In the last two stanzas things take a turn for the worst. Daisy no longer has interest in Gatsby because he has become unsafe and demanding. The theme of my poem is love, focusing on Daisy and Gatsby. Love can be described as a strong feeling of affection and concern toward another person, but that’s not the case in the Great Gatsby. Relationships in Great Gatsby are not “loving”and tend to be more motivated by money than true love.
To move forth to the second point, we also come to the idea that Gatsby couldn’t achieve his dream, for he was struggling with the concept of the dream, and we realize this by seeing him trying to love a memory that ceased to exist. As we can be led in, we see in the end of chapter 6 that Gatsby throws a party, but he notices Daisy didn’t like it. As F. Scott Fitzgerald states, “’Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously ‘why of course you can!’” (116) Nick tells Gatsby (in summarization, this is not how he said it specifically) not to feel bad about the past, because you can’t repeat it. Gatsby, in reply, states the quote previously noted. The significance of this quote is that it displays us the feelings Gatsby has for his memories.
On the last few pages of the book, it is said that “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms father…” By this we know for sure that Gatsby had a meaning behind everything he had tried so hard to achieve, and that Fitzgerald used the green light to symbolize everything Gatsby strived for. In the end, he did not gain the acceptance he wanted, but did stand out. Gatsby showed aspiration, and determination for Daisy until it lead him to death. There were many themes included in The Great Gatsby, but the symbolism of the Green Light particularly pertained to Gatsby himself.
They both abhor solitude but are unsure how to find viable friendship. Throughout both novels, many characters, if not the protagonists themselves, express regret over lost potential. Ethan Frome had a “premature end” put to his studies. (Wharton, page 24) His great interest in the narrator’s biochemistry book reflects not only his “aggrieve[ment] at is own ignorance” but also his keen interest for learning. It also reflects his compunction for neglect of his education.
This happens when Gatsby thinks no one is watching him therefore we are able to assume it is not part of his image. Illustrating that he physically reaches out for her emphasises his longing for Daisy. | ‘His heart was in a constant, turbulent riot.’ Ch6 (pg63) | Gatsby isn’t content not satisfied
He is complicit in Dwight’s attempt to lure Rosemary; he finds that they are too deeply entwined to stop the prevent carnage. Dwight’s attempts to “improve” Toby and turn him into a “man”, highlight the extreme vulnerability and sense of powerlessness that pervade many of the surrogate father figures in the novel. Dwight constantly sets him up for ridicule. For example, he makes him “shuck” horse chestnuts without gloves, which is an incredibly difficult task. His fingers become covered with a yellow stain and people think that he is hygienically unclean.
However, Gatsby fails to reach his goal because all social classes are not equal. Those with "new money" are disliked by those with "old money" (like Daisy), and the idea that he was poor disgusts her. This shows the failure of the American Dream. Whilst Gatsby struggles to hide his past, Tom Buchanan has control of the past. When Gatsby attempts to regain the past by persuading Daisy to tell Tom she doesn't love him, Tom destroys Gatsby's dream.
However he starts to have doubts about Jordan when he finds out that she had cheated at a golf tournament. Nick later becomes disgusted with Jordan and their relationship end after he finds out that she was dating another man. Nick now sees Jordan as being spoiled, dishonest, careless and wanting to win everything at the expense of honesty, and trust. Thus, love is once again seen as an unobtainable fantasy After reading the novel it is fair to say that relationships within The Great Gatsby seem to revolve around and are motivated by money, rather than true love, thus relationships are evidently to fail, making love an unobtainable fantasy. Tom Buchanan’s relationship with his secret lover, Myrtle is about sex, while Tom gives Myrtle the money which her own husband cannot provide.
Gatsby cannot overcome the fact that he might not be able to get Daisy. He is utterly obsessed by her and this is proven by; "When I said you were a friend
Holden lives a very mixed up life. Holden is depressed because he learns that he is a failure after leaving Penecy since he flunked every subject except for English. Sally Hayes depresses Holden as well because he doesn’t understand why she wouldn’t want to run away with him. He says to Sally out of no where, "Look...here's my idea, how would you like to get the hell out of here"" (132; ch. 17).