Chapter Three: Love & Historical Context

Chapter Three - Love, Historical Context and Historicism

For specification A, you are specifically interested in the implication of texts in history and how the ideology of love is presented in this text. Here are some ideas relevant to that reading:

Contrast: guests and servants

There is an explicit contrast between the moneyed individuals who attend Gatsby’s parties and those servants who clean up afterward and keep the mansion running.
This is very much symbolic of the social division in the United States of America at this time.

Gatsby's parties

Gatsby’s parties are symbolic of how ‘new money’ showed off in 1920s’ America. They also demonstrate a world of freer love.

English culture

Although the Americans themselves have ‘new money’, it seems they bow down to the culture of Englishness in this world in that it represents sophistication and class.
At the same time, the English seem to be taking advantage of the admiring Americans, for their own benefit. At this point in history, England was still held up as a symbol of class and wealth, and was thus to be imitated.

Age of salesmen

This was the great Age of salesmen operating in a new materialist-based culture. However, this connects with the idea of love also being able to be bought.

Superficiality

Parties in this Age were filled with hangers on, people there through chance and association, rather than by connection or true love. Love can appear to be only surface level.

Chapter Three - Love, Historical Context and Historicism

For specification A, you are specifically interested in the implication of texts in history and how the ideology of love is presented in this text. Here are some ideas relevant to that reading:

Gatsby's party

The party is typical of the era. It has elements of pretend wealth and pretentiousness.

Significance of Owl Eyes

In this chapter, Owl Eyes is highlighting the superficial nature of the ‘roaring twenties’.
To him, the whole house is like a theatre set: although the books are real, nobody reads them and they are really just for show: appearances are everything among the ‘new money’ class of the 1920s.
Books carry status and learning despite the fact that they are not read. Gatsby could be accused of trying to buy love.

Reminder: post-war era

The fact that Nick and Gatsby both appear to have fought during World War One emphasises that they are living in a post-war era.

Masks and Owl Eyes' car crash

Gatsby’s charming and endearing smile and manner is like a mask, just in the same way that the supposed ‘fun’ of the ‘roaring twenties’ is really just hiding the hollow reality.
The reality is embodied by Owl Eyes’ car crash, and in Nick’s eyes, the ‘loose morality’ of the Age. It seems it may well be difficult to find true love in such an era.

1Specification Overview

1.1Specification Overview

1.1.1Specification A

2Context

2.1Context

2.1.1F. Scott Fitzgerald

2.1.21920s America

2.1.3Tragedy

2.2Criticism & Approaches

2.2.1Early & Modern Criticism

2.2.2Psychoanalytic Approach

2.2.3End of Topic Test - Context

3Plot Summary

3.1Chapter One

3.1.1Chapter One

3.1.2Analysis of Chapter One

3.1.3Chapter One: Love & Historical Context

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Chapter One

3.2Chapter Two

3.2.1Chapter Two

3.2.2Chapter Two: Love & Historical Context

3.2.3End of Topic Test - Chapter Two

3.3Chapter Three

3.3.1Chapter Three

3.3.2Analysis of Chapter Three

3.3.3Chapter Three: Love & Historical Context

3.3.4End of Topic Test - Chapter Three

3.4Chapter Four

3.4.1Chapter Four

3.4.2Chapter Four: Love & Historical Context

3.4.3End of Topic Test - Chapter Four

3.5Chapter Five

3.5.1Chapter Five

3.5.2Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context

3.6Chapter Six

3.6.1Chapter Six

3.6.2Chapter Six: Love & Historical Context

3.6.3End of Topic Test - Chapters Five & Six

3.7Chapter Seven

3.7.1Chapter Seven

3.7.2Analysis of Chapter Seven

3.7.3Chapter Seven: Love & Historical Context

3.7.4End of Topic Test - Chapter Seven

3.8Chapter Eight

3.8.1Chapter Eight

3.8.2Chapter Eight: Love & Historical Context

3.9Chapter Nine

3.9.1Chapter Nine

3.9.2Chapter Nine: Love & Historical Context

3.9.3End of Topic Test - Chapters Eight & Nine

4Character Profiles

4.1Nick Carraway

4.1.1Nick Carraway

4.1.2Nick Carraway 2

4.1.3End of Topic Test - Nick

4.2Jay Gatsby

4.2.1Jay Gatsby

4.2.2Jay Gatsby 2

4.2.3End of Topic Test - Gatsby

4.3Daisy Buchanan

4.3.1Daisy Buchanan

4.3.2Daisy Buchanan 2

4.4Tom Buchanan

4.4.1Tom Buchanan

4.4.2Tom Buchanan 2

4.4.3End of Topic Test - Daisy & Tom

4.5Minor Characters

4.5.1Minor Characters

4.5.2End of Topic Test - Minor Characters

5Key Ideas

5.1Key Ideas

5.1.1Love

5.1.2Class

5.1.3Idealism

5.1.4Patriarchy & Presentation of Women

5.1.5End of Topic Test - Key Ideas

6Writing Techniques

6.1Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice

6.1.1Structure & Narrative Voice

6.1.2Genre

6.2Form & Language

6.2.1Form & Language

6.2.2Symbolism

6.2.3End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis

7.1Love Through the Ages

7.1.1The Examination

7.1.2Love Through the Ages Reading

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