"THE GREAT GATSBY". F.SCOTT
FITZGERALD. CORINNENOTES
"THE GREAT GATSBY". F.SCOTT
FITZGERALD.
CONFLICT.
There are numerous issues of conflict in "The Great Gatsby":
The conflict between east/west past/present dreams/reality.
A nice place to start might be to look at the conflict between various characters (eg Gatsby and Tom). Look at the violence which surrounds the novel which is symbolic (or a consequence of) various conflicts (eg the breaking of Mrytle's nose, her death, Gatsby's death). Deal with the most obvious ones first and then look at the less obvious conflicts such as that between Dasiy and Gatsby. Once you've done this look at the conflict between what Nick wants us as the reader to think of Gatsby and what the real Gatsby is. (see Question 2)
This then leads on to the wider picture which Fitzgerald wanted to create. Gatsby himself is a character filled with conflict. He triumphs in the materialism of unworn shirts and grotesque houses but he believes in the "green light" and his feelings for Daisy are the closest thing to genuine feeling in the entire novel.
Why is Gatsby so full of conflict? Look at the idea of the "American Dream" (see themes) which is directly in conflict with the reality of the valley of ashes and the meaningless splendour of east and west egg. Contrast this with the picture of America which Nick evokes in the final paragraphs of the novel. Look at the reality of the "green light" and why it is "already behind" Gatsby.
Finally you could look at the conflict between the society which Gatsby exists in (the "bad drivers") and his feelings as an individual. Why does Daisy survive this conflict but Gatsby doesn't? Given the conflict is it inevitable that Gatsby will die (either metaphorically or literally)? Are the other characters already "dead" because of it? Do you think that Nick will ever manage to reconcile this conflict and stop himself from being simply "another bad driver"?