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During the revision process, I have made many editorial revisions throughout my essay to
make it a more sophisticated cohesive essay. Some revisions I made in my essay was the order
of my essay by bringing my paragraph of symbols to the beginning. I believe this was smart
decision because now it allows the audience to know what the meaning of a symbol is and also
the different ways authors view a certain symbol and importance of it in culture. The strengths of
my essay was the textual evidence use and my control of language. Throughout the essay, active
verbs were used to show voice during the analysis. The most important feedback I would like is
towards my analysis. In the revision process, my thinking was pushed by adding details to help
prove my claim. The purpose in this essay is to develop a claim about the pattern of alcohol and
by Leslie Marmon Silko is a book about Tayo, a Native American man,who recently returned
home from serving in World War II.Tayo is conflicted by his want to find his purpose in life
while trying to avoid multiple distractions such as violence,witchery, and most importantly,
alcohol. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a book about Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man,
who uses his monetary value and social status to ultimately rekindle his old relationship. In
literature, authors often use the same pattern to convey a different meaning in their works which
Foster specifies in How to Read Literature Like a Professor. The patterns have different
meanings depending on the author’s perception on the subject. Foster emphasizes that
recognizing patterns can help reveal the true meaning of the literary work. Silko and Fitzgerald
both use the pattern of alcohol to convey a different message in their works. In Ceremony, Leslie
Marmon Silko, uses the pattern of alcohol to explore the destruction of Native Americans by the
use of violence in the Native American community. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald,
uses the pattern of alcohol to express the extravagant lifestyle and life-lasting effects of alcohol
on people.
Each literary work’s used the pattern of alcohol to illustrate different messages in their
novels. A pattern in literature has different meanings because authors use past experiences in
literature help them interpret things differently. For example, the symbol of alcohol in The Great
Gatsby is direct representation of own Fitzgerald’s addiction to alcohol. Fitzgerald uses his own
personal experiences to illustrate the effects of alcohol throughout The Great Gatsby,
specifically by detailing the extravagant parties and violence.Foster states “ So some symbols do
have limited range of meaning, but in general a symbol can’t be reduced to standing for only one
thing”(Foster 77). For example, Foster implies that a symbol in literature has various meanings.
As a result, alcohol is a symbol that have different meanings in Ceremony and The Great Gatsby.
Silko’s interpretation of alcohol is shown throughout Ceremony by the alcohol abuse of Indians
and the destruction of Native Americans by violence. Fitzgerald’s interpretation of this is shown
by Gatsby’s parties,and the effects they have on people. The importance of alcohol in culture is
to show the flaws of society because of the damage and harm it brings people because of their
Silko and Fitzgerald used the pattern of alcohol to illustrate different messages in their
novels. It is obvious that in Tayo’s community, majority of the people in the Laguna
Reservation, are alcoholics.For instance,Silko states “ It was something the old people could not
understand. Liquor was medicine for the anger that made them hurt”(Silko 37). Silko indicates
that the people in reservation drink alcohol to deal with their physical and mental health.Alcohol
abuse is important to the culture because it shows the flaws of people by using a drug to escape
from society. This causes harm to people in the reservation by causing them to break away from
their traditions. However, Fitzgerald uses the pattern of alcohol to communicate the wealth status
Tom’s mistress’ house. Inside the house, all of the attendees were excited to indulge in drinking.
Eventually. Tom gets drunk and punches his mistress in the face. Fitzgerald carefully details the
altercation between Tom and his mistress to show the effects of alcohol The use of alcoholism
demonstrates how people act while under the influence. As a result, the pattern of alcohol in The
Great Gatsby is to illustrate the dangers of using alcohol. The importance of alcohol in culture is
to demonstrate that use of alcohol is only to create temporary fun with permanent consequences.
Silko and Fitzgerald uses the pattern of alcohol to highlight different messages in their
novels. In Ceremony, both Tayo and Emo were in a bar drinking alcohol, and later on the both of
them got drunk. After drinking , the two had an altercation between each other. Silko argues that
the use of alcohol is destroying the Native American community because of effects it has on the
people by creating violence among themselves. The aftermath of World War II led to veterans on
the reservation to have PTSD, which cause them to drink alcohol excessively for their troubles.
Silko states “ Reports note that since the Second World a pattern of drinking and violence… is
emerging among Indian veterans”(Silko 65). Silko infers that the destruction of Native
Americans is the result of alcohol. On the other hand, Fitzgerald uses the pattern of alcohol to
demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of people in the 1920’s. Gatsby’s parties were unique and
embodied the life of the wealthy by the presence of alcohol and wearing expensive clothes.
Alcohol was used to show how life was in the 1920’s with excessively drinking and partying.
In literature, authors have different viewpoints from one another which is one of the
reasons why literature is complex. Leslie Marmon Silko, uses the pattern of alcohol to explore
the destruction of Native Americans and to show addiction of alcohol use, while F. Scott
Fitzgerald uses the pattern of alcohol to express extravagant lifestyle and the effects of alcohol
on people.
Works Cited