His success seems to have brought nothing but good, he‘s incredibly rich, respected, and highly admired. However, he abruptly ends it all one day. Much to everyone’s surprise, he decides to shoot himself. Paul Simon did a variation on Robinson’s poem. Both tell the same story they have several similarities and differences.
Both men are young and acquired their money at an early stage in their lives. Tom however acquired his money by simply inheriting it, “his family were enormously wealthy- even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach” (Fitzgerald 11). His birth into old money allows him to never work to gain his earnings; they are just given to him. Opposite to the means of how Tom acquires his wealth, Gatsby gains his wealth by working hard throughout his life. He gains his wealth by any means possible, from doing odd jobs, to breaking the law.
Nick is one of these rare people; Nick is possibly the only individual who truly comes to comprehend and appreciate Gatsby in the end. What makes Gatsby so “great” to Nick is not just the luxury of his daily life and the mesmerizing mystery of his wealth, but his actual personality; Nick gradually recognizes that Gatsby, in his inner self, does not care about his wealth, or social standing, or any of the other unimportant belongings that seems to be significant to everyone else in his superficial world. Rather, Gatsby is interested by the most delicate and craziest of feelings, love.
He is successful because he is the only one who can confront reality and see through the rose colored glasses. Everyone else had a false sense of reality and could not see or admit the truth. Biff, on the other hand, is comfortable with the fact that he is just an average man, something Willy, was never able to accept. Another reason Biff is successful is because he chases his dreams and what he enjoys doing in life. Biff knew that the life of a salesman was not his own dream but his father’s dream for him.
He goes by the name of Gatsby in the novel, he changes his name to suit his new lifestyle because he didn’t want to be reminded of his past. He did such a good job of forgetting his own name why couldn’t he let go of his love for Daisy Buchanan as well. Gatsby is a man that you would describe as perfection. He is filled with all the money you could ask for, well known to the public although no one knows him personally, and has that charm that brightens up the room. He throws the biggest parties, which he does not attend, and builds the biggest mansion he could
He was the son of god-a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that-and he must be about his fathers business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty” (Fitzgerald 98). Nick refers to Gatsby as a god, in the sense that god’s admit no limitations. The lack of restriction allows Gatsby to reach the “platonic conception of himself” because the pursuit of beauty cannot be achieved with hesitation. Gatsby grew up poor, and when he was young he decided that he was going to change, he was going to become rich and successful and the mere fact that he actually went out an achieved such a fiat is nick’s definition of “great”. Nick also found Gatsby beautiful in his ability to not only believe in himself but also project that optimism on everyone around him.
Basil and Henry discuss just how perfectly perfect Dorian is – he's totally innocent and completely good, as well as being the most beautiful guy ever to walk the earth. Lord Henry wants to meet this mysterious boy, but Basil doesn't want him to; for some reason, he's afraid of what will happen to Dorian if Lord Henry digs his claws into him. Basil Hallward is a talented, though somewhat conventionally minded, painter. His love for Dorian Gray changes the way he sees art; indeed, it defines a new school of expression for him. Basil’s portrait of Dorian marks a new phase of his career.
READING Pages 94-104 Key Points: · Walden believes that modern society has placed too much value on materialistic things; as a whole has spent money on everything EXCEPT curing the mind. · The great Classics are the worlds most valuable resource; they are timeless and can speak to the soul of every man. · There is no difference between a man who cannot read and a man that can read but chooses to never read great works. "These same questions that disturb and puzzle and confound us have in their turn occurred to all the wise men; not one has been omitted; and each has answered them, according to his ability, by his words and his life." (page 102, Chapter "Reading") Walden theorizes that any and all questions had by modern man have
The preface also establishes many of the novel’s themes. The chapter one starts with a description of Basil Hallward. Basil is a respected painter who is entertaining his friend, Lord Henry Wotton. Lord Henry admires Basil’s latest work-in-progress. It’s a portrait of Dorian Gray, a beautiful young man.
As we know everything in our life depends on freak of chance, but old Anthony thinks that money can decide all problems of his life. Old Anthony is a wealth tycoon of Rockwell’s Eureka Soap. He is very fond and proud of his son Richard. Old Anthony is absolutely sure that money is omnipotent and he tries to convince his son that money can do everything. From one side we can see Anthony and his wealth (his views about real feelings, about love) and from another side we see Richard and his feelings.