Okay, I've been meaning to post for a while about Gatsby so here goes.
The two first in-depth experiences I've had in studying Modernism were The House of Mirth and Gatsby. I feel like in many ways they are oppositions of each other. The end and the means of Gatsby and Lily Bart are switched; Gatsby uses money to achieve love and Lily uses love to acquire money. Both of their motives and tactics are treasonous to the romantic concept of love, but there is much more than that to be said in contrasting the two main characters.
Jay Gatsby is new money. His goal is to woo Daisy and win her affection, to win back his past. He spends his entire life becoming the financial tycoon that he imagines would sweep Daisy off her feet. While the tactics are flawed, the cause is noble. Gatsby even dies protecting her, literally and metaphorically taking a bullet for the love of his life.
Lily Bart is old money, and she is invested in a social ring of old money. These are the type of people that throw money to the wind and have a very lilted concept of reality; they see everything in a shade of green. If Lily can be placed above her socialites morally, it is not far above. She attempts to use her looks and charm, the most superficial and unstable qualities of romantic affection to secure herself financially. In doing so, she wounds herself and sinks into depression. Her death is a polar opposite to Gatsby's: she gives in whereas he fights until the end.
I'm glad that I had the opportunity to look at Modernist society from two young personas that, while on the surface seem quite similar, are actually diametrically opposed. It gave me a much deeper understanding of the era, at least on a social level.