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The Great Gatsby

"Texts are a product of the cultural context in which they are produced, therefore they often present a critique of that society's moral and social values. Texts of a certain era will frequently reflect the moral and social values of the time. The Great Gatsby was penned in America in the Jazz Age, a period of great hedonism that reflects people's determination to forget the suffering and losses of the First World War. In America the Jazz Age was a period of great economic expansion (there was a population shift to the cities, the emergence of modern industry, high wages and lavish spending) which gave people unprecedented wealth; materialism was rife, and people struggled to capture the promise of the American Dream - that individuals can achieve whatever they set their minds to, with effort and determination. However, this mood of superficial optimism masked a pervasive sense of disillusionment and moral confusion. Consumerism was proving an inadequate substitute for the old moral certainties. Daisy's lamenting cry, ;What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon...and the day after that, and the next thirty years?"" expresses the restlessness and spiritual penury of the generation. The story of The Great Gatsby is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, who promises, in the opening of the novel, that he will be an honest, reliable, objective narrator. Nick views himself as a person of integrity and moral fiber (he ""wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever"") who is capable of reserving judgment. In spite of this, we see that Nick is certainly quite judgmental by character (he refused to shake Tom's hand [page 19], because he suspected him of misinforming Wilson that Gatsby was Myrtle's killer). Nick's assurance that he is honest and reliable as a narrator is undermined later in the story as we discover that, for one, Nick's infatuation with Daisy makes him less cynical of he... " More about  color symbolism in the great gatsby you can read here.

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The Madness of Macbeth

In Shakespeare's great tragedy, Macbeth, the eponymous character;s imagination allows him to see the consequences of the unethical acts he is committing. However, his greed begins to dominate his guilty thoughts, and his insanity becomes progressively more evident. In light of the M;Naghten, Federal, and Penal Code laws, Macbeth would not be found fit to stand trial by reason of insanity. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Macbeth would display characteristics of being a paranoid schizophrenic, as seen in his poor mental condition and vacuous behaviour when he speaks to the three witches, visualizes the floating dagger, and his obsession with the idea of being invincible.

Macbeth;s behavior during the play could lead the reader to believe that Macbeth is crazy. However, in light of today;s medical standards, Macbeth could be considered a victim of paranoid schizophrenia due to his mood swings, auditory hallucinations, and delusions. In the beginning of the play, Macbeth starts out as a noble warrior who would give up his life for the protection of the King. But soon after, his greed overtakes his morals and Macbeth is driven to do whatever it takes to achieve his wants. In Act 1 sc 2, Macbeth had protected his King and his sons, and proved his loyalty by fighting to protect Malcolm. However, several scenes later, Macbeth begins to consider the idea of murdering the King (Act 1 sc 7).

His opinion and mood fluctuate a great deal before Macbeth accepts what must be done "If chance will have me king, why, chance may crown me, Without my stir" (Act 1 sc 3) and blames fate for whatever may happen. In Act 2, sc 1 when he hallucinates a floating bloody dagger being led to him, Macbeth commits to the idea of murdering King Duncan. The dagger, in Macbeth;s mind is showing him what must be done. After Macbeth has killed the King,he imagined he heard a voice cry out: ;Sleep no more, Macbeth...