The Great American Literature

Both, Samuel Clemens, widely known as detect Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, the premier writer of the twentieth centurys Roaring Twenties, focus their writing on American nightspot. They twain masterfully handle their refreshed The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The enormous Gatsby, exploring the major societal issues, such(prenominal) as the stratification of classes, concept of American identity to contemporary ethics. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is frequently referred to as a social commentaryClemenss sardonic view of order of magnitude guised as an innocent adventure novel.Through c areful observation Twain gained acumen into the heart of hu humannessity and then regurgitated this knowledge into a wry advance on the im clean-livingity he saw in society. That society was per se unlawful, Twain had little doubt. Atrocities were committed every day, and non just by the white trash of the South. The well-to-do Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, the respectable She rburn, and the powerful middle class all collapse sullied pasts. Huckleberry Finn also focuses on the in several(predicate) attitude the citizens have toward their crooked deeds, not just the deeds themselves.You didnt want to come. The average man dont like fear and danger. You dont like trouble and danger. But if only half a man shouts Lynch him, lynch him youre afraid to back downafraid youll be found out to be what you arecowardsand so you raise a yell and come raging up here. (Clemens 118) This speech can be applied to more than that particular instance however, Clemens uses it to expose the protection society provides through with(predicate) sheer numbers. When everyone else is doing it, even if everyone else is wrong, the easier route is to follow along.The majority rules, and the actions of the more set the precedent, amending ethics and demanding concord. The deliberate callousness of the hard-hearted invades the novel through former(a) characters as well, namely the Duke and the Dauphin. Ironically, the American families described see nothing wrong in the killings (even amen-ing a sermon on brotherly love), indicative of the moral break-down in society. As Clemens conjectures in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, unscrupulous scruples have amaze normalized by a culture swiftly headed down the river.Fitzgeralds characters display analogous corruptness in The outstanding Gatsby. Each character symbolizes a different cultural category, from the lower orders to the nouveau riche to the old-moneyed class. Fitzgerald exposes the faults inherent in each group, and forces readers to become advised of their own imperfections. Just as the characters in Huck Finn drift through Hucks life as he drifts along the river, so the characters in The Great Gatsby drift aimlessly through life, their restless hearts never comfortable or content.Due to the characters apparent disconnectedness from American society, they feel no penitence for immoral actions. In a culture so ethically depraved, justifiedly and wrong drown in a sea of relativity (Clarke, 2004, p. 135). The fastness classs bored indifference towards life is exemplified in Daisys comment, You see I pretend everythings terrible anyhow And I know. Ive been everywhere and seen everything and done everything (Fitzgerald 22). Fitzgerald takes the Buchanans and applies them to the whole speed Class, the stratified social club that writes societys rules and then duplicitously violates them behind closed doors.The Great Gatsby alludes to the fact that money corrupts, questioning whether dramatic inequalities in wealth constitutes a moral issue (McAdams, 2005, p. 116). The Buchanans treacherous affairs and subsequent lack of sorrow parallel the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons shameless feud. The characters not only commit atrocious acts still see nothing wrong with their actions. In a society that demands conformity and shrouds iniquitous deeds in piety, authors such as Twain an d Fitzgerald get across Americas fabricated lie and wave the banner of morality and individualism.Undoubtedly, both Mark Twains The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby could be called the great American novels, both are very symbolic. Nevertheless, I believe that The Great Gatsby is the novel that not only describes but also teaches a lot. In particular, I believe that the American Dream is simply that a dream and F. Scott Fitzgerald is the scoop out in proving it. Through the tragedy of Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows us what happens when fantasy and reality are brought together. Despite seemingly having everything, Gatsby has nothing.His material wealth cannot compensate for what he lacks emotionally. homogeneous Jay Gatsby, the American Dream will always fail when it is shattered by reality. References Clarke, Richard A. (2004). Against All Enemies Inside Americas War on Terror. Free Press. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. (1993). The Great Gatsby, Wordsworth E ditions Limited, McAdams, Dan P. (2005). The redemptory Self Stories Americans Live By. Oxford University Press, USA. Twain, Mark. (2001). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. University of California Press.