gatdream Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby - Casting Doubt Upon the American Dream :: Great Gatsby Essays

Casting Doubt Upon the American Dream in The Great Gatsby   The Great Gatsby' is set in the Jazz Age of America, the 1920s which have come to be seen as a bubble of extravagance and affluence which burst with the Wall Street Crash in 1929. Fitzgerald wrote the book in 1925, and in it he explores the fundamental hollowness which characterized the Age as he saw it, and casts doubt upon the very core of American national identity - the American Dream. The American Dream is a concept elegantly simple and yet peculiarly hard to define. At the root of it is the sense that America was created entirely separate from the Old World; the settlers had escaped from the feudal, fractious and somewhat ossified nations of Europe and been presented with a chance to start anew - "a fresh green breast of the new world." From this blank slate, those first idealistic settlers had created a society where "all men are created equal" and everyone had the chance to do the best for themselves as they could. Let us examine the passage from the Declaration of Independence from which that quote is taken: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain inalienable rights, and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." A fine and daring ideal in the 18th century, and at the heart of what America hoped that it stood for. 'The Great Gatsby' examines how this dream existed in the early 20th century and whether or not it had been accomplished. The American Dream permeated all of society, and so every one of the characters in the book is in some senses a reflection of the the world envisaged by Jefferson and Washington, and even before them by those first people fleeing to a new life in the New World. When we examine the characters in the book we can immediately see that they are not all born equal. Daisy and Tom, and to some extent Nick, are born into a rich, 'old money' environment which is symbolised in the novel by the established wealth of East Egg - a place of glittering "white palaces". Gatsby and the Wilsons are not 'old money', and despite Gatsby's wealth we get the impression throughout the book that through all his parties and social events he is trying to join that old clique, but never succeeding in elevating himself to the "distinguished secret society" of Tom and Daisy.

Psychoactive Drugs and Their Effects

Psychology Psychoactive Drugs and their Effects Medications that effect people psychologically are called psychoactive drugs. They are often helpful in treating depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other psychological complications. Psychoactive drugs don’t affect the underlying causes of these disorders, but they can provide symptomatic relief to allow people to live more normal lives. Anxiety can be defined as persistent nervousness, tension, or panic caused by stress or other psychological causes. Anti-anxiety drugs (also know as minor tranquilizers) are used to promote relaxation or reduce the physical symptoms of anxiety. Everyone feels depressed at times, but when it is prolonged and starts interfering with daily life, support, professional help, and psychoactive medications may be appropriate. Insomnia has many causes, including anxiety and depression. When the cause is known and can be treated, sleep patterns generally return to normal. When the insomnia is persistent, sleeping drugs may be appropriate. Drugs are classified according to their effects and actions on the mind and body. Example: Depressants, Hallucinogens, opiates and stimulants. Depressants (sometimes called downers) are a class of drugs that slow normal brain function. It acts on the central nervous system because of this effect on GABA activity that produces a drowsy or calming effect. GABA works to decrease brain activity. Depressants also carry high addictive potential. The withdrawal effects from long-term depressant use can be life- threatening and produce some of the worst consequences of any other drug classifications. Examples: alcohol, Valium, Xanax, Librium, and barbiturates. Hallucinogens (commonly referred to as Psychedelics) are drugs which cause altered perception and feeling. Hallucinogens have powerful mind –altering effects and can change how the brain perceives times, everyday reality, and the surrounding environment. They affect regions of the brain that are responsible for coordination, thought processes, hearing and sight. They can cause sensory or perceptual distortions in people to hear voices, see things, and feel sensations that do not exist. Hallucinogens change the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one another. Hallucinogens possess a moderate potential for addiction with very high potential for tolerance, moderate level of psychological dependence and low potential for physical dependence. Examples: LSD, PCP, MDMA,(Ecstasy), marijuana, mescaline, and psilocybin. Opiates (or narcotics) are powerful painkillers. They are made from opium, a white liquid in the poppy plant. Opiates produce a quick, intense feeling of pleasure followed by a sense of well being and calm. Long-term opiate use changes the way the brain works by changing the way nerve cells communicate with one another. If opiates are taken away from opiate-dependant brain cells, many of them will become overactive. As with many other drugs, opiates possess very addictive potential. Examples: heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin. Stimulants (uppers) are a class of drugs that elevate mood, increase feelings of well-being, and increase energy and alertness. Stimulants can cause the heart to beat faster and will also cause blood pressure and breathing to evaluate. Repeated use of stimulants can result in paranoia and hostility. As with other drugs, stimulants possess very high addictive potential. Examples: cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), nicotine and caffeine. Drug Abuse generally refers to drug taking that cause emotional or physical harm to one self or others example, operating machinery or driving a vehicle, while â€Å"under the influence† of alcohol. Addiction is a broad term referring to a condition in which a person feels compelled to use a specific drug. Drug addiction can be psychological, physical or both. Drug addiction is not the same as substance abuse or drug abuse. A Individual who abuse drugs are not necessarily drug dependent, people who are addicted to drugs, conversely are also called drug abusers.

Tartuffe An Excellent Example of a Neoclassical Drama

Tartuffe is an excellent example of a neoclassical drama because of its close adherence to the guidelines set forth in Aristotle’s Poetics, its use of character structure, and its incorporation of the common neoclassical ideas involving: reason, rational thinking, as well as logical problem solving. During the beginning of the 17th Century neoclassical thought began to dominate the stage in France. In the domain of theatre, this meant that neoclassical writers began to look back to the ideals and beliefs of classical times, accentuating the classic ideas of rational control and discipline. It was an age intrigued with regularity as the ideas stemming from this period insist upon certain norms of behavior in society. Throughout the†¦show more content†¦In addition, each character has a specific reason that he or she is essential to the progress of the play, and is only used for that purpose. For example, Clà ¨ante’s rationality and ability to reason serves him as a mediator of the house. He is essential to the plot in that without him successfully mediating and preventing violence, the King may not have seen Orgon’s family as good and might not have ruled in their favor. This is also demonstrated when Clà ¨ante advises that Tartuffe not continue to pursu e his irrational demands on the Orgon family when he says; â€Å"the quarrel must be mended, and my advice is/ Not to push matters in to further crisis† (Gainor, Tar.V.1.15-16). The neoclassical age was also known as the Age of Reason,. This was due to the emergence of new ideas about reason, logical thinking, order, and restraint, which were being adopted by the majority of people. During this time there was significant influence from playwrights aiming to convey the general truth rather than their unique vision, and the desire to communicate ideas more than to express themselves. Molià ¨re demonstrates this in Tartuffe as he structures the play in a way that generates thought and incorporates the audience by having relatable characters exposing common relatable truths through the plays