The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, is a novel that delves into the concept of the American Dream and the excesses of the Jazz Age. Set in the fictional Long Island community of West Egg during the 1920s, the story follows the rise and fall of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy man who is deeply in love with a woman named Daisy. Through Gatsby's pursuit of the American Dream, the novel explores themes of wealth, power, and social status, and the disillusionment that often accompanies them. The Jazz Age, a term coined by Fitzgerald himself, is also a prominent aspect of the novel and serves as a symbol of the excess and decadence of the era.
The American Dream is a central theme in The Great Gatsby. The novel depicts the idea that anyone can achieve success and prosperity through hard work and determination. Jay Gatsby, the novel's main character, embodies this idea as he comes from humble beginnings and uses his wealth and power to try to win back his lost love Daisy. However, as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that the American Dream is not as attainable as it seems, and that pursuing wealth and status can lead to moral decay and ultimate disillusionment.
Gatsby's character illustrates the dangers of blindly pursuing the American Dream without considering the consequences. He becomes increasingly disillusioned as he realizes that Daisy cannot be won over with material possessions and that the societal status he has gained through illegal means cannot bring him true happiness. In the end, Gatsby's tragic death serves as a reminder that the American Dream is not a guarantee of success, but rather a constant pursuit of something that may always be just out of reach.
Fitzgerald's novel serves as a commentary on the darker side of the American Dream and the excesses that can come with the pursuit of wealth and status. He exposes that the American Dream is not a one-size-fits-all solution and is often not the reality. Also, the ''Jazz Age" refers to the cultural and social changes of the 1920s, which were characterized by a new era of prosperity, freedom, and excess. The novel takes place during this time and reflects the values and attitudes of the era, including the rise of jazz music and the flapper culture, the excesses of the wealthy, and the moral decay of society. The main character, Jay Gatsby, embodies the excess of the era, as he throws lavish parties and lives a life of excess to win back his lost love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel ultimately critiques the shallowness and moral decay of the era and serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of the American Dream. We encounter many themes in the work, but the most prominent ones are blind love, social connections, the place of lying in relationships and the motivation of love.
Love, money, and social connections are all important aspects of any relationship. Love is the foundation of any healthy relationship, providing emotional support and a sense of security. On the other hand, money is necessary for the practical aspects of life such as providing for oneself and one's family. Social connections, meanwhile, give a sense of community and can provide valuable support during difficult times. All three elements are crucial for maintaining a strong, stable, and happy relationship. It's very difficult to compare the importance of everything and say which is the most important, as it varies from person to person, situation and context. However, all these things are essential in some way and can complement each other. It is possible to have a good life with a balance of all three things. It's essential to strive for balance in all aspects of our lives, and not to put too much emphasis on any one thing.
Money and social connections are important to the characters of The Great Gatsby because they play a major role in shaping the events of the story in their pursuit of the American Dream. However, it is also clear that the novel ultimately suggests that these values are flawed as they do not lead to true happiness and fulfilment. The characters in the novel, such as Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom, are all driven by their desire for wealth and social status. They use their money and connections to try to achieve their goals and gain acceptance into a specific social circle. However, despite their wealth and status, they are all depressed and unfulfilled. They find that their pursuit of wealth and status ultimately leads to their downfall, instead of bringing them the happiness and fulfilment they desire. Gatsby's love for Daisy is not motivated by his desire for wealth or status, but by his genuine feelings for her, even though it doesn't turn out well. Furthermore, it's also clear that the relationships between the characters in the novel are shallow and superficial. Especially we see that the character Daisy values status and money more than love.
Daisy Buchanan cries while looking at the shirts that Gatsby has purchased. They’re such beautiful shirts,” she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.” (The Great Gatsby,119) This is a moment of realisation for Daisy, as she sees the extravagance of Gatsby's wealth. Thus, we understand that Daisy is materialistic, and the definition of love for her is wealth. When we look at the work, Gatsby is aware that Daisy is a materialist and tries to win Daisy back through such things, but he doesn’t want to accept the fact that Daisy loves his money, not him. Instead, their focus on money and social connections causes them to make poor decisions, leading to their downfall. In the end, the novel suggests that true happiness and fulfilment can only be found through genuine connections with others and the pursuit of one's passions and values. It also shows that superficial love and relaonships based on materialistic values bring nothing but tragedy.
Another important and prominent theme is blind love. Blind love can be dangerous because love is a strong emotional state characterized by feelings of euphoria, intense attraction, and a strong desire to be with a particular person. In the early stages of a relationship, it can be difficult to see the other person clearly, as the emotions and excitement of being in love can cloud one's judgment. Falling in love can make it hard to think clearly and critically about the other person. This can lead to a feeling of "blindness" and cause someone to be unable to see the other person's flaws. Blind love can also lead to feelings of jealousy and insecurity, as the person may become overly possessive and jealous of the other person's time and attention. This can lead to controlling behaviour, which can be harmful to the other person and the relationship. It's important to remember that love should be based on mutual respect and trust. Someone who is in a state of "blind love" might also find themselves making sacrifices or compromising their values and boundaries because they want to please their partner. Love should not be blind but based on honesty, trust and mutual respect.
The theme of blind love is a significant aspect of the story. Gatsby's love for Daisy is blind in that he fails to see her true nature and the reality of their relationship. He idealizes her and believes that she is perfect, even though she is shallow and selfish. Gatsby's blind love for Daisy causes him to overlook the many red flags in their relationship and make poor decisions, such as getting involved in illegal activities to try to win her back. In the case of Gatsby, his blind love for Daisy causes him to miss the signs that she is emotionally unavailable, leading him to pursue a relationship that ultimately leads to his demise. We can see firstly here Gatsby’s love "He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock."(The Great Gatsby,118)
This is Gatsby's first meeting with Daisy in years. He is so in love with her that he still feels quite excited and exuberant as in the early days. ’’His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own. He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God. So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.’’ (The Great Gatsby,144 )This quote also makes us understand even better how much Gatsby fell in love with Daisy.
Furthermore, Daisy's love for Gatsby is also blind, as she sees him through a lens of nostalgia and a longing for the past. Daisy's blind love for Gatsby causes her to make poor decisions, such as getting involved in an extramarital affair, and ultimately, it too brings tragedy. The theme of blind love in The Great Gatsby is a significant aspect of the novel, as it is a driving force behind the characters' actions and ultimately leads to their downfall. Also suggests that love can be misleading and superficial. In the novel, the love between the characters is superficial and based on external values like money, status, and superficial attraction. This superficiality of the relationships in the novel is a commentary on the shallowness of society at the time.
One of the most important things in relationships is honesty and trust. As the reader, we often witness uncertainty and lies in the work. Trust is a crucial foundation for any relationship, and when that trust is broken, it can be very difficult to repair. Lying can also cause a lot of hurt and mistrust between the partners. In a romantic relationship, lying can lead to feelings of betrayal and loss of intimacy. If a partner lies about something significant, it can create a feeling of disconnection and make it difficult to trust them again. Trust and honesty are essential for healthy relationships, and lies can undermine that trust and make it difficult for people to feel comfortable and open with one another. It's important for anyone who has lied to take responsibility for their actions and make amends. Although lying is a common issue among all people, it's essential to find a way to handle it, otherwise, it can make the relationship unrepairable.
Gatsby is revealed to be a man who has told many lies about himself and his past. He tells people that he is a wealthy man from a prominent family, when in reality, he has acquired his wealth through illegal means, such as bootlegging. He also claims to have been to Oxford and had a privileged upbringing, in an attempt to make himself more socially acceptable and impress Daisy, the woman he loves. These lies are a significant aspect of Gatsby's character, as they reveal the lengths to which he is willing to go to win Daisy's love and to be accepted by her social circle. They also illustrate the gap between the person Gatsby presents himself as and the person he truly is. In this quote, we see that he blatantly lied about his assets. ‘"I thought you inherited your money." "I did, old sport," he said automatically, "but I lost most of it in the big panic – the panic of the war." I think he hardly knew what he was saying, for when I asked him what business he was in he answered, "That's my affair," before he realized that it wasn't the appropriate reply."Oh, I've been in several things," he corrected himself. "I was in the drug business and then I was in the oil business. But I'm not in either one now." ‘ (The Great Gatsby,116) Gatsby thought that these lies he told would be covered by a large amount of money he earned illegally and that people would not understand, but the situation did not go as he thought. As Nick got to know him, that's where he realized that his entire past and life were a lie. I suppose he'd had the name ready for a long time, even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people—his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God – a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that – and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end. (The Great Gatsby,126) Gatsby's lies also reflect the disillusionment of the American Dream, as Gatsby's desire for wealth and status is driven by his belief that these things will bring him happiness and fulfilment, but ultimately, he finds that this is not the case. He finds that despite his wealth and status, he is still not truly accepted by the wealthy elite, and his love for Daisy remains unrequited and ultimately. Gatsby's lies about himself and his past are a significant aspect of the novel, revealing the character's innermost motivation and the struggles of the American Dream.
There can be many motivations in people's lives, and in this work, we can see that the main character Gatsby's motivation is not money, but the woman he loves. Money and love can be motivations in someone's life, but they can also conflict. Money is often seen as a means to an end, and people may work hard to make money to achieve certain goals, such as providing for themselves and their loved ones or pursuing the things they love to do. On the other hand, love is often thought of as a deeper, more meaningful motivation. People may pursue relationships, hobbies, and other activities that they love, regardless of the financial rewards they may bring. Some people will make sacrifices in their financial lives for the sake of their loved ones, or for the things that they are passionate about.It's worth noting that both money and love can be viewed as a means to an end, and people's motivation can often be driven by a combination of both. Love can be a powerful motivator for people to do many things. People often work hard to provide for their loved ones, or to pursue the things that they love to do. Love is generally motivated by a variety of emotional and psychological factors, such as attraction, compatibility, and dependence. It's important to note that while the motivation of love and money can coexist in some cases, they can also be in opposition to each other.
Gatsby's primary motivation is his love for Daisy, rather than a desire for wealth or social status. Throughout the novel, Gatsby's ultimate goal is to win back Daisy's love and to be with her again. Gatsby's love for Daisy is the force behind his actions and shapes the course of his life. He works tirelessly to acquire wealth, improve himself to make himself worthy of Day, and try to win her back. He throws lavish parties, buys a mansion on Long Island, and even becomes involved in illegal activities to gain the money and status that he believes will impress Daisy and make her fall in love with him again. However, Gatsby's love for Daisy is not without flaws, as it is blind, idealistic and delusional. He is unable to see Daisy's true nature and the reality of their relationship. Despite Gatsby's love for Daisy and his efforts to win her back, his love remains unrequited and ultimately leads to his downfall. Daisy cannot fully commit to Gatsby and continues to be emotionally distant and returns to her husband Tom.
In conclusion, F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby explores many themes, including love, lies, money, social connections, and the motivations behind them. Blind love refers to a state in which a person is unable to see the faults or negative aspects of the person they love. This type of love can be problematic, as it can lead to a person ignoring red flags or warning signs in a relationship that may indicate that it is not healthy or that their partner is not treating them well. Money can also play a role in relationships. Relationships are complex and influenced by a variety of factors such as blind love, money, social connections, motivation for love and lies. It's important to be aware of these factors and how they might affect your relationship, as well as communicate openly and honestly with your partner. Being aware of these factors can help you navigate any challenges that may arise in your relationship and make it stronger and healthier. The novel is a classic novel that explores the themes of love, wealth, power, and the pursuit of the American Dream. Overall, The Great Gatsby is a timeless masterpiece that continues to resonate with readers today, providing an unflinching examination of the human condition and the dangers of chasing after illusions.