The Great Gatsby
This blog is task given by Dr. Dilipsir Barad.( Click Here )
1) Read the article on the Book cover art and its connection to the novel's themes - and write your understanding of the symbolic significance of the book cover.
The original cover art of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, titled "Celestial Eyes," was painted by artist Francis Cugat in 1924, prior to the novel's completion. This iconic illustration features disembodied, melancholic eyes and bright red lips hovering against a deep blue night sky, overlooking a vibrant cityscape. The cover's imagery is rich in symbolism, deeply intertwined with the novel's themes and characters.
Eyes and the Billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg
The prominent eyes on the cover are often associated with the billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg in the novel, described as "blue and gigantic—their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles..." These eyes symbolize the moral and ethical decay hidden beneath the opulent lifestyles of the characters, serving as a constant, watchful presence over the events in the story.
Nude Figures Within the Eyes
Closer examination of the cover reveals nude female figures embedded within the irises. These figures may represent Daisy Buchanan, the object of Jay Gatsby's obsession, highlighting themes of idealization and objectification. Alternatively, they could signify the pervasive moral decay and hedonism of the Jazz Age, reflecting the characters' indulgent and often reckless pursuits.
The Green Tear
A subtle green tear is depicted falling from one of the eyes, evoking the green light at the end of Daisy's dock—a central symbol in the novel representing Gatsby's unattainable dreams and the broader theme of the elusive American Dream. This tear underscores the sense of longing and unfulfilled desire that permeates the narrative.
Cityscape and the Roaring Twenties
The glowing cityscape below the eyes reflects the extravagance and vitality of the Roaring Twenties, characterized by lavish parties and a façade of glamour. This imagery mirrors Gatsby's opulent gatherings and the superficial allure of the era, contrasting sharply with the underlying emptiness and moral ambiguity experienced by the characters.
In essence, the "Celestial Eyes" cover art encapsulates the central themes of The Great Gatsby, including the moral decay masked by wealth, the objectification inherent in obsessive love, and the perpetual yearning for an unattainable ideal. The interplay between the cover's imagery and the novel's content enhances the reader's understanding of the complex social and personal dynamics at play in Fitzgerald's portrayal of the American Jazz Age.
2)Write about 'Understanding Jay Gatsby's character' [Watch two short videos for the ideas i.e. (i) Understanding J. Gatsby and (ii) Psychoanalytical Study - Shame (guilt) and Grief.
Dr. Jared DeFife, in Emory Looks at Hollywood, offers a psychoanalytic perspective on Jay Gatsby, focusing on themes of shame, guilt, and grief that shape Gatsby’s personality. Gatsby’s relentless pursuit of wealth and status can be seen as a response to deep-seated shame about his humble origins. He constructs an elaborate persona—reinventing himself from James Gatz into the wealthy and enigmatic Jay Gatsby—to escape feelings of inadequacy.
His obsession with Daisy is also rooted in unresolved grief. Rather than moving forward, Gatsby clings to an idealized version of the past, convinced that he can recreate it. This inability to accept reality leads to self-destructive behavior, as he risks everything to win Daisy back.
Gatsby’s guilt is more subtle but present in his choices—whether it is covering for Daisy’s crime or deceiving himself about his place in her world. His tragic fate ultimately reflects a deep psychological struggle: no matter how much he tries to reinvent himself, he remains trapped by his past and the illusions he cannot let go of.
The Great Gatsby and highlights Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation:
Multiple Adaptations
The snippet briefly mentions the four film versions of The Great Gatsby (1926, 1949, 1974, and 2013). It highlights that each adaptation brings Gatsby’s story to new audiences, but the focus here is on Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 adaptation. Luhrmann’s version is known for its visually spectacular style, modern soundtrack, and heightened sense of spectacle that mirrors the excesses of the Jazz Age.
Overall, the snippet positions Jay Gatsby as a timeless figure whose rise to fortune and tragic yearning for the past encapsulate the American Dream’s allure and danger. Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 film adaptation carries this legacy forward by merging historical opulence with contemporary flair, reintroducing Gatsby’s tale to a modern audience.
3) How faithful is Luhrmann's film adaption to the original novel?
Ever since Baz Luhrmann announced that he was adapting F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby—and especially after he revealed that he’d be doing it in 3-D—much digital ink has been spilled about the hideous sacrilege that was sure to follow. Nevermind that Luhrmann’s previous adaptation, William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, was quite true to both the language and the spirit of that legendary play; Gatsby, as David Denby puts it in The New Yorker this week, is “too intricate, too subtle, too tender for the movies,” and especially for such an unsubtle filmmaker as Luhrmann.
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4) Write a brief note on the symbolic significance of 'Green Light' and 'Billboard of The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckelberg'
Fitzgerald wrote, “I’ve written it into the book.” It’s not clear exactly what Fitzgerald meant by this, but it is generally believed that that Cugat’s haunting image was realized in the form of the recurring billboard for oculist Dr. T.J. Eckleburg that watches over one of the climactic moments of Fitzgerald’s work:
“The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic — their irises are one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles which pass over a nonexistent nose. Evidently some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice in the borough of Queens, and then sank down himself into eternal blindness, or forgot them and moved away. But his eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days, under sun and rain, brood on over the solemn dumping ground.”
Of course, there are several obvious differences between the final cover art and the bespectacled billboard, but if this is the connection, then the floating, faceless eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg serve as testament to the talent of each artist, as well as to the value of such collaborations. But the familiar cover art may not, in fact, have been what captured Fitzgerald’s imagination.
5) Write a brief note on the theme of 'The American Dream' and 'Class Conflict' in the novel.
The American Dream in The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream by portraying it as an illusion that ultimately leads to disappointment. Gatsby embodies this dream, believing that wealth and success can help him reclaim the past and win Daisy’s love. However, his dream is based on materialism and social status rather than genuine happiness. The novel highlights how the pursuit of wealth and status often leads to moral decay, corruption, and disillusionment rather than fulfillment.
Class Conflict in The Great Gatsby
The novel explores deep class divisions, primarily through the contrasts between old money (Tom and Daisy Buchanan), new money (Gatsby), and the working class (George and Myrtle Wilson). The upper class, represented by Tom and Daisy, maintains its power through inherited wealth and looks down on self-made individuals like Gatsby. Meanwhile, the lower class struggles for upward mobility but remains trapped by social and economic barriers. This class conflict underscores the rigid social hierarchy of the 1920s, revealing the illusion of equal opportunity in the American Dream.
Conclusion
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald exposes the flaws of the American Dream and the harsh realities of class divisions. Through Gatsby’s tragic pursuit of wealth and love, the novel critiques the idea that success and happiness are attainable for all. The stark contrast between old money, new money, and the working class highlights the rigid social hierarchy that prevents true upward mobility. Ultimately, the novel suggests that the American Dream is an illusion—one that leads to moral decay, corruption, and inevitable disillusionment.
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