Hello, my name is Eunice Lee, and this is my presentation on the Great Gatsby.

Essential Question

After reading the book, The Great Gatsby, I came up with and decided to try and answer the following essential question: How has Hollywood had a positive influence?

Historical Signifigance

Hollywood holds a very special place in American History. It first started as a district near Los Angeles and grew into prominence in the early 1900s. Movie makers flocked to California, specifically Southern California, for its nice weather, varied terrain, and large labor market in the area. Ultimately, movie makers chose to make a home in Hollywood.

Fitzgerald and Hollywood

As Hollywood became known for its film industry, many writers flocked to Hollywood to sell the rights to their novels and others written works so they may be made into movies.

F. Scott Fitzgerald was one of these writers. Fitzgerald came to Hollywood to sell the rights to The Great Gatsby for 16,666 dollars. This total was brought down to 13,500 dollars when Fitzgerald needed to pay two 10 percent commissions. Fitzgerald would continue in Hollywood to work as a screenwriter and would develop problems with alcohol during his time there.

Topic Resonance with Novel

A major theme of the Great Gatsby is the American Dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald goes through great lengths to explore the American Dream through his titular character, Jay Gatsby. We see the American Dream displayed through Jay Gatsby’s backstory when he alters his identity to be more glamorous and pleasing for Daisy (Fitzgerald 98-101). As a concept, the American Dream seems to be intrinsically tied to Hollywood. Hollywood promotes the American Dream and popularizes it through the films and shows it has created.

First Point

Hollywood has positively influenced people through the content it has created. Films and movies have provided an escapist fantasy for people.

1st Article Summary

In the article, “Hollywood Dreams of Wealth, Youth, and Beauty”, Bob Mondello writes about the hope movies inspire in people. Movies fill people with a sense of optimism and possibility. Resultantly, Hollywood has caused many immigrants to come to America to chase their dreams and improve their stance in life. Movies allow people to momentarily escape their dreary lives and imagine a better one.

2nd Point

Not only has Hollywood spread the idea of The American Dream but it has also spread new ideas, beliefs, and positive messages to people all around. Hollywood’s media has broken walls and connected people together.

2nd Article

The author, Tran Phuong, writes about Hollywood’s uniting nature in the paper titled “Positive Effects vs. Negative Effects of British and Hollywood Movies in China.”

In this paper, Phuong explains how movies serve a cultural and moral function globally. In China, citizens are introduced to the Western world and its culture through movies. Chinese citizens become more open and accepting of other people as they are exposed to media that portrays people who are different from them. In addition, Hollywood movies promote messages of democracy, freedom, individuality and universal love. Exposure to these ideas has caused Chinese citizens to adopt them as their own, as they continue to become more aware of their own political beliefs and values in life.

Continued Impact

Hollywood produces media that continues to impact the lives of people today.

While continuing to entertain people, Hollywood has also created communities centered around content originating from it. Hollywood has empowered the youth by telling them that they can achieve anything with hard work and grit, and it has also empowered minorities as Hollywood has begun to amplify their voices by telling their stories.

Conclusion

All in all, Hollywood has exerted a positive influence on the world. It has provided a brief reprieve from reality, broadened people’s perspectives and knowledge about the world, caused people to bond together and form communities, and empowered people.

Thank you for listening (reading) to my presentation.

Work Cited

Fitzgerald, Francis. “The Great Gatsby.” Scribner, 1953.

Masters, Nathan. “Before The Movies Came, Hollywood Was A Rustic Country Town.” KCET, 23 Nov. 2016, kcet.org/shows/lost-la/before-the-movies-came-hollywood-was-a-rustic-countr...,

Mondello, Bob. “Hollywood Dreams Of Wealth, Youth, And Beauty,” American Dreams: Then and Now, NPR, 19 Jun. 2012, npr.org/2012/06/19/154861194/hollywood-dreams-of-wealth-youth-and-beauty, 28 Apr. 2020.

Phuong, Tran. “Positive effects vs. negative effects of British and Hollywood movies in China,” Academia, Jul. 2007, academia.edu/6481325/Positive_effects_vs._negative_effects_of_British_and_H..., 28 Apr. 2020.