The Great American Literature

Both, Samuel Clemens, widely know as Mark Twain, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, the premier writer of the twentieth centurys Roaring Twenties, focus their writing on American society. They both masterfully handle their novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The outstanding Gatsby, exploring the major societal issues, such as the genial stratification of classes, concept of American identity to contemporary ethics. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is frequently referred to as a social commentaryClemenss sarcastic view of society guised as an innocent adventure novel.Through careful observation Twain gained insight into the gist of humanity and then regurgitated this knowledge into a wry attack on the immorality he power saw in society. That society was intrinsically wrong, Twain had little doubt. Atrocities were committed every day, and not just by the white trash of the South. The well-to-do Grangerfords and Shepherdsons, the respectable Sherburn, and the powerful middle class all train sullied pasts. Huckleberry Finn also focuses on the thoughtless attitude the citizens have toward their crooked deeds, not just the deeds themselves.You didnt want to come. The average man dont comparable trouble and danger. You dont like trouble and danger. But if only half a man shouts Lynch him, kill 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 employ to more than that particular instance however, Clemens uses it to expose the protection society provides through sheer numbers. When everyone else is doing it, even if everyone else is wrong, the easier passageway is to follow along.The majority rules, and the actions of the many set the precedent, amending ethics and demanding conformity. The deliberate callousness of the hard-hearted invades the novel through otherwise characters as well, namely the Duke and the Dauphin. Ironically, the American families described see nothing wrong in the killings (even amen-ing a pr individuallying on brotherly love), indicative of the moral break-down in society. As Clemens conjectures in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, unscrupulous scruples have become normalized by a culture swiftly headed down the river.Fitzgeralds characters display similar corruptness in The Great 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 aware of their own imperfections. Just as the characters in Huck Finn drift through Hucks livelihood as he drifts along the river, so the characters in The Great Gatsby drift aimlessly through life, their ungratified hearts never satisfied or content.Due to the characters apparent disconnectedness from American society, they feel no remorse for immoral actions. In a culture so ethically depraved, right and wrong drown in a sea of relativity (Clarke, 2004, p. 135). The upper classs bored indifference towards life is exemplified in Daisys comment, You see I think 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 Upper 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 repentance pair the Grangerfords and Shepherdsons shameless feud. The characters not only commit atrocious acts but see nothing wrong with their actions. In a society that demands conformity and shrouds iniquitous deeds in piety, authors such as Twain and Fitzgerald circularize Americas fabricated lie and wave t he 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 best in proving it. Through the tragedy of Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows us what happens when conceive of and reality are brought together. Despite seemingly having everything, Gatsby has nothing.His material wealth cannot compensate for what he lacks emotionally. Like 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 Editions Limited, McAdams, Dan P. (2005). The Redemptive Self Storie s Americans Live By. Oxford University Press, USA. Twain, Mark. (2001). Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. University of California Press.