How do Gatsby's extravagant parties represent a larger commentary on 1920s American culture? Pure entertainment without deeper meaning A critique of materialistic excess and hollow social connections A simple display of wealth An accurate representation of typical social gatherings

## Step 1<br />The first step in solving this problem is to understand the context of the question. The question is asking us to analyze the symbolism of Gatsby's extravagant parties in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby". The parties are a representation of the 1920s American culture, which was marked by materialistic excess and hollow social connections.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />Next, we need to evaluate each of the given options in light of the context of the question. The options are:<br />- Pure entertainment without deeper meaning<br />- A critique of materialistic excess and hollow social connections<br />- A simple display of wealth<br />- An accurate representation of typical social gatherings<br /><br />## Step 3<br />The first option, "Pure entertainment without deeper meaning", does not align with the context of the question. The parties in the novel are not just pure entertainment; they are a critique of the materialistic excess and hollow social connections of the 1920s.<br /><br />## Step 4<br />The second option, "A critique of materialistic excess and hollow social connections", aligns perfectly with the context of the question. The parties in the novel are a critique of the materialistic excess and hollow social connections of the 1920s.<br /><br />## Step 5<br />The third option, "A simple display of wealth", does not align with the context of the question. The parties in the novel are not just a simple display of wealth; they are a critique of the materialistic excess and hollow social connections of the 1920s.<br /><br />## Step 6<br />The fourth option, "An accurate representation of typical social gatherings", does not align with the context of the question. The parties in the novel are not an accurate representation of typical social gatherings; they are a critique of the materialistic excess and hollow social connections of the 1920s.