Great Gatsby :: essays research papers fc

Fitzgerald’s Masterpiece F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an enchanting novel, which tells an exquisite story through various techniques characteristic of a gifted author. The story has elements of deceit, high hopes, fallen dreams, and false intentions which make it thrilling to read. However, the true genius of the novel lies in the character description, setting of the novel, and the structure and form used. It is these literary devices that set The Great Gatsby apart from other novels. Life in the 1920’s was much different than that of life during any other era and Fitzgerald depicts this in The Great Gatsby very accurately through the characters. One critic stated that “The only bad of it is that the characters are mostly so unpleasant in themselves that the story becomes rather a bitter does before one has finished with it'; (Wilson 149). Where as one may take this as an insult, it can also be taken as a compliment. This shows that Fitzgerald described the character and their action so realistically that the reader developed strong opinions of the characters. Fitzgerald’s use of the setting is also another incredible technique used in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s description of Gatsby’s mansion is a perfect example of this. “The one on my right was a colossal affair by any standard- it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion.'; Throughout the novel Fitzgerald uses this type of description to put the reader into the story and give them a realistic sense of the time period. Not only do the words themselves paint pictures, but also the structure and form used is a delight. “…Every line of hard and intelligent effort'; (Mencken 148). The incredible part about this is that Fitzgerald does not do it too elaborately where the reader will get lost, but “written in sentences one can understand which is a comfort'; (Stein 149). Fitzgerald has written a complete novel which is his “best planned, best sustained, and best written [of Fitzgerald’s works]…not a whole in it anywhere'; (Wilson 147). The Great Gatsby is one of the few novels that is able to incorporate a wonderfully crafted setting and a very realistic set of characters that depict the young people of the time all in a smooth flowing well written novel.

My First Day In The US Essay

As I remember it, the first day that I came to U.S. was June 26, 2006. My first day in U.S. was both exciting and upsetting, I was exciting about was seeing my mom for the first time over a year, the upsetting part is I had to leave my good memories in my hometown. I had to left all of that behind friends, family and schools. However, life moves on, things need to be done. When I got out of the terminal in LAX, I saw the smile on my mother’s face that was the happiest smile I hadn’t seen in a long time. She waved at me and she was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. As we were walking towards the car in the parking lot, she asked me â€Å"how do you feel, are you happy to be here?† Then I answered â€Å"the weather is pretty good and the people seem nice.† As we headed to dinner from LAX, I noticed there are a lot of open roads in California that are well taken care of, and people tend to drive a lot faster here in California than in China. I said to my mom, â€Å"The roads here seems to be in better condition then in China.† My mom answered â€Å"Well, yes, the road construction in the United States has a higher quality than China, however, it takes more time to complete Highways here. Normally, in the United States it takes around 4-5 years to build a bridge. In China, as you know, it only take one year or two years tops, which that might be the reason why the roads here are a better quality than in China.† As we went along, I also noticed California drivers tend to be more aggressive than Chinese drivers, often changing lanes without using their turn signals. Californians also tend to drive a lot faster than those in China, might be because the roads are in better conditions. It only took us about an hour to the restaurant where we had dinner. It was called â€Å"The Hat†, in Victoria Gardens. I noticed along the road parking patterns in the United States are much more regulated. People in China park either way and either direction on the road, while people in United States park based on the direction of the road (i.e. if someone is driving on the right side of the road they just park on the right side of the curb). Inside the diner, we ordered a pastrami dip sandwich, and a tuna sandwich. They were both was tasty. The chili cheese fries were enormous. We didn’t even finish it all, but I loved â€Å"The Hat† from that moment on. However, as we waiting for the food, I saw on the menu, almost all the food is stylized around individual servings. Such as steak sandwich , french fries, pastrami dip sandwiches and soups. They are all served as separate courses (appetizers, main course, etc). Back in China, in my mind, I thought all of the food from every â€Å"individual† course is served together. As we were eating, I looked at the kitchen where they are making sandwiches, it seems that the kitchens of American style food are more peaceful. People tend to buy only things like lumps of fish that can’t be distinguished from other fish without a label or crabs that may have already been boiled. All you have to do is put them into the oven or the pan and cook them. In China, however, the kitchens seem very violent and active. All of the chicken, duck and fish are freshly cut in the kitchen. The kitchen is full of glimmering kitchen knives. I feel as if it is like a battle field. The atmosphere of American and Chinese food differ greatly. A lot of good American restaurants are generally built in beautiful scenic or metropolitan areas, so I sometimes feel as if American food is about â€Å"Eating the scenery† rather than â€Å"Enjoying the taste†. Time flies, I have been in the U.S. for more than six years. There are some more things that I didn’t notice on the first day I arrived in California. There are many cultural differences between the U.S. and China. In China, one of them is people think about ideas in a collective sense, often considering how their actions will affect their friends and families. Chinese people tend to collaborate before making a decision. Decisions are made for the greater good as opposed to personal choice. In America, prioritizing individual goals and motives over the group is considered the norm. The number one reason I came to U.S. was because my mother wanted me to. I had to leave all my friends and family behind. It was the hardest decision that I ever had to make because I didn’t want to disappoint my mother. Students in California are not as stressful as the students in China. There are be many actives available in California, because of more freedom to young people then would be in China. At last, to be in the U.S. is just like a new adventure, I learned many things that I could never learn in China. I met a lot of interesting people that I probably could never have met if I am still in China. Overall, looking back to the first day, I was like a country’s boy that just came into the city.

Setting and Theme in Barn Burning Essay - 1144 Words

All stories, as all individuals, are embedded in a context or setting: a time, a place, and a culture. In fact, characters and their relationship to others are better understood in a specific context of time, place and atmosphere, as they relate to a proposed theme or central point of a story. Abner is revealed as a sadistic character who confronts his son with the choice of keeping his loyal ties to the family or parting for a life on his own with no familial support. Sarty is Abners son, a young boy torn by the words of his father and the innate senses of his heart. Sarty is challenged by an internal conflict, he wants to disobey his father, yet he knows that if he leaves he will have nowhere to go and no one to turn to. We will†¦show more content†¦Major de Spain lived the life of a wealthy southerner, a life that Abner would never have. When Major de Spain told Abner, It cost a hundred dollars...but you never had a hundred dollars...you never will, it caused Abner to feel a greater sense of animosity toward de Spain because he knew himself that he was not the type of man fit to be the head of the household and probably never would be, which was why he felt that he had to burn down de Spains barn. Sarty went along with all that his father did because of the impact of his fathers words on him, You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you aint going to have any blood to stick to you. He also knew that they were of the poor class, struggling to put food on the table; as much as he disagreed he could not express himself. Sarty disagreed with everything his father did and wanted to tell him, but he knew that his father would leave him to fend for himself. Subconsciously Sarty admired de Spains life, peace and dignity were beyond his touch. Faulkner himself defended Abners character in an interview with Jane Hiles called Blood Ties in Barn Burning. The Great Depression was a time when the poor felt alienated from the politically and economically dominant groups and focused primarily on the feeling of blood, of clan, blood for blood. The family had to come together regardless of any criminal activity or immoral choices for the survival of the group. The interviewShow MoreRelatedThemes In Barn Burning1135 Words   |  5 PagesSymbols and Themes in â€Å"Barn Burning† and â€Å"To Build a Fire† The short stories â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner and â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London are, on their surface, two very different tales. While â€Å"Barn Burning† tells the story of a young boy, Sarty, trying to grow and develop his own moral code among his twisted father whom the boy doesn’t agree with, but follows because he is ‘his blood,’ â€Å"To Build a Fire† tells a story of a man trekking alone on Yukon Trail in miserable, dangerous weatherRead MoreComparison of â€Å"AP† by John Updike and â€Å"Barn Burning† by William Faulkner1268 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Faulkner and John Updike short stories share the same theme loyalty. The use of different literary elements to explore this similarity is what differs within the two stories. The authors take different approaches such as characters, settings, and point of views to communicate the theme to the reader. Throughout both short stories, the reader ca n receive a precise overview of loyalty. Even though the differences of literary elements are announced, one can still analyze the deeper meaning overallRead MoreBarn Burning By William Faulkner1357 Words   |  6 PagesHenry Award winning short story, â€Å"Barn Burning† was written in 1938 and published by Harper’s in 1939 (â€Å"William,† par. 12). In many ways the story is a product of â€Å"both a turbulent time in America’s history and Faulkner’s personal history† (Parker 101). America was emerging from the Great Depression just in time to see World War II looming on the horizon while Faulkner was struggling with â€Å"finances, a drinking problem, and a new mistress† (Parker 102). 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The next day the family arrives at their new home. After Snopes tracks horse manure onto the expensive rug, the server instructs him to clean and return it. S nopes ruins the rug from improper cleaning and Major de Spain â€Å"charge[s]Read MoreWilliam Faulkner s A Rose For Emily And Barn Burning863 Words   |  4 PagesModernism, neglecting any previous traditions relevancy. William Faulkner, author of stories: â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"Barn Burning† represent the processes of perception through the struggle between traditions and personal values. William Faulkner s two short stories, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"Barn Burning†, share similar structure plots of these two different stories, sharing a relatable theme on the effects of a father’s teaching and the impact it has on their children. The protagonists Miss Emily andRead More William Faulkner Essay1234 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Faulkners Barn Burning; takes place in the late nineteenth century South. Primarily a story about the relationship between father and son, the story presents itself through the use of symbolism. The most vital sign being fire. The fire is much like the main character in the story, Abner. Both Abner and the fire are uncontrollable and destroy anything in its way, having respect for nothing. Sarty, Abners son, dislikes what his father does out of acts of hate and tries to stop it (Faulkner Barn; 23)Read More Setting in William Faulkners Barn Burning Essay1584 Words   |  7 PagesCritical Viewing on Ba rn Burning William Faulkner’s use of a setting in a short story, such as â€Å"Barn Burning†, effected the entire outcome of the story from start to finish. In â€Å"Barn Burning†, a young boy must face his father and face the reality of a harsh world. He must also discover for himself that his father is wrong and learn to grow up the right way in a racial environment. Faulkner’s setting is one of the most important literary elements that help the audience understand theRead MoreLiterary Elements Of A Short Story1513 Words   |  7 Pagessmall prose narrative that has a fully develop a theme but is shorter than a novel. There are many different literary elements that compose a short story, such as narrative or point of view, character, setting, tone, and style, theme, plot, and symbol. All of these literary elements are fundamental to write a short story, you cannot have one without the other. The short stories â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, â€Å"The Gift of the Magi†, â€Å"Barn Burning†, and â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† are great examplesRead Moreâ€Å"a Rose for Emily† vs. â€Å"Barn Burning†2378 Words   |  10 Pagesone Americas greatest authors. In fact, his short stories, Barn Burning, and A Rose for Emily, are two of the best-known stories in American literature. Both are examples of the reflection of contemporary Southern American values in his work. â€Å"Barn Burning† and â€Å"A Rose for Emily† are two stories both written by William Faulkner. â€Å"Barn Burning† has a theme of family loyalty verses loyalty to the law. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† has a theme of power by death. Emily is thought of as a monument, but at the