...The Great Gatsby: The Deception of Money It is strikingly obvious that obscene amounts money does not guarantee happiness. Many people foolishly shape their lives around attaining ultimate wealth in hopes that it will bring endless happiness. This is the tragic case of the characters in Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby exemplify the American dream, living what appears to be an extravagant life. Ironically, what they imagined will bring them fulfillment in life, money, has done just the opposite. Under the enchanting lights, parties, and monstrous mansions lies a deep feeling of melancholy and depression well hidden from the surface. Even though they have everything money can buy, the three primary characters in The Great Gatsby prove that, ultimately, money leaves its victims in a void of unhappiness. Tom Buchanan lives in extreme wealth but is ultimately unhappy as he tries to fulfill the void in his life by having an affair. Tom has all the ingredients to live a fulfilling life; a family, the fancy mansion, and of course, the money. Yet he stills feels incomplete. Nick, the narrator of the story, is not surprised that Tom has “some woman in New York” and notices that “Tom would drift on forever seeking, a little wistfully, for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game” (6, 20). Tom is still seeking to fill the dismal void in his life that money fails to do. He pathetically attempts to fill this void by having the affair with Myrtle...
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...Gatsby: The Deadly Deceiver What makes someone truly happy in life? Is it money? Power? Love? The reasons for happiness vary from person to person. But how much happiness does someone need? Are people ever truly satisfied, or does the constant "selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food", otherwise known as greed drive people(Oxford 1)? Why are some wealthy people unhappy, when they have so much? In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's deceptive personality, bamboozling Nick, and fabricating the truth, to explain how greed leads to a deterioration of life. Gatsby's shady history was deceiving, and effectively portrays how greed can ruin a life. The many rumors circulating about Gatsby such as "he was a German spy during the war" illustrate that no one really knew who Gatsby was(Fitzgerald 48). Through his deceptive ways he never rebuffed nor verified the claims, which led to more curiosity. Gatsby did this so that his name would radiate through town and Daisy would hear his name. Gatsby used this deception to fuel his greed for Daisy. His reputation suffered, but he was willing to sacrifice his own reputation just to impress Daisy, no matter the cost. This deception represents greed of the 1920's. Gatsby is a figure of greed, because even when he had all the wealth in the world, he was never truly satisfied. Fitzgerald wanted people to realize that greed is rampant in society, and he wanted people to be happy with what...
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...F. Scott Fitzgerald presents many themes in his novel, The Great Gatsby, One of the themes is dissatisfaction. The theme is developed throughout the book by his use of the motif of deception by Daisy feeding lies to Gatsby and doing him wrong. The motif of emptiness compares to Gatsby Having no one at his funeral. This motif represents careless people such as Tom and Daisy for not taking responsible for their actions. This first reference of Daisy feeding lies to Gatsby represents the theme of dissatisfaction. Fitzgerald says “ I wish we can run away together”. Daisy is lying to Gatsby because she has husband that she still loves. In the book Gatsby yells at Daisy because he wants Daisy to say that she never loved Tom but she...
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...In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the title appears to be ironic to the readers, as Gatsby doesn't actually seem to be that “great” by the end of the book. At the beginning of the book outsiders see Gatsby as this glamorous, rich, and powerful man who throws extravagant parties. Also, when reading the title at first you have a preconceived notion of Gatsby being “great”. But, as the reader gets deeper into the book, Gatsby proves to be a very insecure man and readers start to perceive Gatsby as weak. In the book, The Great Gatsby, the title is meant to be ironic and reflects the contrast between how Gatsby appears to outsiders with how he truly is. At first sight, Jay Gatsby is shown as magnificent and dazzling, but towards the end of the book...
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...The Great Gatsby Oct 26, 2012 “Dishonesty” Dishonesty in a relationship exists when one person withholds or manipulates information about themselves or others and presents the facts as a truth. Being dishonest or bending the truth may seem favorable initially, but when the truth is finally revealed, you will have to spill back on more lies which will eventually push the relationship further apart. The Great Gatsby is a novel that shows the reader slyness and fraud around every corner. All of the main characters are dishonest people who portray their lives as nothing more than living in a self obsessed world while making adolescent decisions about love; all these people care about is living in the now. They lie, cheat, and deceive. This was a time when the economy was booming, spreading prosperous jobs in big town cities. This era saw the large-scale diffusion and use of automobiles, telephones, motion pictures, electricity, and unprecedented industrial growth. People dreamed big, and expected better. Everyone was breaking traditions and experimenting with advanced and diverse goods. Fitzgerald depicts Nick Carraway as a moral guide throughout a novel infused with lies and deception. Fitzgerald utilizes many themes throughout the book; truth versus lies, illusion versus reality, or compassion versus apathy. Within the novel, virtually all of the main characters are dishonest to others or to themselves, which exposes each character’s true self to the reader. Deception...
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...historical fiction novel “The Great Gatsby” written by Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920’s is about the societal and personal issues during that decade. The scenes and details in the book are related and connected to the new technologies, flapper ideals, and the mass culture of youth. Many of the characters were fake,not genuine, and untrustworthy.For example Jordan Baker, Daisy, and Gatsby were all proven to be fake or deceitful in the their actions. Jordan Baker,Daisy's best friend, was a professional golfer that was known for having dishonest character. There was an example of her fake character when she and Daisy were getting ready. The book said, ¨Jordan’s fingers, powdered white over their tan¨. This symbolizes that she is fake and not pure. It shows how she is trying to cover up her true identity and hide her true personality by being dishonest and untrue. Nick states, ¨she was incurably dishonest. She wasn't able to endure being at a...
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...The Greatness of Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel the Great Gatsby is a well-known classic and an extraordinary piece of literature but the title leaves little to the imagination with the exception of one question “why is Gatsby so great?” Jay Gatsby has everything at his disposal, money, success, good looks all of which are seen as his greatness to some but Gatsby is great for bigger reasons such as his hopefulness, relentlessness and the fact that he is flawed. Gatsby has many things going for him but it was not always like that. Gatsby was born James Gatz, a farm boy with little to no income or social stamina. His parents were unsuccessful and “his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all” (Gatsby, pg. 98). James...
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...Prohibition and The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald is set in the 1920s. Havinn wrote about the nightlife and bootlegging of the that time period. While the government was shutting down bars, and clubs, then having gang’s members taking over the parade and opening up speakeasies. Making the government having a prohibition, but it didn’t really make the people stop drinking. On a relative note when banning the production of alcohol it made people desire it more. Going to imply that the same goes for Gatsby having the desire to have more money to get Daisy's attention towards him to make him notice and more appealing when his achievements. But it backfires on him and Daisy stays with Tom and doesn’t care a damn. I know you didn’t mean to, but you did do it. “That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great, big hulking physical specimen of a-”- Daisy. The center of the book is Jay Gatsby coming from a dirt poor family, being a big dreamer, and also a big risk taker. Like for example doing anything to win Daisy back for himself. Keeping his past behind him and others that he meets along the way. Deceiving...
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...In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway joins Jay Gatsby through a trail of lies, love, and deception. Jay Gatsby lives perfectly across the bay from Daisy Buchanan with the green light at the end of her dock leaving a reminder. In the book, Fitzgerald portrays Jay and Daisy’s relationship to be like Zelda and himselfs relationship. While showing the progression through the 1920s of wealth, it shows the differences in the social classes and how they looked at each other. The Great Gatsby shows symbolic messages throughout the reading such as Fitzgeralds past, the use of colors, and the American dream. Nick views himself as underclass, being surrounded by the rich, but that he will rise in his bond business. He becomes fascinated by his neighbor Mr. Gatsby mysteriousness and how he is so widespread known. At Tom and Daisy’s under their high living is love and despair. Tom likes living high but also having the power to broadcast his public affair. Tom’s lover Myrtle lives in the Valley of Ash, representing a much lower class. He shows Myrtle off in New York city to show how much power and authority...
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...The Great Gatsby In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses four settings; two main locations of wealth, the East and West Egg, New York City where both sides do business and the Valley of Ashes home of the poor and a total wasteland of ash. The Eggs are separated by a small bay, on Long Island. This bay separates more than just the two locations. It also, separates and defines two very different social classes and ways of life. One area is known as the East Egg, where “old money” resides and the other is the West Egg, where the “new money” lives. The East Egg is characterized by long-standing wealth also referred to as "old money". People who live there come from generation after generation of money and social prestige. The Roosevelt's, DuPont's and Vanderbilt's would be considered "old money" during this time. They are similar to royalty. Their lifestyle is grand, sophisticated, fashionable and elegant which was characterized by their homes "white...
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...The use of Symbolism in The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, who at one time lived next to the main character, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby is a rich entrepreneur who lives alone in a mansion on West egg. Gatsby is in love with the beautiful Daisy Buchanan who lives across the bay in East Egg with her husband Tom Buchanan. Gatsby had fallen in love with Daisy five years prior to the start of the novel. In his efforts to win over the love of his life Gatsby uses his lavish home to throw elaborate parties in hopes that one day Daisy will attend. One of the key elements in The Great Gatsby is the use of symbolism throughout the novel. The use of symbols can add a level of depth to a novel, as well as help the reader...
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...famous movie star or athlete. Sometimes what we long for will come true and everything will be as we imagined; sometimes we are given what we want, but when we get it, it does not seem to be enough; other times our dreams will not come true at all. Given the uncertainty of the outcome of our dreams, the thought that “attaining them can only lead to happiness” is a path to destruction. In The Great Gatsby, the mysterious character of Gatsby has become so consumed in pursuing his dream, that he has convinced himself the only way he could ever be happy is to have that dream. This is very sad and immature to me. Gatsby had a wonderful life: a dad that loved him, many people bowing at his feet to be his friend, a huge house, and great amounts of money. Many people would die to have the life of Gatsby, but getting hung up on his dream made him unable to appreciate or really experience all the pleasures he did have in life. Gatsby’s dream was for the love he once lost. Daisy was the one thing that Gatsby thought could make him happy; how could he know this was true? Since Daisy and Gatsby last dated, they had both changed and the world around them had changed as well....
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...Compare the presentations of appearance and reality in The Great Gatsby and one other short story by Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald presents the theme of appearance and reality throughout his novel The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald presents 1920’s America as the decade of illegal use of substances, promiscuity and the status and wealth of similar Americans, showing this era to be a time of moral decline. "They smashed things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness... and left other people to clean up the mess they've made." Fitzgerald writes as if to show the breakdown in this vigorous society, especially due to the expectations and judgements throughout this time; the men were expected to be educated, rich and charming while the women, simply beautiful and good company. The phrase “retreated back into their money” reveals the true reality behind the characters. It demonstrates the idea that despite the immorality of their actions, characters like Tom and Daisy will always have their money to fall back on. Fitzgerald uses the idea of money as somewhat of a protective barrier to the consequences of the actions of the upper class. This is shown when Daisy Buchanan gets away with murder and promiscuity, but with other characters of Fitzgerald's, such as Myrtle, and Evelyn from The Cut Glass Bow, that they do not. It could be said that the deception of these characters are punished by death due to their less-than elitist images, whereas Daisy Buchanan...
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...“The Great Gatsby”, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays a world filled with rich societal happenings, love affairs, and corruption. Nick Carraway is the engaged narrator of the book, a curious choice considering that he is in a different class and almost in a different world than Gatsby and the other characters. Nick relates the plot of the story to the reader as a member of Gatsby’s circle. He has ambivalent feelings towards Gatsby, despising his personality and corrupted dream but feeling drawn to Gatsby’s magnificent capacity to hope. Using Nick as a moral guide, Fitzgerald attempts to guide readers on a journey through the novel to illustrate the corruption and failure of the American Dream. To achieve this, Nick’s credentials as a reliable narrator are carefully established and reinforced throughout the story. The American Dream is a sensitive and beloved topic in American culture. Discussing its failure and corruption needs to be done gently and morally. Fitzgerald understood this, and therefore acknowledged the need of a kind and cordial narrator within a materialistic society. Enter Nick Carraway, who on the first page lets readers know “In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgments” pg 7. This statement already serves to set Nick up as a decent and honest man that can be trusted. To back up this statement Fitzgerald included a short section regarding Nick’s family and background. The Carraway’s claim themselves to be loyal Americans. However, when...
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...Fariha Haque Block 5 LA LIT 3 Ms. Gladstone The American Reality The American Dream, a repetitious theme found in literary works dating as far back as the 1600s, was a common misconception. People have held on to these ideals that manipulate and deceive rather than open limitless possibilities. The American Dream prompted people to believe that America was a country that expressed liberty and freedom. The American Dream originated from the Declaration of Independence in which it claimed that “all mean are created equal.”(Academia) and that they are "endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights" including "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." (Academia) While embedded into America’s charter, the American Dream makes the country seem more attractive to foreign lands. However, there were many perspectives on how people perceived the “optimal style of living.” Some believed everyone strived to be rich and were able to live in coexistence. These perspectives were further broken in down in “The Death of a Salesman.” Immigrants entered through the gates of Ellis Island throwing away their home country’s established social hierarchies and caste systems. With high hopes, they created schemas of the elite population versus the poor population. Though, through passing generations, they are only met with disappointment. They cling onto the possibility that life will become normal again and remain in a constant cycle of false hope. These multiple realities have...
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