The Great Gatsby Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzge

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays American society in the 1920’s after WWI has just ended, a decade of unprecedented economic prosperity. In the book, Fitzgerald critiques the loss of moral values and the degradation of American society, symbolizing it as a â€Å"valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where . . . ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke† (Fitzgerald 23). Through the characters of the book, Fitzgerald exposes the American dream from behind its dazzling veil of happiness and success, and characterizes its true form: a mad, desperate and hopeless chase towards something unattainable, turning a once innocent dream, into a shattered nightmare, destroying everything in its wake. The book is set in Long Island, New York. During the 1920’s, New York was especially prosperous, attracting many wealthy people and people whom wished to become prosperous. Nick Carraway was one of them. Originally from Minnesota, he moved to New York to learn the bond business. Through Nick, a self-proclaimed â€Å"honest man† who is â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to [him]† (Fitzgerald 1), Fitzgerald narrates the book and introduces the readers to his opinions about money and society. At first, Fitzgerald deceives the reader to believe the illusion of the American dream only to shred it to pieces later. In the beginning of the book, shortly after moving to New York, Nick meets his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, whom he will gradually get to know more intimately. Gatsby epitomizes the American dream. Once a poor boy from North Dakota, he slowly rises up in society and becomes stupendously wealthy. On weekends, he throws lavish parties where â€Å"the air is alive with chatter and laug... ...ever reached, fate already deemed it impossible. Nick laments that Gatsby â€Å"did not know that [his dream] was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city† (Fitzgerald 180), concluding the futility of the American dream. In the last few pages of the book, through Nick’s reflections upon Gatsby’s life and the people in it, Fitzgerald reveals corrupt â€Å"valley of ashes† America has become, no longer allowing her to hide behind her veneer of glitz and glamour. Fitzgerald reinforces the hollowness of the 1920’s and the destructiveness of blindly pursuing the â€Å"American dream† and the false happiness it brings. Instead, revealing the unpleasant truth. The Great Gatsby is a story of the double-edged sword that is the â€Å"American dream†; while elevating society and bringing happiness, it also self-destructs and brings materialism and corruption. The Great Gatsby Essay examples -- Literary Analysis, F. Scott Fitzge The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays American society in the 1920’s after WWI has just ended, a decade of unprecedented economic prosperity. In the book, Fitzgerald critiques the loss of moral values and the degradation of American society, symbolizing it as a â€Å"valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where . . . ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke† (Fitzgerald 23). Through the characters of the book, Fitzgerald exposes the American dream from behind its dazzling veil of happiness and success, and characterizes its true form: a mad, desperate and hopeless chase towards something unattainable, turning a once innocent dream, into a shattered nightmare, destroying everything in its wake. The book is set in Long Island, New York. During the 1920’s, New York was especially prosperous, attracting many wealthy people and people whom wished to become prosperous. Nick Carraway was one of them. Originally from Minnesota, he moved to New York to learn the bond business. Through Nick, a self-proclaimed â€Å"honest man† who is â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgments, a habit that has opened up many curious natures to [him]† (Fitzgerald 1), Fitzgerald narrates the book and introduces the readers to his opinions about money and society. At first, Fitzgerald deceives the reader to believe the illusion of the American dream only to shred it to pieces later. In the beginning of the book, shortly after moving to New York, Nick meets his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, whom he will gradually get to know more intimately. Gatsby epitomizes the American dream. Once a poor boy from North Dakota, he slowly rises up in society and becomes stupendously wealthy. On weekends, he throws lavish parties where â€Å"the air is alive with chatter and laug... ...ever reached, fate already deemed it impossible. Nick laments that Gatsby â€Å"did not know that [his dream] was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city† (Fitzgerald 180), concluding the futility of the American dream. In the last few pages of the book, through Nick’s reflections upon Gatsby’s life and the people in it, Fitzgerald reveals corrupt â€Å"valley of ashes† America has become, no longer allowing her to hide behind her veneer of glitz and glamour. Fitzgerald reinforces the hollowness of the 1920’s and the destructiveness of blindly pursuing the â€Å"American dream† and the false happiness it brings. Instead, revealing the unpleasant truth. The Great Gatsby is a story of the double-edged sword that is the â€Å"American dream†; while elevating society and bringing happiness, it also self-destructs and brings materialism and corruption.

Discuss Moral Values

Societies have ideally tried to uphold higher ethical standards and moral values as the code of conduct for all members. Individuals try to behave according to such standards but in reality what is construed as moral or immoral are generally relative to the values adhered to by the individual (Fisher, 2005). If the person values money and wealth, then being unscrupulous in doing business to gain more profits will not be immoral. On the other hand if the individual values justice and fairness, then his/her behavior would naturally be in accordance with such values ands is expected to be morally upright.In the corporate world there is more room for less moral restraints and unethical behavior. Corporations promote competitiveness and reward those who are able to close the biggest deal or to get the largest customer or the greatest profit which means that individuals will likely pursue these goals without any qualms of whether it is moral or not. For example, the corporate scandals in t he stock exchange was said to have been done to drive the stock price upwards falsely even if it meant cheating the shareholders of their money.It is immoral to cheat or to take advantage of other people but for those in the corporate world, it is the usual way of doing business. Some corporations are so competitive that even employees themselves try to outsmart each other and get on top, even if it meant backstabbing, falsely accusing others or even claiming credit for other people’s work. However, not all companies are run this way, some try to be just and honest, but if the organization does not promote a culture of positive moral values then their employees would really not be required to behave as such.

African American Parents With The Sickle Cell Trait

Annotated Bibliography Hypothesis: African-American parents with the Sickle Cell Trait have the greatest risk of passing Sickle Cell Anemia to their offspring. In this article, sickle cell anemia is defined as a hereditary disease that destroys red blood cells by causing them take on an elongated and rigid sickle shape. In addition, a different type of hemoglobin called Hemoglobin S, is the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. This protein starts to wrap around other red blood cells when oxygen is lacking to form a helical shape. Once this happens the cells cluster together and elongate and the cells start to sickle. A person who has sickle cell anemia can only get it if both of their parents carry the sickle cell trait, if only one parent has the trait then there children are at risk for having the trait. In conclusion, sickle cell anemia and the sickle cell trait are more common in African-Americans and people who live in places where malaria is common. Individuals with the t rait seem to live normal and healthy lives, however individuals who have the trait and experience high altitudes or vigorous exercise tend to feel unwell because of the lack of oxygen getting into the cells causing them to sickle. In addition, the sickling of the cells can be reversible to a certain extent in people with the trait, however people who have sickle cell anemia the sickling of the cells is irreversible due to the severity of the disease. In this study,Show MoreRelatedSickle Cell And Its Effect On Children986 Words   |  4 Pagesat a young age. Sickle cell could affect anyone. I was still so young so I had so many questions answers that I still want to know the answer to. Why did sickle cell kill my cousin? With this research paper, I plan to answer these questions that I have been having for so many years. So what exactly is Sickle Cell Anemia? Sickle cell is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells due to the presence of an abnormal form of hemoglobin, namely hemoglobin S. Sickle cell has a lot to do withRead MoreThe Probability of Inheriting a Disease Is Not Random1816 Words   |  7 Pagesrate of Sickle Cell Anemia among people of African lineage. Sickle Cell disease is inherited and it affects the anatomy of the red blood cells, resulting in a sickle shape which then affects the functions of red blood cells causing a blood disorder. Sickle Cell is a recessive disease and persons affected have both copies of the hemoglobin S gene. This genetic defect causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped (cresent shape). The abnormal shape severely impede the ability of red blood cells to passRead MoreSickle And The Sickle Cell Disease1369 Words   |  6 PagesThe sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the America. The most common ethnic group the sickle cell anemia is seen in is African Americans and Hispanics. Approximately one in every ten African American and one in every one hundred Hispanic Americans have the sickle cell trait. Approximately two million people have the sickle cell trait in America. Approximately one in five- hundred African Americans and one in one thousand to one thousand and four hundred Hispanic-Americans have sickleRead MoreSickle Cell Anemia1187 Words   |  5 PagesCase:- Doctor informed complete studies of a 9-year old child with sickle cell anemia. Her main complaints were cough, vague pains in legs (joints), night sweats, abdominal pain, less hunger, and increasing weakness. In a series of knowing experiments that involved taking venous blood from the arm under different conditions, the doctor showed a connection between oxygen tension and sickling of the red blood cells in vivo. When the oxygen pressure fell below 40-45mm Hg, the sickling was marked increasedRead MoreSickle Cell Disease ( Ocd )939 Words   |  4 Pages Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an inherited autosomal recessive condition that causes the red blood cells (RBCs) to be crescent shaped. Sickle cell disease occurs in 1 out of every 400 African Americans births (Field, et al 2009). And according to the Centers of Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), 1 out of 13 African American babies are born with the sickle cell trait (SCT). At the same time SCD is present in only 1 out of 300 Caucasian babies, thus it is considered to be one of the most prevalentRead MoreThe Health Problem Of Interest1169 Words   |  5 Pageshealth problem of interest is sickle cell disease. Sickle Cell Disease is also called Sickle Cell Anemia. Sickle Cell disease is an inherited blood disorder which means it s not contagious. Anybody that has sickle cell disease, must have two defective hemoglobin genes from each parent. If a person has only one hemoglobin gene that is sickled and the other hemoglobin gene is normal the person will have the sickle cell trait. Hemoglobin is a molecule in the red blood cell that helps carry oxygen. ThereRead More Sickle Cell Anemia Essay1282 Words   |  6 PagesThe sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects red blood cells. People with sickle cell have red blood cells that have mostly hemoglobins, Sometimes these red blood cells become sickle-shaped or crescent shaped and have trouble going through small blood vessels. When sickle-shaped cells block small blood vessels, less blood can get to that part of the body. Tissue that does not get a normal blood flow eventually becomes damaged.This is what causes the problems of sickle cellRead MoreThe Sickle Of Sickle Cell Disease921 Words   |  4 PagesSickle Cell Disease, also referred to as SCD, is a genetically inherited disease that causes abnormal hemoglobin, called hemoglobin S or sickle hemoglobin, in red blood cells. This disease currently affects about 90,000-100,000 Americans, a majority being African-American. Because SCD is genetically inherited, it is not contagious. It is inherited when both parents of a child carry the sickle cell trait, also called SCT. SCT and SCD are not the same. In SCT, the person is generally healthy and doesRead MoreSickle Cell Disease: An Overview800 Words   |  4 PagesSickle Cell Disease: An Overview Sickle Cell Disease is a hereditary issue in which the body produces Sickled formed red platelets. In Sickle cell disease, or SCD, the hemoglobin in red platelets gathers together. This in turn causes red platelets to get firm and C-formed. The most well-known signs and indications of SCD are anemia and pain through the body. Sickle Cell Disease occurs most commonly in individuals whose families descend from West Africa, South or Central America (particularlyRead MorePrevalence Of Sickle Cell Anemia1639 Words   |  7 PagesEzeocha PREVALENCE OF SICKLE CELL ANEMIA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA According to Sickle Cell Disease American Association sickle cell anemia defined as an inherited blood disorder that alters red blood cells. Patients with sickle cell disease have their red blood cells contaminated with an abnormal kind of hemoglobin called the Hemoglobin S. The National Institute of Health (NIH), reports that this anomalous behaviour of the hemoglobin S reduces the red blood cell into a sickle shape which becomes