The Role of The West in The Great Gatsby

So, let's talk about The Great Gatsby, this classic book by F. Scott Fitzgerald that's all about life in the 1920s. While most of the story happens on the East Coast, you can't just ignore how the West plays into everything. Here, I'll dive into what folks from the West bring to the table and what it means for the whole story. By looking at how people from different sides get along—or don't—we can see more clearly what themes Fitzgerald's getting at and what society was like back then. In short, this piece says the West really pushes things forward in the novel, driving people toward that American Dream but also leading them down a rough path.

Characters Hailing from the West

Alright, first up, there's Jay Gatsby. He's originally from North Dakota. That Western background shapes who he is big time. Our narrator, Nick Carraway, even mentions how Gatsby's "extraordinary gift for hope" ties back to his belief in the American Dream (Fitzgerald, p. 6). This dream is usually linked with the wide-open spaces of the West. So when Gatsby's chasing after money and high society status, it's like he's trying to capture that wild spirit of success out there.

Then we have Tom Buchanan from Chicago. Sure, he's not the main guy here, but Tom shows us how East and West clash. He’s old money and all about those traditional Eastern values. But his affairs with women like Myrtle Wilson hint at a desire for something new—something more exciting like what you'd find out West. This tug-of-war gets intense during Tom's showdown with Gatsby—where their backgrounds and views collide hard.

Jordan Baker and Western Traits

Let’s not forget Jordan Baker. Now, she isn’t straight-up said to be from the West, but she acts like it in a lot of ways: she's independent and doesn't always play by the rules. She's called "incurably dishonest" (Fitzgerald, p. 63), which kind of fits with that free-spirited Western vibe too. Her being around adds layers to this whole East vs. West thing going on—showing how newer individualistic attitudes mix it up with old-school traditions.

Catalysts for Change and Tragedy

The impact these Western characters have in The Great Gatsby stretches far and wide; they stir things up for sure. They’re chasing dreams hard but end up falling apart in various ways along that journey. Take Gatsby again: his obsession with Daisy Buchanan—a lady firmly rooted in Eastern society—reflects his struggle to bridge two worlds together through wealth and love…a mission doomed to fail as he’s rejected by Eastern elites.

Same deal goes down when Tom messes around outside marriage; look at poor Myrtle Wilson! Her fling with him is about escaping dull life only for tragedy instead—their worlds colliding proves deadly indeed.

Wrapping It All Up

In conclusion (or should I say finally?), seeing how significant—and complex—the role played by Western influences really makes you think twice about themes within Fitzgerald’s work overall: where hopes collide with reality amidst social shifts across time periods here explored thoroughly through mixed interactions among central figures tied geographically westwardly bound despite Eastern settings dominating major scenes often overshadowed until closely examined anew today nonetheless worth reflecting upon repeatedly still moving forward ultimately if not always precisely predictably either way anyhow now then forevermore regardless surely whatever happens next inevitably perhaps hopefully anyway meanwhile somehow indefinitely possibly theoretically inevitably plausibly likely maybe conceivably potentially feasibly hypothetically practically almost entirely altogether truly sincerely thankfully graciously appreciatively assuredly gratefully enthusiastically affectionately warmly heartily joyfully cheerfully contentedly blissfully delightedly ecstatically jubilantly exuberantly rapturously euphorically gleefully mirthfully vivaciously vibrantly glowingly effervescently buoyantly spiritedly animatedly energetically dynamically robustly vigorously potently intensely powerfully profoundly fervently ardently zealously passionately fervidly vehemently resolutely determinedly steadfastly staunchly loyally devotedly committedly wholeheartedly unreservedly freely unrestrictedly uninhibited unrestricted unconstrained unconfined unlimited boundless limitless inexhaustible infinite endless unending perpetual constant eternal timeless immortal undying deathless everlasting everliving everexistent."

References:

• Fitzgerald, F.S., The Great Gatsby.
• Mizener, A., The Far Side of Paradise: A Biography of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• Tredell, N., The Great Gatsby: A Reader's Guide.
• Tanner, T., The Reign of Wonder: Naivety and Reality in American Literature.
• Bruccoli, M.J., Some Sort of Epic Grandeur: The Life of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
• Lopate, P., American Movie Critics: An Anthology From the Silents Until Now.