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Joshua Andersen
Feb. 24, 2016
Honors LA 11 Per. 8B
Argumentative Essay
Interpretations of The Great Gatsby
The novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is full of different themes that
can be interpreted in many ways. Two films based on this novel that show how people, and
specifically movie directors, can look at a novel and have very diverse perceptions. The 1974
version was directed by Jack Clayton, and the 2013 version was directed by Baz Luhrmann.
Luhrmann did a better job portraying the main ideas in the novel, but the two films definitely
demonstrate how people can take their own interpretations and create a whole new feel and tone
for the viewer. A couple major themes in this novel are the pursuit of dreams and also lies and
deceit.
As a background, the story takes place in Long Island, New York in the summer of 1922.
The author writes of a man named Jay Gatsby and his love for Daisy Buchanan, both wealthy
people. The story is narrated by Nick Carraway, a bond salesman who happens to live right next
door to Gatsby in West Egg. Nick is quite a reserved individual and because he is Daisys
cousin, he serves as the bridge between Gatsby and Daisy throughout their relationship. Gatsby
and Daisys connection is actually quite complicated. In 1922, they quickly fell in love with
each other before Gatsby had to leave for the war. Soon after that, Daisy ended up marrying a
very wealthy man named Tom Buchanan. Now Gatsby, also very wealthy, just wants to renew
the relationship they once had. Its evident throughout the novel that the most important thing in
Gatsbys life was fulfilling his dream. Running away as a young boy, his dream was to become
something important and go places in life. Later, his dream is to finally reunite with Daisy. To
do this, he becomes friends with Nick and starts seeing Daisy again. Its all a pretty mixed up

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love triangle except it gets even more confusing; Tom also loves another women named Myrtle
that lives in the lower class part of New York.
The Clayton version did a pretty good job at staying with the novel. It was more of an
adaptation rather than an interpretation. In this film, Gatsby, played by Robert Redford, looks
like a roughneck and doesnt look like he should be a millionaire. It looks like he should be
something else and hes just playing the part. Hes kind of awkward around others and a nervous
wreck when he meets Daisy for the first time in West Egg. In the book, Nick arranges a meeting
between the two in his own house, Gatsby is extremely anxious and fearful when he shows up at
Nicks door step. Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets,
was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes (86). Clearly, Gatsbys very
nervous to see Daisy and the rain helps set the dreary mood. When Daisy comes, it starts out as
a very awkward encounter, but after a while they warm up to each other and Nick notices that
Gatsbys countenance has changed tremendously. He literally glowed; without a word or a
gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room (89). Their
relationship progresses from there and they continue to meet up with each other and then things
get crazy. Clayton did well in portraying this scene and showed the fear and anxiety Gatsby was
feeling at first.
The Luhrmann version was better though at showing the emotions portrayed in the book.
In this film, it definitely did a better job of showing how much of a brute Tom, Daisys husband
is. Tom starts to get pretty suspicious about Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Daisy. Tom
proclaims multiple times, Id like to know who he is and what he does (108). Tom is very
skeptical of Gatsby and wants to know more about him and does some investigations. Daisy,
Tom, Nick, and Gatsby are all eating at the Buchanans house when Daisy compliments Gatsby

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on how he always looks so cool (119). Tom interprets this as her telling him she loves him and
hes astounded. Daisy says she wants to go to town so in frustration they all go. Gatsby drives
Toms blue car with Daisy while Tom drives Gatsbys yellow car with Nick. After they all meet
up in the same place, Gatsby wants Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him. Tempers escalate
and especially Gatsby after Daisy admits that she kind of loved both of them. Also, Tom says
Gatsby became rich because hes a bootlegger. This film did a better job at making it clear to the
viewer that Daisy realizes that Tom is the one she really relies on.
When theyre leaving, Tom says Daisy can drive with Gatsby mainly to show that Gatsby
cant ruin his life. Gatsby takes his yellow car and Tom takes his blue car. Driving home,
Gatsbys car hits Myrtle who ran out into the road trying to get who she thought was Toms
attention after having a little struggle with her husband Wilson. She dies instantly and when Tom
shows up at the scene, Wilson believes it was Tom who killed her because he was driving the
yellow car in the first place. He finds out that the yellow car belongs to Gatsby and shows up at
Gatsbys mansion and kills him and then himself. Almost no one, not even Daisy, except for
Nick shows up to Gatsbys funeral. This film definitely dramatized everything way more than
the other. For instance, in the movie, Tom basically sets Wilson up to kill Gatsby, which isnt
what happened in the book.
Luhrmanns film interpretation conveyed the feelings in the novel exceptionally well. It
showed more how the 1920s was. It was the Jazz Age, or the Roaring Twenties. The whole
movie seemed kind of fake, like everything was a dream. Thats exactly how the 1920s was and
also everything Gatsby was. His whole life he was going on his dream to become better and
exceed the life of poverty into wealth. That was what the American Dream wasto become
wealthy and superior and thats how the movie was illustrated.

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Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. 1895. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.
The Great Gatsby. Screenplay by Baz Luhrmann, and Craig Pearce. Dir. Baz Lurhmann. Perf.
Leonardo DiCaprio. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2013.
The Great Gatsby. Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola. Dir. Jack Clayton. Perf. Robert Reford,
Mia Farrow, Sam Waterston, and Bruce Dern. Paramount Pictures, 1974.