tragedy. Due to the book's success many film versions were made out of it. One of the most popular includes one from 1949 which critics and many others said that it was well casted and very accurate according to the famous book. It brought the story and the lifestyle of that era alive and was a great film. "Nick Carraway is less prominent than the author might have intended. But the essence of the novel is there." (IMDb.com)

For the first time in 1926 a silent version film version of the book was made. "Although a lost film, the trailer survived and is one of the 50 films in the 3-disk boxed DVD set called "More Treasures from American Film Archives." (IMDb.com) This version of the film is no longer made or available.

The most recognized of all these films was the one made in 1974, it won two oscars and five other awards. There were some complaints about the characters and how they were not portrayed as well as they could have been, but over all it was a well liked film by the public. "Nick Carraway, although there is something of an awkward feel with his character if only because he is the narrator in the film, telling the story through his own eyes, while in the film he is an external character and the vast majority of his internal thoughts are necessarily erased." (IMDb.com)

sources: IMDb.com

Old Money vs New Money

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald there are issues between West Egg and East Egg. West Egg represents represents the newly rich such as Mr. Gatsby. East Egg represents the people who inherited their money from there family.

Fitzgerald represents the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste. Most of the people who are newly rich get there money because they sell alcohol illegally. Gatsby shows off his new money by throwing lots of parties and inviting a lot of people to them.

He portrays the old money as being graceful, tasteful, subtle, and elegant. They are more reserved then the new money and don't throw giant parties. Some people who are considered old money is Tom and Daisy. Tom likes to control things with his money such as Daisy and Myrtle.

sources- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Dan Cody

Although Dan Cody is only mentioned briefly in chapter six, he has played a large role in Mr. Gatsby's life. He is the reason Gatsby was able to travel after the war and have a decent job. Dan Cody is also who inspired him to become sucessful in life and live a life of luxury not necessity. Cody is very fond of Gatsby upon first meeting and is very generous with him.

Gatsby was working as a janitor for a college to pay for his school tuition, however he hated the embarrassment of this job so he left to work on Lake Superior. His job included fishing for salmon and digging for clams in the area. One day while working, Gatsby saw Dan Cody's yacht out on the water when there was a storm headed for Superior. Gatsby got on a boat and rowed out to Mr. Cody's to warn him about the storm when he invited Gatsby onto the boat. He became his personal assistant and traveled with him wherever he went. He bought Gatsby some new nice clothes and gave him a taste of a life of luxury which Gatsby quickly fell in love with. Gatsby's name prior to meetine Cody was James Gatz which Cody gave him the name of Jay Gatsby. Mr. Cody was a millionaire and when he died he left Gatsby $25,000.

Once Gatsby discovered the lifestyle Dan Cody lives, he is determined to do the same. After losing Daisy to the fact that he was a poor man at the time has a great deal to do with his determination to being rich. He does whatever it takes to become wealthy even if that means doing it illegally. Gatsby comes into money by selling alcohol illegally in 1920s which was the time period of prohibition.

sources: sparknotes.com

The Women of Gatsby

Some of the women in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald are Daisy, Jordan, and Myrtle. Daisy is married to Tom who she married mainly for his money but does actually love him. Daisy is Nick's cousin and seems to mess around with Nick a lot. She likes to joke around and have a good time. When she was younger she fell for Gatsby but as soon as he left she married Tom.

Jordan is one of Daisy and Tom's friends who is always in the middle of their marriage. She tells Nick about the affairs Tom and Daisy have. Jordan is a professional golf player who is very popular and well known by lots of people. Daisy and Tom want Jordan to marry Nick and Jordan eventually starts to like Nick after awhile. Jordan seems to know Gatsby pretty well and introdues Nick to him.

Myrtle is an average women who is having an affair with Tom. She is married to a someone who owns a car garage. Her husband has no clue what is going on between them. Myrtle likes to shop and buy lots of clothes since she's spoiled by Tom. Myrtle thinks that over time Tom will leave Daisy for her but, although Tom has a thing for her he doesnt plan on leaving Daisy for Myrtle.

sources- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Men of Gatsby

There are three main male characters in the story The Great Gatsby. Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. These three characters all have different characteristics and play main roles in the story to make it all of what it is.

Nick Carraway is the narrator and first character introduced in the story. He is a single, intelligent, and well rounded man living in a very small home in the wealthy area known as the West Egg. Nick has come to the east coast to get into the bond business like other men in his family that have made a good living off of it. Nick's cousin Daisy lives close by in a neighborhood opposite of his known as the East Egg. Nick and Daisy become close once Nick starts to pay her and her husband Tom visits, and they become very fond of eachother. Nick is also the neighbor of the very wealthy and well known Jay Gatsby and comes to find out Mr. Gatsby is a very interesting man.

Another main character in the story is Mr. Jay Gatsby. Gatsby comes off as a very mysterious man but soon Nick is able to see his true personality. Gatsby was related to wealthy people from the west coast who died so he inherited a fortune. He throws extravagant parties and and is very well known among the area of the West Egg. He soon becomes friends with his neighbor Nick and makes it known that he dated Nick's cousin Daisy Buchanan at a young age when he was in the armed forces. He is still very much in love with Daisy and reconnects with her with the help of Nick.

The final significant male character is Tom Buchanan. Tom is from old money and has more of it than one could ever imagine. He is very proud, selfish, and is not a good husband to his wife Daisy. He has an affair with a woman names Myrtle and does not care that Daisy or her cousin Nick is aware of it. Tom is very pushy and manipulative and puts Nick into awkward situations when he takes him to meet his mistress. He is also what kept and continues to keep Daisy and Gatsby apart but has no idea about their previous romance.