6.1.2
Genre
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Genre
The Great Gatsby may simultaneously be described as a love story, a tragedy, a fable about the American Dream and a crime story.
'Destructive passion'
- In short, these four elements come together to make the overall narrative about ‘destructive passion’.
- We already know much about it being a love story and a tragedy.
- By fable, we mean that it contains many archetypes and that within the narrative, there is a moral message for the reader.
American Dream
- The American Dream refers to the fact that in the opening up of America in the twentieth century, many people felt that they could go there and find not only material wealth but also long-term happiness.
- In essence, this derived from the idea that America is a ‘new country’ and is not restricted by the boundaries of either European classes or other issues of poverty in developing countries.
- Many people in the present are still seeking residency in the USA. This suggests the American Dream still exists.
Moralistic fiction
- Fitzgerald writes The Great Gatsby as a moralistic fiction.
- This means the novel is there to teach us something.
- When Nick returns from the East, he wants the world to be ‘at a sort of moral attention forever’.
- In this, Fitzgerald seems to want his readers to be morally attentive too. The tragedy warns us of over-ambition.
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
Jump to other topics
1Specification Overview
1.1Specification Overview
2Context
3Plot Summary
3.1Chapter One
3.2Chapter Two
3.3Chapter Three
3.4Chapter Four
3.6Chapter Six
3.7Chapter Seven
3.8Chapter Eight
4Character Profiles
4.3Daisy Buchanan
4.5Minor Characters
5Key Ideas
6Writing Techniques
6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice
7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis
7.1Love Through the Ages
Practice questions on Genre
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