Presentation Title
Fitzgerald Finds Freedom through Gatsby
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Darlene Rivas
Start Date
18-11-2017 9:30 AM
End Date
18-11-2017 9:45 AM
Location
15-1828
Session
Humanities 2
Type of Presentation
Oral Talk
Subject Area
humanities_letters
Abstract
Murdered, framed, and betrayed, “Gatsby turned out alright in the end.” Many scholars argue that the fictional Jay Gatsby embodies his creator, F. Scott Fitzgerald; yet, I never understood why Fitzgerald would have Gatsby, theoretically a depiction of himself, meet such a tragic demise. Pondering this idea, I began my research into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s archives at Princeton University. Using personal correspondence, newspaper clippings that Fitzgerald had kept in diaries, and the novel itself, I saw many overlays between Gatsby and Fitzgerald. Then, after analyzing these materials, I drew the following conclusions. Yes, Gatsby does represent Fitzgerald, but he was an earlier version of Fitzgerald. Gatsby was a Fitzgerald prior to the author’s broken dreams and disillusionment. Fitzgerald was using Gatsby to repeat the past – but in the end to escape the hopelessness of broken dreams. So, when it was time for Gatsby to face his unfulfilled promises, Fitzgerald chose instead to relieve Gatsby of this pain and provide him with a merciful death.
Summary of research results to be presented
Murdered, framed, and betrayed, “Gatsby turned out alright in the end.” Many scholars argue that the fictional Jay Gatsby embodies his creator, F. Scott Fitzgerald; yet, I never understood why Fitzgerald would have Gatsby, theoretically a depiction of himself, meet such a tragic demise. Pondering this idea, I began my research into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s archives at Princeton University. Using personal correspondence, newspaper clippings that Fitzgerald had kept in diaries, and the novel itself, I saw many overlays between Gatsby and Fitzgerald. Then, after analyzing these materials, I drew the following conclusions. Yes, Gatsby does represent Fitzgerald, but he was an earlier version of Fitzgerald. Gatsby was a Fitzgerald prior to the author’s broken dreams and disillusionment. Fitzgerald was using Gatsby to repeat the past – but in the end to escape the hopelessness of broken dreams. So, when it was time for Gatsby to face his unfulfilled promises, Fitzgerald chose instead to relieve Gatsby of this pain and provide him with a merciful death.
Fitzgerald Finds Freedom through Gatsby
15-1828
Murdered, framed, and betrayed, “Gatsby turned out alright in the end.” Many scholars argue that the fictional Jay Gatsby embodies his creator, F. Scott Fitzgerald; yet, I never understood why Fitzgerald would have Gatsby, theoretically a depiction of himself, meet such a tragic demise. Pondering this idea, I began my research into F. Scott Fitzgerald’s archives at Princeton University. Using personal correspondence, newspaper clippings that Fitzgerald had kept in diaries, and the novel itself, I saw many overlays between Gatsby and Fitzgerald. Then, after analyzing these materials, I drew the following conclusions. Yes, Gatsby does represent Fitzgerald, but he was an earlier version of Fitzgerald. Gatsby was a Fitzgerald prior to the author’s broken dreams and disillusionment. Fitzgerald was using Gatsby to repeat the past – but in the end to escape the hopelessness of broken dreams. So, when it was time for Gatsby to face his unfulfilled promises, Fitzgerald chose instead to relieve Gatsby of this pain and provide him with a merciful death.