Etienne De Leon Professor Prietas R. English III 2/27/2014 The Great Ambition Dream, love, and unreachable- pretty depressing concepts. You see them in life, witness them in action, and notice how many people suffer. They long for love, and their dreams, but to some, such ideas are unreachable. Although, to others it may be more mental thoughts of pessimism, but the rest, they literally can’t reach for their goals. In the novel “The Great Gatsby”, we meet a wealthy mysterious man named Gatsby.
He is never satisfied with what he has and once he acquires what he wants he moves onto another dream. Such as after he changes his name and starts a new exciting life he dreams of being rich and powerful, then his dream is to win over a lost love and even after he has won over Daisy he still wants more from her which she is incapable of giving. Through Jay Gatsby’s tragic story, Fitzgerald is suggesting that the American Dream is unattainable if rooted in greed. Hickey suggests that he is also implying a warning to not future generations, “The Great Gatsby might be interpreted as a warning not only to Fitzgerald’s generation but to future generations as well. Beware of pursuing that “orgiastic future” with too much fervor; one might well be destroyed by it, just as Gatsby is.” (Hickey
Jay Gatsby was a man who became trapped by his own dream and received in life what he deserved. Upon meeting Daisy, a beautiful women born rich they had an affair. Gatsby know he couldn’t live up to her expectations of the life style she was accustomed to for he lacked wealth. Gatsby became a man who inspired himself to achieve to be among the American rich society and win the love of Daisy. He was not
Tom is so arrogant that he thinks he can do whatever he wants. Additionally, after Gatsby had struck Myrtle with his big yellow car, Tom see’s Myrtle’s dead body for the first time, but Tom doesn’t stay around for long. Nick narrates, “There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind, and as we drove away Tom was feeling the hot whips of panic”(125). Again, Tom is visually stressed on the inside and out because Myrtle is dead. Also his abusive actions, and leaving the death scene without caring is wrong.
When Knox becomes obsessed with a certain girl named “Chris”—without actually meeting her—he ends up risking his life to win her heart. In both cases, characters assume individual authority for their choices and stop obeying traditional authority figures; they embark on a trip of self-discovery and individual growth that will have a lasting impact on their futures. One obvious example of existentialism is Neil Perry’s unfortunate suicide. When Neil Perry decides to pursue a career in the performing arts, rather than in medicine, his father, Mr. Perry, is furious. Unmoved by Neil’s extraordinary performance in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mr. Perry continues to insist on controlling his son’s life and dictating his every move.
When Knox becomes obsessed with a certain girl named “Chris”—without actually meeting her—he ends up risking his life to win her heart. In both cases, characters assume individual authority for their choices and stop obeying traditional authority figures; they embark on a trip of self-discovery and individual growth that will have a lasting impact on their futures. One obvious example of existentialism is Neil Perry’s unfortunate suicide. When Neil Perry decides to pursue a career in the performing arts, rather than in medicine, his father, Mr. Perry, is furious. Unmoved by Neil’s extraordinary performance in the play A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Mr. Perry continues to insist on controlling his son’s life and dictating his every move.
His wife and his mistress, until an hour ago secure and inviolate were slipping precipitately from his control.”(p.119) Tom knows that Daisy only married him for his money and although she has developed feelings for him, he fears that if he leaves her for Myrtle she will turn to Gatsby. Tom may in fact feel threaten by how Gatsby has such an extravagant house and parties. Tom has been rich all his life and it isn’t until Gatsby shows up does he realize that he might lose Daisy. Because of this Tom tells Myrtle that he and Daisy cannot get a divorce because she is a Christian. It is evident that he is not happy being married to Daisy because he has an affair with Myrtle.
Romantic movies distort and create false expectations of true love. They show exaggerated stories that are used to entertain, yet young women get wound up in the thought that they will find someone that will meet up to these expectations. These set beliefs can affect them in a negative way and often lead to disappointment. Books like A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Great Gatsby, and movies like The Notebook are all examples of love stories that produce that false hope. Women begin to think that they will find a perfect man that will hand them the world, that they should dedicate themselves to finding this man, and that they deserve an elaborate story full of passion and desire.
Illusion of Being Well Liked Through the character Jay Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald disproves the idea that money can buy happiness, friendship and love. Through the actions of Gatsby, Fitzgerald portrays the idea that wealth cannot buy happiness. Gatsby having all the money in the world, still does not make him happy. Even though he has nice clothes, a car, a mansion and good looks he still is unhappy because a life with Daisy was his main goal and he never reached it. Trying to show off all of his possessions didn't impress her, but made her feel sad.
The Pearl written by John E. Steinbeck is a literary creation that intensely portrays substance of avarice in human being. The protagonist in the novel, Kino, often feels displeasure due to the lack of education in his life and the gulf between the rich and poor in the society. The stern realities of life make Kino unable to find a solution for his misery until his miraculous discovery of ‘the Pearl of the World.’ The pearl in this novel is depicted as a reflection of human being and shows two different sides of human: purity and vileness. The uncolored parable about affluence and the evil it can bring put an ultimate question to the readers: what is real happiness? Since Kino is a victim of a society that is plagued by injustice and discrimination, he dreams of a brighter future for his family.