Journal #21

Journal 21 - Some Like It Hot and The Great Gatsby Comparison/Contrast Although Some Like It Hot is a comedy and The Great Gatsby is a tragedy, both works use popular culture to portray life in 1920s America. Focusing on the following elements (characterization, conflict, and theme), discuss how the two works are similar and different and what each is saying about American life. In Some Like It Hot, the main characters are more free and fun-loving, since it is a comedy. Unlike The Great Gatsby, they have more carefree traits. Although, the characters aren’t as different as they may seem. Gatsby characters are known to be ostentatious and have a romantic outlook on life. Like Daisy, Sugar is influenced by money and material possessions. She ultimately falls in love with Joe because he has money. She is also like Daisy because she is very idealistic and acts on emotions. Joe lies in order to impress Sugar, like Gatsby had done with Daisy. In The Great Gatsby, the main conflict is that Gatsby is in love with Daisy, but has to get her away from Tom. The conflict of Some Like It Hot, is that Joe has to lie to Sugar in order for her to have the same feelings for him that he has for her. Both have confusing love triangles. In Gatsby, Gatsby is in love with Daisy, who is married to Tom, but in the end loves Gatsby as well. The same goes for Tom and Myrtle’s relationship. In Some Like It Hot, Joe, dressed as “Josephine”, loves Sugar, who doesn’t know that “Josephine” is really Joe. Meanwhile, Jerry, who is dressed as a woman, also loves Sugar. The Great Gatsby and Some Like it Hot differ in that Gatsby doesn’t end up with his true love, whereas Sugar and Joe get married. The Great Gatsby and Some Like It Hot both illustrate that American life is very ostentatious and that Americans are influenced by money. Gatsby tries to woo Daisy with his parties and lies. Joe tries to impress Sugar with his fake life and fake money. Gatsby shows that, in the end, money and lies don’t always help obtain a happy ending. Some Like It Hot shows that money and lying will make everything go swimmingly in the end.