The Personification of Mansions

September 25, 2023

By Danielle M

As far as modern-day literature consumption goes, nothing is able to beat the classics that dominate our high school and college English classes. Even younger readers must come around to admitting that books before “their time” deserve all of the praise they get. What comes to mind for me is The Great Gatsby, a dazzling tragedy of wealth, love, and dreams. Of course, the star of the novel is that of the characters themselves: Jay Gatsby, Daisy Buchanan, Nick Carraway, Tom Buchanan, Myrtle Wilson, Jordan Baker, and more. The pursuit of love and the calamity of consumerism makes for a roaring rendition of the 1920s in relation to Gatsby’s opulence. When one thinks of Gatsby, it’s not uncommon to picture the stunning mansion that rests under his name. A grand arrangement of lush foliage, gates, prized architecture, and innumerable intricacies, it’s the designated spot for the Long Island party scene. Once the work week is over and the weekend comes around, Gatsby’s mansion opens its doors to renown figures and lavish lifestylers for drinking, socializing, and entertainment. But it’s not that parties that make this mansion so intriguing. It’s what the mansion represents when it’s not filled with hors d’oeuvres and lit candelabras.

         When the parties cease and the sun rises again to mark the start of a new day, the mansion is left as a graveyard of the fantasies from the night before. Now that it’s empty and dormant until the next soiree is thrown, it simply exists as a hollow husk for Gatsby to wallow in. This is what makes this house so much more than a place for rich people to gather and congregate. From the outside, it looks full-bodied and even more full of character. How could a mansion of such size and status not be a consistently lively abode? All you have to do is take a dive into the house itself, but also a deeper dive into the Gatsby’s mind.

The novel’s book is, indeed, a fictional property created for the sake of the story’s telling, but that’s not to say inspiration wasn’t taken from the architecture of our real world. The Great Gatsby’s author, F. Scott Fitzgerald was not a man unfamiliar to the Jazz Age. In fact, he lived through it, both the time period and what the era had to offer. Part of Gatsby’s character was plucked from aspects of Fitzgerald’s life. He dealt with a tense marriage, often escaping to attend parties and drink the night away. Now Gatsby was not married, but he was in love with Daisy and used his parties to capture her attention (to be elaborate on shortly). At this parties and even the other estates he frequented, he took note of their architecture and interior, and also the parties themselves. In Long Island’s Gold Coast of mansions resides the Locust Valley estate, a Georgian colonial mansion with over 20 rooms and additions. This estate served as architectural inspiration for the mansion’s description in the book. Pembroke, the estate of Marcus Loew in Glen Cove, New York was the real-life Gatsby party house, having been the location of parties that Fitzgerald took part in back in the roaring 20s. These two seemingly normal (as far as normal goes for rich properties go) mansions actually performed much greater purposes, both having been brought to life through Fitzgerald’s novel. But how does Fitzgerald transform these houses into something more? What is this “more”? What do they have to offer the literary sphere?

These mansions are given a larger life under Gatsby’s name. Yes, Pembroke used to operate the same as Gatsby’s mansion in the novel, but it has since been left dormant. As such, these two generally quiet properties were combined together to create a vessel for Gatsby’s depression and longing. Without the high and thrill of his parties, it is simply a building that exists for others’ enjoyment. It isn’t cozy. It doesn’t act as a haven for Gatsby to reside in. It stands still and awaits the next party. It awaits the next time it can be reignited and given form. Most houses exist like this. On most days, they retain their structure and history and potential, and then a day comes along when it can be resuscitated through a newfound liveliness. Locust Valley and Pembroke were plenty lively simply because of their grand scale, but were further enlivened when Fitzgerald combined them both to create the central part of his novel. He maintains their role in his past, having been vital to the Jazz Age, but he molds them into an asset of Gatsby’s that exists through illegal means and thrives through unrealistic dreams. This is a significantly more extensive use of this house than can be/was seen in Locust Valley and Pembroke. Locust Valley’s legacy is thanks to its design, but it has since died down, now just being another mansion on the market. Pembroke had the honor of receiving more relevance to Gatsby’s coping medium in the book. Unfortunately, it having been torn down means it is simply a ghost of Fitzgerald’s literary mind. But it’s important to remember that regardless of the houses’ fates, they both represent a bigger piece of their own puzzle. Their radiant size and display make them a spectacle in any sense. But their architectural dispositions helped aid in bringing both their own foundations to life, but also a much larger idea than themselves. Gatsby’s mansion is a testament to the glory of the past, the tragedy of heartbreak, and the yearning for something more.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts