Peculiarities of depicting a landscape in a literary text using the example of Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel “The Great Gatsby”

Abstract

This paper examines the features of the depiction of landscape in a literary text using the example of Francis Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. This literary work, created in the 20s of the twentieth century, is a unique example in which the landscape plays a significant role in revealing the images of the characters and the main idea of the work. As part of the study, we analyzed excerpts from the novel where landscapes are described, and also quoted the most striking and expressive fragments. It was revealed that descriptions of nature are used by the author to convey the mood of the characters and emphasize the differences between them. Thus, the main character Jay Gatsby is characterized by admiration for the luxurious gardens of his estate, while Tom Buchanan demonstrates disdain for the environment. The analysis led to the conclusion that Fitzgerald masterfully uses landscapes to create the atmosphere of the work and reveal the inner world of the characters through their interaction with the environment. This technique allows us to consider the novel an outstanding example of an artistic description of a landscape. To demonstrate the above provisions more clearly, we present several excerpts directly from Fitzgerald’s novel with their further analysis.