The Great Gatsby

   Thinking Activity

                 The Great Gatsby

                                                      

    Hello! Here I am going to write another blog. The blog spot is a response to the Film Screening of The Great Gatsby is a 2013 historical romantic drama film based on the 1925 novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The film was co-written and directed by Baz Luhrmann. This Blog is also a part of Thinking Activity. This task was assigned by Dr. Dilip Bard sir , Dept of English. In this Particular blog, I will explain some questions regarding some Question of The Great Gatsby. In this Particular blog I am going to share my understanding of this novel - ‘The Great Gatsby’ by American novelist F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

•  First of all we know about the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald.

                                     

           Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was popularly known as F. Scott Fitzgerald. He was an American novelist, short-story writer, and screenwriter. He was born on September 24, 1896, in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century, and his works continue to be read and studied today.

       Fitzgerald is best known for his novels, particularly “The Great Gatsby,” which is considered a masterpiece of American literature. His other notable works include “This Side of Paradise,” “Tender Is the Night,” and “The Beautiful and Damned.” He is also known for his short stories, which have been collected in various volumes, including “Flappers and Philosophers” and “Tales of the Jazz Age.” He struggled with alcoholism and financial difficulties throughout his life. He died of a heart attack at the age of 44 in Hollywood, California, on December 21, 1940. 

      Key Facts of the Novel :

• Novel : The Great Gatsby

• Author : F. Scott Fitzgerald

• Published in : 1925 , by Charles Scribner's Sons

• Genre : Drama , Romance

• Setting (Time) : Summer 1922

• Protagonist : Jay Gatsby

• Tonality of Novel : Slightly Tragical

• Language : English

             

The Great Gatsby : (2013)

                                 

Movie Screening: 

                           

                          

        On the date of 3rd January,2023, we had a movie screening of The Great Gatsby organized by Dr.Dilip sir Barad, Head of Dept of English , MK , Bhavnagar University. This Movie starts with GREEN LIGHT . It is a Symbol of HOPE and Optimistic person.  

• Faithful Teardrop of Green light.

• Jay Gatsby was morally or ethically not a good person.

Directed by : Baz Luhrmann 

        

              Mark Anthony "Baz" Luhrmann is an Australian film director, producer, writer and actor. Baz Luhrmann is an Australian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born on September 17, 1962, in Sydney, Australia. He is best known for his visually stunning and highly stylized films that often explore themes of love, ambition, and the pursuit of greatness. In 1992, he directed his first film, "Strictly Ballroom," which became a critical and commercial success. He followed this up with a string of hit films, including "Romeo + Juliet" (1996), "Moulin Rouge!" (2001), and "The Great Gatsby" (2013).

                      Movie Trailer : 

                                     Click here

References  of some Movies & Books Gujarati and English also.

• Joker Movie- Oscar Award,

• Silence of the lamb- Chup Movie- kill the critic,

• Kartikey Movie,

• Ramsetu Movie,

• Scam 1922  and Bigbul - webseries,

• Book - The Rising Tide of Color by Lothrop Stoddard - Against White World Supremacy,

• Gujarati Book - અગ્નિકન્યા by ધ્રુવ ભટ્ટ,

• Salman Rushdie’s Midnight's  - Extra Marital Affairs,

• Rangila Movie - Aamir Khan - Factness ,

• A History of the World in 10 ½ Chapters by Julian Barnes

                       -  Naval Wars in Europe

Question 1 :  How did the film help in understanding the symbolic significance of 'The Valley of Ashes', 'The Eyes of Dr. T J Eckleberg' and 'The Green Light'?

           The Valley of Ashes, The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg, and The Green Light are three key symbols in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. These symbols are used to represent important themes and ideas in the novel.

                                   

• ‘The Valley of Ashes’ is a desolate wasteland located between New York City and West Egg, where the wealthy characters live. In the film, Luhrmann portrays this location as a grey, industrial wasteland, with towering piles of ashes and smokestacks belching smoke into the sky. This helps to emphasize the idea that the pursuit of wealth and excess has led to the destruction of the environment and the exploitation of the working class.

                              

• The Eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg are a pair of faded, billboard-sized eyes located in the Valley of Ashes. In the film, Luhrmann uses sweeping shots of the billboard to convey the idea that these eyes are always watching, a reminder of the moral decay and corruption that pervade the world of the novel.

 

                               

• The Green Light is located across the water from Gatsby's mansion, on the opposite shore of Long Island Sound. In the film, Luhrmann uses a recurring visual motif of a green light shining across the water, representing Gatsby's unattainable dream of winning back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. The green light represents the idea that the pursuit of the American Dream is ultimately futile, as it is based on the false belief that wealth and status can bring happiness and fulfillment.

Question 2 : Watch PPT on the difference between the film and the novel and write in brief about it.

     The film and the novel "The Great Gatsby" have many differences. First of all when I watched the movie , there was Nick Carraway’s Voice is Faithful to Original Novel. The film rearranges some events from the novel and presents them in a different order. For example , the scene where Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time is shown much earlier in the film than in the novel.

        The film adds a dramatic car chase scene that doesn't appear in the novel, and changes the circumstances surrounding Gatsby's death. The film takes advantage of the visual of  lavish parties at Gatsby's mansion are a good example of this.

Question 3 : How did the film capture the theme of racism and sexism?

            Tom Buchanan shows that when Nick Carraway comes over for dinner one night and Tom Buchanan makes the comment about “The Rising Tide of Color by Lothrop Stoddard , which is reflected in Against White World Supremacy”. Tom believes that the white race has to stay strong. 

                                   

     The theme of Racism and Sexism also depicts the experiences of characters who are marginalized because of their race and gender.  the character of Myrtle Wilson , who is a working-class woman having an affair with Tom Buchanan. The film shows how Myrtle is exploited and mistreated by Tom, who sees her as disposable and inferior because of her social status and gender. 

     The  theme of sexism is defined very well in movies: the ways in which gender roles and societal expectations limit women's choices and opportunities and how these limitations impact their lives and relationships with men.

Question 4 : Discuss  Nick Carraway  as a narrator.

                     

   

• Nick Carraway’s Voice is faithful to Original Novel.

• He said, “Always try to see the best in people”.

• Literature teaches us that, never judgemental , being observed. (સમય નિરંતર છે, આદિકાળથી ચાલે છે.)

       

 Nick is able to see the good in people even when they behave badly. He is particularly sympathetic towards Gatsby, whom he admires for his idealism and his determination to win back Daisy's love. He recognizes that Gatsby's grand gestures and extravagant lifestyle are motivated by a deep sense of longing and nostalgia  rather than mere materialism.

           

Thank You… .