To the casual reader, The Great Gatsby may only appear as a poetic muse on the seemingly endless rollercoaster of love. But if one goes deeper into this novel, it is easily discovered that not only is this the quintessential grail quest but it is quite plainly a search for the American Dream. Gatsby plays a duel role in this piece of American history; he is both the Holy Crusader, seeking his own personal Cup of Christ, and the Cinderella story of Fitzgerald’s novel. If this novel could be boiled down to its ver core, little would left but these sentences: “the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us, stretch out our arms farther…” (P.189).
This is the core; this is the epiphany at the end of one man’s hell, this is the light at the end of the long tunnel of greed and hatred. Even if one only scratches the very surface of this piece, he or she would see that Gatsby’s rise to power, his personal torment and inevitable downfall, and Nick’s final realization about what life is truly about all lead to the conclusion that a dream corrupted is still a dream worth having. First and foremost, Gatsby is nothing more than a man in search of his own dream and he will let nothing stand in his way.
Even if he and Daisy are from two very differenet worlds he still believes against all odds that he can have her as is how. As one can easily gather from the reading, Gatsby attains his massive fortune by falling deep into the corrupt world of bootlegging or by consorting with some very unsavory people. The reader can see that Gatsby destroys his personal credibility and moral values for this slim chance at attaining his girl, his holy grail. Daisy in her incoherent ramblings seems to state a reoccuring theme throughout the novel, “I know. I’ve been everywhere and seen everything. Sophisticated. God, I’m sophisticated.” (P.22) that is to say that she is constantly reminding the her peers that she is above them in every way. Now how could a simple Midwestern such as James Gatz, better known as Gatsby hope to ever wed someone as “sophisticated” as Daisy? It is unthinkable, and Gatsby knows this, so he must change, he must take on a new identity and find wealth fast if he has even the slightest inkling of marrying the old wealth that is Daisy.
The Essay on Great Gatsbys dreams
Materialism and Idealism in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a novel which deals with the quest for wealth and power in society, in order for Gatsby's happiness to be fulfilled . The main character Jay Gatsby believes that if he achieves his financial goals that it would lead to his happiness and a better life. In his mind money equals happiness. Jay Gatsby believes in ...
Once Nick and the reader are privy to Gatsby’s personal life, it is easily discovered that he has been corrupted by his dream. Then, of course, comes the inevitable downfall of the great Gatsby which further displays the corruption of his dream. Once again, Gatsby is swept up into a fantastic triangle of love, deception, and greed. Daisy and Gatsby are reunited and the flame between them is rekindled. Gatsby’s overall motto, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!” (P.106) shows his utmost disdain by constantly trying to relive his younger years and his long lost love of Daisy. Nick describes his passion to live the past best when he states “he had committed himself to the following of a grail…” (P.142) the grail in this case is both Daisy and his dreams of wealth and power. Gatsby’s search turns into a personal goal to improve himself not only for Daisy but for himself; he wants to prove himself that he can achieve greatness no matter his background.
Daisy is merely an excuse for the ressure he applies to himself everyday to improve and prove to his critics that he is worthy of their approval. Gatsby had a dream; he wanted something so bad that he would do anything to achieve it. “His incorruptable dream” (P.147) ended up corrupting the dreamer. Finally, it is the realization that Nick comes to at the end of this masterpiece that truly makes it one of a kind. Nick is the reader’s constant reminder of the moral compass of normal society. He states is best saying “Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortative sorros and short-winded elations of men.” (P.8) that is to say that Nick sees Gatsby as the victim of his own dreams. Gatsby may have sought after a frivolous dream with no way of attaining it but it was not the dream that corrupted his behavior but rather it wa in the seeking of the dream itself that did him in.
The Essay on The Characteristics Of Gatsby And Tom In ''The Great Gatsby''
In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by Mr. Fitzgerald, the author used many characteristics of the character to enhance and unfold the mystery of the story. The two main opposite characters in the story are Gatsby and Tom. Both have different views of the world. Gatsby is always very polite and have a gentle smile; however these qualities would only made a person nice. What made him great ...
Gatsby is constantly seen as the rock, he is the sober and sane one at the parties, but inside the reader knows differently, the reader sees an innter torment that ends up destroying a mand and all of that which he has made for himself. And it is in that destruction that we see the true folly of seeking after only one dream for ones entire life. Gatsby was sick with a dream, a seemingly unattainable illusion of a woman and a place in a society that spat at your feet, it is this sickness that drives him mad with passion and lust for an illusion that not even Daisy herself can live up to. Once again Nick serves as a moral guide stating “It occurred to me that there was no difference between men, in intelligence or race, so profound as the difference between the sick and the well.” (P.118), and once again we can see that if not for this corruption, this unhappy ending there would be no masterpiece, there would be no lesson learned, and there would be no legend of the Great Gatsby.
One could read The Great Gatsby and get little more out of it than a twisted love story about three deranged socialities, but the rise, fall and final realization about a man’s American Dream, not only of a woman, but of a new life are what this story is about. Nick is the navigator of this observation into the world of the human heart, he shows the reader the simple truth that dreaming is what drives Gatsby and all humans to pursue even the most insane notions. It is only when this dreams starts to haunt the dreamer that is becomes a sickness that eats away at an individual until they only have one reason to live, and that is to complete their quest. Against all odd Gatsby takes on the world to prove himself worthy of a love that should never have been, he is the true American. He takes something from a life of nothingness, he is the great Gatsby. “So we beat on, boats against a current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” (P.189)
The Essay on The Parallels Between Dexter's Dream And The Life Of F. Scott Fitzgerald
Although Dexter’s dream parallels to that of the American Dream, Fitzgerald presents this idea of idealism in a negative sense, saying that in reality achieving this dream is impossible. The American Dream can be defined simply as the American ideal of living a happy and successful life. However each person has their own idealistic perception of this dream. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s &# ...
