Scott Fitzgerald has Social Media?

After reading The Great Gatsby and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz, I have come to the conclusion that author Scott Fitzgerald secretly has a social media account. Now that may seem bizarre at first; how on earth could a person who died in 1940 possibly have any social media presence? But, if one were to closely observe his writing, they would be able to see that he perfectly sums up what social media represents in 2021. In all seriousness, I don’t actually believe that he is alive or has a secret Instagram account, but there is a glaring connection between the themes he presents through his writing and the current perception and reality of social media today.

            Fitzgerald wrote these novels in the 1920’s, famously setting them to depict the “Roaring Twenties” era, a period of economic and societal progression. This was a time period of extravagant spending, enticing advertising, and hedonistic endeavors, and Fitzgerald’s characters demonstrate these qualities to the fullest. Jay Gatsby, the main character in The Great Gatsby, accumulates an excessive amount of wealth and riches, flaunting his “circus wagon” and throwing incredibly lavish parties that seemed to last for an eternity. Gatsby belongs to the growing world of advertisement in the 1920’s, and displays himself in class and prestige, inviting people to be hypnotized by his dazzling wealth and “the colossal vitality of his illusion”. Although people saw him as a successful, charming, and respectable man who achieved his dreams, in reality, he was not even close.

            What Gatsby had been chasing his entire life was the girl who represented everything to him, Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is a walking billboard, advertising the status of the “old rich” and high society, continuously pursued for her beauty and wealth. She became the advertisement for the illusion of the American dream, selling the false promises of acceptance and “old-money” lifestyle, but as the more Gatsby chased, the more unattainable she became, drifting further and further away from his grasp. Daisy is perceived to be perfect and desirable, but when one observes her true character, she is anything but. Daisy is both shallow and driven by wealth herself. She doesn’t leave to go with Gatsby because she realized that she would lose the security of wealth by leaving Tom Buchanan, choosing to stay in the “old-money” society instead of leaving with the man she loves.

            In The Diamond As Big As The Ritz, we see the Washington family fight until the end to protect their wealth, going to extreme lengths to prevent their secret from being revealed. Braddock and his narcissistic family personifies the corruption that comes with money and power, overtime believing that they are inherently superior to everyone else, becoming completely insensitive to others. A constant theme throughout the novel is the lack of freedom this family has. They seem to be imprisoned by their wealth, as Braddock has no friends or colleagues with whom he can talk or connect to. He is overly suspicious of everyone, he imprisons anyone who stumbles upon his land, and even kills visitors brought by his children. The entire family is trapped by one large diamond, feeling more inclined to protect their wealth than to experience a life of choice and happiness, “I never noticed the stars before. I always thought of them as great big diamonds that belonged to someone. Now they frighten me.”, consequently drifting them away from reality.

All that being said, how does The Great Gatsby and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz relate to social media? Our society has become overly saturated by social media, as we crave the attention and temporary gratification that comes with platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. We are in an everlasting race to see who can accumulate the most followers or subscribers, steadily losing our connection to the real world. Like Gatsby and Daisy, we falsely advertise ourselves for our hedonistic desires, reducing our presence into misleading billboards. Whether that be face-tuning or adjusting the lighting for an Instagram photo, our society has become drowned by the dream of being “someone”, and like the Washington’s, we are becoming trapped by momentary pleasure of social media. We would now rather get 100 likes on a photo instead of making any in person connection, further disconnecting ourselves from the rest of the world. Social media is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can spread positive messages, and allow for international connection. It is a power that we must cautiously wield, as we must ensure that we don’t let social media control us, like how the lust for wealth controlled the characters in The Great Gatsby and The Diamond As Big As The Ritz.