I introduce scholarly books for studying the works of Fitzgerald. I also explain the reason why I chose them.
- Bryant Mangum, F. Scott Fitzgerald in Context, 2013.
- Alan Margolies, Ruth Prigozy, Jackson R. Bryer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald: New Perspectives, 2000.
- Matthew J. Bruccoli, New Essays on The Great Gatsby, 1985.
Bryant Mangum, F. Scott Fitzgerald in Context, 2013.
This book explores how Fitzgerald’s work evolved from the Roaring Twenties, through the Great Depression in 1929. The book is a collection of papers covering Fitzgerald’s writing style, his influence on other writers, criticism, and the revival of popularity after his death. In fact, Fitzgerald’s death revived his works, and because of his works revived, he is also revived.
This study argues that Fitzgerald was aware of the great power of magazines as popular culture in the Jazz Age.
I chose this book because I have observed that this trend is reflected in The Great Gatsby. Moreover, it is interesting that book-reading activities are associated with the trait of the characters in The Great Gatsby. Gatsby’s commitment to reading remains in doubt; his resolve, “Read one improving book or magazine per week (Ch.9)” was written when he was 16-year-old boy, and it is unclear whether the plan was carried out or not. Nick shows his enthusiasm for a new job purchasing a “dozen volumes on banking and credit and investment securities (Ch.1)”. Tom reads Goddard’s ‘The Rise of the Coloured Empires (Ch.1)’ and describes his opinion by interpreting the book in his own way. Daisy doesn’t seem to read a book while she is bored every day. She sadly refers to Tom’s interest in reading, “Tom’s getting very profound...He reads deep books with long words in them (Ch.1)”. Jordan reads aloud The Saturday Evening Post for Tom. Myrtle reads the gossip magazines that deal with scandal, and exposes her immature and philistine aspects.
I chose this book because I have observed that this trend is reflected in The Great Gatsby. Moreover, it is interesting that book-reading activities are associated with the trait of the characters in The Great Gatsby. For example, Gatsby's huge collection of books appears to be just a decoration. Tom reads Goddard’s "The Rise of the Coloured Empires", and Daisy doesn’t seem to read a book while she is bored every day. Nick shows his enthusiasm for reading finance books. Myrtle reads the gossip magazines.
Alan Margolies, Ruth Prigozy, Jackson R. Bryer, F. Scott Fitzgerald, F. Scott Fitzgerald: New Perspectives, 2000.
This book is a collection of essays covering a wide range of Fitzgerald’s works. The book aims to discover a new direction from existing studies on Fitzgerald’s works.
I chose this book because the study explores the function of the gaze, although what the book deals with is not the Lacanian gaze. I will discuss in more detail about Lacan's theory of the "Gaze" in another article.
The study of the gaze in this study is about the film version, but examining what is missing in the film version, we will see imperative elements in the novel.
For example, this study points out that Clayton’s film version reduced Nick’s role to a mere helpless spectator. This is because Daisy is seen through the film director’s gaze reflecting his male desire. In other words, it is not Daisy seen through Nick’s eyes but seen through the film director’s interpretation.
Applying this viewpoint to the study of the novel, we will see the importance of Nick’s role in the novel. In fact, I think Nick’s role as a narrator is very important.
For example, Nick has a distinctive role as a voyeur. When he visited Myrtle’s apartment, he considers himself as a person who might be able to share human secrecy from both perspectives of inside and outside. Driven by an uncanny sense, he says, “I was within and without (Ch.2)”. Seen through the window as a motif of the boundary, Nick’s capacity as a voyeur symbolizes the aspect of him as a boundary crosser between both social classes. On the other hand, Myrtle and Gatsby have limited access as voyeurs; Myrtle, being confined in the room, stares at Tom and his friends from the window. Gatsby, hidden among the bushes, has waited for Daisy to appear by the window all night. They are allowed only to watch from a distance. This symbolical access restriction for them represents the fatal difference between the insider Nick, and the outsiders: Myrtle and Gatsby.
For example, Nick has a distinctive role as a voyeur. In fact, he considers himself as a person who might be able to share human secrecy from both perspectives of inside and outside. Seen through the window as a motif of the boundary, Nick’s capacity as a voyeur symbolizes the aspect of him as a boundary crosser between both social classes. On the other hand, Gatsby has limited access; for, hidden among the bushes, he is allowed only to watch from a distance waiting for Daisy to appear by the window all night.
Matthew J. Bruccoli, New Essays on The Great Gatsby, 1985.
Bruccoli claims that the criticism to view Fitzgerald’s as an irresponsible writer will be dispelled considering the background of how Fitzgerald created this novel by repeatedly revising and sending the draft to Perkins over and over.
This book is a collection of studies for reconsidering The Great Gatsby in light of Fitzgerald’s painstaking efforts of revision on this work.
He also explains that despite the advice from Perkins, Fitzgerald just mentions a little bit about Gatzby’s business that is involved in something illegal. This is the key to my research, so I chose this book.
