The Great Gatsby: A Story of Lost Illusions? Much of this lecture was taken from a lecture by Professor Weinstein P.H.D. Harvard, currently teaching American Literature at Brown University

The Great Gatsby: A Story of Lost Illusions? Objectives—Upon completion of this lecture, you should be able to 1. Summarize how The Great Gatsby can be situated in the tradition of the realist novel, 2. Describe how Gatsby is a heroic protagonist 3. Give examples of how The Great Gatsby is a "narrative of disenchantment."

Literary Realism: The Narrative of Disenchantment “Realism can be thought of as a mode of thinking and writing that routinely deflates ‘large’ appearances, brings them back to their small causes, educates us about the snares of the world. There is a comparable critical bent to The Great Gatsby: We come to understand that all people are flawed.”

Realism- The Party- High and Low

Realism- Historic Connection

Bring on the Disillusionment! Tom

Tom’s Evil Side

Daisy, Daisy, Daisy

Jordan Problems? Historical connections?

Gatsby Above all, Gatsby himself will be examined and found wanting. We will see that he is implicated in countless shady deals and sleazy operations, that he is mixed up with criminals, and that he is Daisy’s social inferior. In short, he seems discredited. He was the attractive frontman for Wolfsheim- all of that is part of the realistic thrust to this book- you make way throught these grandiose figures and you find problems He compares his time in the East to a scene from El Greco… a descent into hell. This had been a story in the west… conduct is founded on something The story of lost illusions- seeing through the mist- that is the realist premise…

Gatsby/America the Corrupt “Taking a white card from his wallet he waved it before the man’s eyes. ‘Right you are,’ agreed the policeman, tipping his cap. ‘Know you next time, Mr. Gatsby. Excuse me!”

The Heroic Fight Against the Past Almost five years! There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams — not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.

The Final Thinning of Gatsby Sure enough in the end he will be made small… We are going to see Jimmy… we will see a schedule- a how-to schedule- a self-help diary…. He reads them 7. The final "deflating" document of the text is the schedule of James Gatz found in the flyleaf of his book, exhorting the young future Gatsby to perform a number of self-help tricks to guarantee SUCCESS. It’s a heart-breaking document- his general resolves- no more smoking or chewing- save $5 or $3 be better to parents- this is a realist document- the elusive man is made out to be this studious person Also think about his funeral…

The Final Thinning of Gatsby

Realism- presents the highs and lows…  Haves vs. Have Nots….  Religion?

Current Day Connection

Is there such a thing as too much realism?

Current Day Connection Is there such a thing as too much realism?

Reflection II. Behind all the reduction and criticism, the key question remains: Can the dream resist this realist exposure or is it illusory as well? What, then, is left in this story? Is Gatsby really great? Is the novel great? Is the novel great- can you have a great novel that deflates the notion of greatness… Is anything great? What survives realism? We are constantly showing how things work