Figurative Language In The Great Gatsby

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The 2013 films The Great Gatsby and The Wolf of Wall Street explore the allure and pitfalls of the American Dream through their success-driven protagonists. The 2013 film The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann for everyone 15 and up (specifically those who enjoyed the novel), relies on imagery and figurative language to recount Nick Carraway’s lavish yet morally wrong experiences in Long Island, New York during the roaring 20’s. Comparably, the 2013 film The Wolf Of Wallstreet, directed by Martin Scorsese for men aged 18-24, acts as a memoir, employing high and low camera shots, recounting Jordan Belfort’s rise and fall to power and morality during the 1980’s in New York. While set in different time periods, both films delve into the moral …show more content…
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby's wealth is revealed to be built on a foundation of bootlegging and organised crime, activities that he neither denies nor attempts to conceal. Luhrmann employs a quick medium shot of Gatsby to display his nonchalant response and cocky additude when confronted with these activities (1:36:24-1:36:26). Similarly, in The Wolf of Wall Street, Belfort engages in a wide range of illegal activities, including securities fraud, money laundering, and market manipulation, with complete impunity. When disclosing this to the audience, Scorsese employs an eye level shot (along with ‘breaking the 4th wall’) to create an instant bond with Jordan and his scheme (1:06:26 - 1:06:54). Luhrmann’s cinematography, combined with Gatsby’s dialogue and cocky head jerk, convey to the viewer that despite the illegal nature of his wealth, Gatsby is not afraid to challenge Tom about what is so wrong about it. Also shows his suit – like hers wearing his wealth aswell -> they look the same, so reinforces his immorality. However, Scorsese creates a bond with the audience, almost like Belfort is bragging to a friend or even trying to persuade us that his illegal activity is moral as it comes with so much wealth and achievement. Despite the inherent risks and ethical implications of their actions, both protagonists …show more content…
In The Great Gatsby, the confrontation between Gatsby and Tom Buchanan with the Plaza Hotel displays to the audience Gatsby’s eventual drive to madness in pursuit of the American Dream. Luhrmann utilises tight framing and intense close-up shots to heighten the tension between the two characters, emphasising their conflicting desires and unresolved emotions (1:36:54-1:38:00). However, in The Wolf of Wall Street, Belfort's drug-fueled rampage at his home begins the downward spiral of Belfort’s wealth. Scorsese’s fast-passed back and forth cutting between medium shots of a heavily drug-induced Belfort and the episode of Popeye on the television immerses the audience in Belfort’s hedonistic spiral of excess and debauchery (2:06:02 – 2:06:22). Through the quick cuts between shots, Luhrmann effectively juxtaposes Tom's aristocratic demeanor and Gatsby's nouveau riche bravado, underscoring the class divisions and social barriers that underpin the American Dream. Despite Gatsby's ostensible success, he remains an outsider in the world of the old elite, forever relegated to the periphery of society. The scene highlights the fragility of Gatsby's aspirations and the futility of his attempts to transcend his humble origins through wealth and status. Contrastingly, during his delirious frenzy, Belfort’s mimicking of
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