"Outside the wind was loud and there was a faint flow of thunder along the Sound. All the lights were going on in West Egg now; the electric trains, men-carrying, were plunging home through the rain from New York. It was the hour of a profound human change, and excitement was generating on the air" (96).
The location and the time frame are specific and probably contribute greatly to the theme. From what I have read, I think the theme will comment on the behavior of the rich, but I am not entirely sure what the overall message is. However, New York never sleeps and houses many wealthy people. This is an ideal place for the rich to enjoy their lavish lifestyles, even in the early nineteen hundreds. The story takes place during the '20s, a time of lavish living without a thought to expenses. The novel most likely contains truth about the lifestyles during that time period. The book was published in 1925, so the author experienced life during that time. That experience translated into a novel dealing with the actions of the rich.
Yeah, I like how Fitzgerald alludes quite a bit to what life was like in the Roaring Twenties. He talks about the busy streets of New York, the tabloids that the rich people read, and the jazz music that was getting very popular.
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