A Comparative Study Of The Great Gatsby And Martin Eden

The disillusion of American Dream has always been one of the most commonly concerned themes in American literature. Combining their personal experiences with their work, Scott Fitzgerald and Jack London document the disintegration of the American success story and the great fall of the America wealth myth so as to present the disillusioned American Dream.Gatsby and Eden try to make their way upward in the world in different ways, both of them are conditioned by the folklore of "making good", of succeeding in America. They believe money can bring them love and social status, but what they find finally is death and spiritual barrenness. Death is destined by their illusions about the upper class girls and their worlds.Besides the similar theme, both of the two novels are autobiographical ones. The two writers consciously use events of their own lives and the stories that take place around them. Fitzgerald's family background and the luxurious life of his wife and him bring him the familiarity with the rich, while Zeldabecomes the prototype of Daisy. In depicting Eden, London takes advantage of his life experience both as a laborer and as a struggling writer.The unique writing skill of The Great Gatsby is its first-person narrator, Nick. His temperament and his relationship with other characters enable him not only to personally involve in the story but also not to lose the ability to judge. The vivid description of details in Martin Eden is wonderful to read. These details are concerning language, psychological activities, and daily life.