100 years of “The Great Gatsby”

How society has changed since Spring 1922

KARISA KAMPBELL / NEWS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

Dazzling parties, extravagant escapism, and wealthy affairs – these are the things that defined the spring of 1922 in the eyes of narrator, Nick Carraway. 

Now, 100 years after the original setting of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, “The Great Gatsby”, the struggles and dreams exploited in the reality of the 1920’s are as prominent as ever. 

Through the pandemic, “the green light shining” just far enough out of reach, is both a simultaneous reminder of the hope and the destruction of dreams previously known in a time that no longer exists. Even a century later, students still revel in the proseful beauty that encompasses the immortal struggles of wanting something that can not be obtained, and escaping from a not favored reality.

USD sophomore Paul Tuft argues that the greed present in “The Great Gatsby” has not disappeared. 

“It’s honestly kind of like looking in a mirror,” Tuft described. “I think that if anything, society has gotten more greedy and people always want even more. Technology and convenience have only made the problems in ‘The Great Gatsby’ worse today.”

Tuft also explained how escapism plays a big role in the novel and the world today. 

“Everyone parties in the  ‘Great Gatsby’ as a way to escape, to get away from the reality of their problems,” Tuft said. “Today, everyone is trying to escape the Pandemic world in whatever ways they can: vacations, parties, or even pretending like it doesn’t exist at all. It’s a reality the world will face for a long time but nobody wants to come to terms with it.”

Similarly, sophomore Gage McPhail thinks that society has only developed more problems since the spring of 1922.

“We’ve always lived in a messy world, but to be honest I think it’s just gotten messier,” McPhail expressed. “All we care about is materialism and it’s so hard to get away from that. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the way our society runs at this point.”

Love and lust are also themes explored throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel. Jay Gatsby is in love with Daisy, a girl from his past, who is now married. Nick Carraway is able to bring these two together. 

However, it is evident that much of Daisy’s appeal to Gatsby is built up by anticipation and his desire to obtain the unobtainable. 

Dating in 2022 is not much different than what is portrayed in the novel. Today, more commonly people long for “the chase”, and a chance to strive for things that may be out of reach versus seeking genuine connection with others. 

Sophomore Cole Strazzara shares how this view on love has only been exasperated.

“Love and dating today is so taxing,” Strazzara noted.  “Whether people will admit it or not, there’s always a fear that someone is cheating, even just emotional cheating, because the internet makes it so incredibly easy to do.”

Strazzara shared how there still seems to be a double standard today, much like the double standard present in “The Great Gatsby.” 

For example, it was fine  for Tom Buchanan to cheat, but not for Daisy to cheat on Tom with Gatsby.  This type of unfair treatment still exists today. 

“I feel that it’s still expected that men cheat, whereas women are expected to stay loyal, and that’s something that I wish would have changed since 1922,” Strazzara said. “It’s inexcusable for anyone to cheat, so why is society still making more exceptions for men?” 

While society may not have changed much for the better, McPhail remains optimistic that society can shift away from lustful, materialistic tendencies. 

“I think these problems are more problematic than ever before, but I also think that we are more aware of these problems than ever before as well,” McPhail expressed. “I’m hopeful for the future, and that in another 100 years we will be, societally, in a better place.”

Regardless of the fact that “The Great Gatsby” uncovers the reality of a society that existed 100 years ago, students are still able to relate to the charmful wit and ever enduring struggles that makes this F. Scott Fitzgerald novel so timeless and memorable.