Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-3-chapter-one-love-and-historical-context [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [A Level](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a.md) › Chapter One: Love & Historical Context # Chapter One: Love & Historical Context English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A, topic 3.1.3 ## Chapter One - 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: ### Old and new money ![Old and new money](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/c63454e6-199d-4c50-8af4-e3d2da6238bb/money-coins.jpg) - The context of ‘old money’ indicates its existence but that this money was based on a past America and even money from ‘old’ Europe. - During the period in which the book was set, things were changing face, and the reader might expect ‘new money’ and ‘old money’ to somehow collide. ### War aftermath ![War aftermath](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/8193805c-a6ce-44db-8849-077c21c0e9fb/world-war-one-british-soldier.jpg) - The aftermath of World War One is very important. Perhaps the Jazz Age was a reaction against the doom and gloom that the War brought? It may well open up forgotten love from the past. ### East and West Egg ![East and West Egg](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/ed6f3723-257f-4c72-9a03-f7c052b85308/helmet-egg-.jpg) - East Egg and West Egg set up a context of a divided society. ### Materialist wealth ![Materialist wealth](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-09/f319357b-4037-43f3-8aae-3a192c93cbb9/flag-south-usa-america-.jpg) - Clearly, the context of materialist wealth of the new rich is essential within the novel. - It demonstrates social change in America during this period. - The people of West Egg are representative of the ‘American Dream’ that anyone can make it in this ‘new’ land if they work hard enough or are clever enough. - Love also seems part of that dream. ### Tom Buchanan ![Tom Buchanan](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/ce7191d1-a1d6-445b-9bd5-f32c15ce0282/shutterstock_150346127.jpg) - The novel then focuses on Tom Buchanan who is representative example of ‘old money’. His horse riding and stance show him to be a confident representative of the ‘old money’ classes. ## Chapter One - 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: ### Golf ![Golf](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/afd3e263-e51e-4715-ae82-49ffb21758b8/golf-woman-.jpg) - The sport of golf – through Jordan Baker – is presented as a symbolic of ‘old money’. - Her disdain for West Egg shows that she does not like social transition or change. It seems she will be problematical when it comes to love. ### Insecure love ![Insecure love](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-03/76d289c8-59e4-4eca-85c6-aae572c2bd32/shutterstock_126066824.jpg) - The novel was written in a post-slavery era, but racial division was still present in several part of the United States of America. - The 1920s was a time of huge social change in the USA, and many members of the ‘old money’ class would have felt insecure about their changing place in the order of society. - Their love might therefore be insecure. ### Tom's mistress and money ![Tom's mistress and money](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/courseImages/biology/4.1.1%20Photosynthesis/money.jpg) - Tom’s mistress in New York shows that money can buy anything (even perhaps love or romance) – and that people are also ‘for sale’ if you have finance. It also shows the collision of culture between East Egg and New York. ### Gatsby's mansion ![Gatsby's mansion](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/444d5927-f437-4cdf-b13b-0f083b58aed9/mansion-.jpg) - The ostentatious mansion of Gatsby’s demonstrates that he had achieved the ‘American Dream’ – though as yet, we are unsure how. His love is not yet really known. ### Green light ![Green light](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-11/a7c05426-b201-462e-9154-fef34fab5d98/green-light-.jpg) - The green light optimistically may symbolise change and hope in American society during this period. We come to learn that this is a symbol of love. ## Test yourself on Chapter One: Love & Historical Context - What might the Jazz Age be a reaction against? - What about Tom Buchanan shows him to be representative of 'old money'? - What symbol shows that money can buy everything? - What may the green light symbolise? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/374d9d81-edad-4590-9774-fca24dd46e2f/section/40342b3a-5830-4b60-a337-98c0770ce0d9/session) - Previous topic: [3.1.2 Analysis of Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-2-analysis-of-chapter-one.md) - Next topic: [3.1.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-one.md) ## English Lit: AQA A Level The Great Gatsby - Specification A contents ### 1 Specification Overview - 1.1 Specification Overview - [1.1.1 Specification A](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/1-1-1-specification-a.md) ### 2 Context - 2.1 Context - [2.1.1 F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-1-f-scott-fitzgerald.md) - [2.1.2 1920s America](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-2-1920s-america.md) - [2.1.3 Tragedy](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-1-3-tragedy.md) - 2.2 Criticism & Approaches - [2.2.1 Early & Modern Criticism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-1-early-and-modern-criticism.md) - [2.2.2 Psychoanalytic Approach](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-2-psychoanalytic-approach.md) - [2.2.3 End of Topic Test - Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/2-2-3-end-of-topic-test-context.md) ### 3 Plot Summary - 3.1 Chapter One - [3.1.1 Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-1-chapter-one.md) - [3.1.2 Analysis of Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-2-analysis-of-chapter-one.md) - [3.1.3 Chapter One: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-3-chapter-one-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.1.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-1-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-one.md) - 3.2 Chapter Two - [3.2.1 Chapter Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-1-chapter-two.md) - [3.2.2 Chapter Two: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-2-chapter-two-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.2.3 End of Topic Test - Chapter Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-2-3-end-of-topic-test-chapter-two.md) - 3.3 Chapter Three - [3.3.1 Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-1-chapter-three.md) - [3.3.2 Analysis of Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-2-analysis-of-chapter-three.md) - [3.3.3 Chapter Three: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-3-chapter-three-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.3.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter Three](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-3-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-three.md) - 3.4 Chapter Four - [3.4.1 Chapter Four](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-1-chapter-four.md) - [3.4.2 Chapter Four: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-2-chapter-four-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.4.3 End of Topic Test - Chapter Four](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-4-3-end-of-topic-test-chapter-four.md) - 3.5 Chapter Five - [3.5.1 Chapter Five](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-1-chapter-five.md) - [3.5.2 Chapter Five: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-5-2-chapter-five-love-and-historical-context.md) - 3.6 Chapter Six - [3.6.1 Chapter Six](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-1-chapter-six.md) - [3.6.2 Chapter Six: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-2-chapter-six-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.6.3 End of Topic Test - Chapters Five & Six](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-6-3-end-of-topic-test-chapters-five-and-six.md) - 3.7 Chapter Seven - [3.7.1 Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-1-chapter-seven.md) - [3.7.2 Analysis of Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-2-analysis-of-chapter-seven.md) - [3.7.3 Chapter Seven: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-3-chapter-seven-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.7.4 End of Topic Test - Chapter Seven](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-7-4-end-of-topic-test-chapter-seven.md) - 3.8 Chapter Eight - [3.8.1 Chapter Eight](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-8-1-chapter-eight.md) - [3.8.2 Chapter Eight: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-8-2-chapter-eight-love-and-historical-context.md) - 3.9 Chapter Nine - [3.9.1 Chapter Nine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-1-chapter-nine.md) - [3.9.2 Chapter Nine: Love & Historical Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-2-chapter-nine-love-and-historical-context.md) - [3.9.3 End of Topic Test - Chapters Eight & Nine](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/3-9-3-end-of-topic-test-chapters-eight-and-nine.md) ### 4 Character Profiles - 4.1 Nick Carraway - [4.1.1 Nick Carraway](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-1-nick-carraway.md) - [4.1.2 Nick Carraway 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-2-nick-carraway-2.md) - [4.1.3 End of Topic Test - Nick](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-1-3-end-of-topic-test-nick.md) - 4.2 Jay Gatsby - [4.2.1 Jay Gatsby](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-1-jay-gatsby.md) - [4.2.2 Jay Gatsby 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-2-jay-gatsby-2.md) - [4.2.3 End of Topic Test - Gatsby](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-2-3-end-of-topic-test-gatsby.md) - 4.3 Daisy Buchanan - [4.3.1 Daisy Buchanan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-3-1-daisy-buchanan.md) - [4.3.2 Daisy Buchanan 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-3-2-daisy-buchanan-2.md) - 4.4 Tom Buchanan - [4.4.1 Tom Buchanan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-1-tom-buchanan.md) - [4.4.2 Tom Buchanan 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-2-tom-buchanan-2.md) - [4.4.3 End of Topic Test - Daisy & Tom](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-4-3-end-of-topic-test-daisy-and-tom.md) - 4.5 Minor Characters - [4.5.1 Minor Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-5-1-minor-characters.md) - [4.5.2 End of Topic Test - Minor Characters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/4-5-2-end-of-topic-test-minor-characters.md) ### 5 Key Ideas - 5.1 Key Ideas - [5.1.1 Love](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-1-love.md) - [5.1.2 Class](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-2-class.md) - [5.1.3 Idealism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-3-idealism.md) - [5.1.4 Patriarchy & Presentation of Women](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-4-patriarchy-and-presentation-of-women.md) - [5.1.5 End of Topic Test - Key Ideas](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/5-1-5-end-of-topic-test-key-ideas.md) ### 6 Writing Techniques - 6.1 Structure, Genre & Narrative Voice - [6.1.1 Structure & Narrative Voice](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-1-1-structure-and-narrative-voice.md) - [6.1.2 Genre](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-1-2-genre.md) - 6.2 Form & Language - [6.2.1 Form & Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-1-form-and-language.md) - [6.2.2 Symbolism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-2-symbolism.md) - [6.2.3 End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/6-2-3-end-of-topic-test-writing-techniques.md) ### 7 Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis - 7.1 Love Through the Ages - [7.1.1 The Examination](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/7-1-1-the-examination.md) - [7.1.2 Love Through the Ages Reading](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/a-level/english-literature/aqa/the-great-gatsby-specification-a/7-1-2-love-through-the-ages-reading.md)