Arts Studies and Criticism

Memory scholar and historian Nora clarifies that “memory is a perpetually actual phenomena, a bond tying us to the eternal present; history is a representation of the past”. Historical memory and literary creations have a tight relationship. Literary works, as places of memory, can reflect and shape historical memory, while historical and cultural memory serve as a basis for literary work creation. “Memory, then, is not straightforward: it is not just a recalling of the past. It is much more complicated than this; and it involves us in political existence, while also giving us a sense of identity and giving us a sense of difference”. Hirsch pointed out that this type of memory that transmits events they did not experience in the collective memory to the “generation after” through stories, images, and behaviours is called post memory. This essay will analyse how Fitzgerald's literary work “The Great Gatsby “shaped the memories of the time.