Within the literature of love, it is evident that lovers often come into conflict with society’s conventions. In both F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 tragic novella, “The Great Gatsby” and Thomas Hardy’s “At an Inn”, both the speaker and Jay Gatsby are restrained by the laws of men and the social conventions of their repressive societies. However, whilst Hardy’s speaker realises that the opportunity for love is lost, Gatsby’s idyllic dream of Daisy is never broken, even in his death. Alternatively, “The Garden of Love” by William Blake depicts religious conventions as repressive, with the established church acting as the dominant force against love; in both Blake’s poem and Fitzgerald’s novella, love is presented as a long-lost, sought-after memory. …show more content…
Compared to Blake’s “The Garden of Love”, the societal conventions which prevent their love are social class and adultery, compared to religion in Blake’s poem. Myrtle Wilson is characterised by Fitzgerald as an ambitious character, someone with an “immediately perceptible vitality” (CH). 2. Contrast with her husband who is instead depicted as a “spiritless man”. Whilst Wilson has inevitably given up on the American Dream, Myrtle, with the changing 1920s background, appears as a chaser. Therefore, Fitzgerald presents the affair between Tom and Myrtle as one of desire – Tom desires to seek the “dramatic turbulence of an irrecoverable football game” (CH. 1. Myrtle strives to achieve the American Dream. The carelessness of their affair is highlighted in Myrtle’s material desires – the purchase of the dog with no thought whatsoever reveals how Myrtle wishes to appear reckless and abundant, just like women of the upper classes i.e. Daisy Buchanan. Myrtle Wilson believes she can obtain the American Dream through marrying Tom Buchanan, similar to Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship. Catherine says, “Tom’s the first sweetie she ever had”. 2. Highlighting that Myrtle doesn’t view her own husband as a “sweetie” because he isn’t rich, like she thought him to be (“I thought he was a gentleman”). Myrtle, just like Gatsby, feigns status, with lines like “I just slip it on sometimes when I don’t care what I look like” and “these people! You have to keep after them all the time” conveying her facade of wealth. However, what she doesn’t realise is that she will never be like Daisy. Because of their differing social classes, Tom will never care for her or provide security for her the same way he would with Daisy. His numerous affairs with lower-class women suggest he views them as worthless, and therefore not true affairs. It can
The first time that the reader catches an insight of Myrtle, Fitzgerald develops Myrtle to be a mere object of Tom's’ desire. Fitzgerald does this to extenuate the fact that Tom will not move on past Daisy to be with her. Tom “got some women” that supposedly is a secret but there is a lack of secretism on Myrtles end seeing as she is now calling during evening meals from “New York” just to talk to Tom. This further proves that she is in need of attention, something her husband can not fully give her at any random moment of the day. Myrtle is willing to express herself even when she’s already married. It reveals that she is deceiving her own husband, who is later mentioned in the novel. This allows for Myrtle to be looked down upon by the reader, it also entails her to be seen as an attention seeker. Again, Fitzgerald appeals to present-day behaviors by allowing Myrtle to be viewed as someone who wants to be showcased. Almost everyone can relate that they’ve wanted attention in their life at some point. This connects Myrtle to the reader's past or current feelings. Fitzgerald uses this to let readers feel compassion for Myrtle which emphasizes all she needs is for someone to properly love her, treat her, and show her what she needs to do to become successful in her
Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are two major characters in the Great Gatsby and they both share a love for the same person, Daisy. Tom is a wealthy man who is married to Daisy. Nonetheless, he has a secret lover named Myrtle that everyone except Daisy knew about. Jay Gatsby, the other major character was a mysterious character for the first few chapters. There were many stories that circled around him like that he killed a man or that he inherited his money from his family all of which were lies. Jay had a deep love for Daisy ever since he was an officer, and when he went to war Daisy said she would wait for him, but she didn't and she had married Tom leaving Jay alone. While a lot of differences between Jay and Tom are evident, the similarities are pronounced.
The author wants the reader to dislike Myrtle for her loud, obnoxious nature, her unfaithfulness, and her overall unpleasant temperament. She is portrayed in a negative light, and any reader would describe her in a negative way. In spite of their varying social statuses, both Daisy Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson alike seem to be unhappily married. Daisy is aware of Tom’s mistress, but she chooses to ignore it and to avoid showing her emotions.
Myrtle Wilson takes on the task of gaining social status and wealth in a corrupt way. Myrtle Wilson betrays her husband to climb the ladder of wealth. Tom Buchanan becomes used by Myrtle to acquire glistening mounds of wealth. “Myrtle Wilson does not have many material items. She has a loyal husband, but Myrtle wants everything else… She feels she deserves more; she feels that she deserves more; she feels she deserves Tom, his money, power, and influence” (Dawson). Myrtle Wilson’s intentions become obvious during The Great Gatsby. If Myrtle Wilson wanted love, she could have looked to her husband, George Wilson, who truly loved her. Her dream of wealth, however, dominated her desire of love. Myrtle could have easily ended her relationship with Tom due to his frequent violence if it was simply about love. Myrtle could endure the violence if it meant she could achieve her American
Myrtle is unhappy in her life with her husband George and desires more, especially more money. Tom’s actions caused Myrtle to create the delusion that he would soon be leaving Daisy to be with her, further claiming that it is Daisy keeping them apart because “‘She’s a Catholic, and they don’t believe in divorce’” (Fitzgerald 33). Although, Nick, Daisy’s cousin, said, “Daisy was not a Catholic” and expressed his shock “at the elaborateness of the lie” (Fitzgerald 33). Tom was never planning to leave Daisy to be with Myrtle, he only planned to use her to cheat on his wife, yet Myrtle becomes so attached to this lie it becomes her life. Tom’s true intentions are revealed when he buys Myrtle a dog. She is “enthusiastic” about the idea expressing how she thinks “it’s cute” (Fitzgerald 28). By buying her the dog she wants, Myrtle believes Tom is spoiling her, since he bought her a dog on a whim, because she thought it was cute. Tom, on the other hand, does not think it is a big deal to spend ten dollars on a dog since he has an abundance of wealth at his disposal. All the while, he is fully aware of the scam the man is pulling recognizing, “It’s a bitch”, not a boy like the man claimed (Fitzgerald 28). Furthermore, Tom understands that his money will be used to “buy ten more dogs”, through his tone looking down on the
The Roaring Twenties, a time that embodies the essence of the American Dream, is the setting behind the Great Gatsby; it was a time when self-indulgence overshadowed the moral compass of society. In Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald exemplifies this attitude of society through the observations of his narrator, Nick Carraway, who serves as the moral compass throughout the book. Nick, a young man inclined to reserve judgment, from Minnesota goes to New York City to learn the bond business. He moves in to a small house in West Egg where he observes multiple issues between opposing characters, which causes him to morally change and ethically grow. According to Fraser, the technique of counterpoint is used as a major technical device by Fitzgerald to construct instances where Nick is put in a situation out of his comfort zone. Nick is forced to change as a character to understand and analyze the situations he observes and experiences. Nick is morally changed and ethically defined in a positive way because of his observations of the contrasts between characters, setting and plot.
Myrtle is selfish, shallow and greedy. She is willing to degrade herself for the chase of materialistic dream of money and power. Her desire for a lavish life causes her to step outside her marriage with George Wilson because he does not have the financial capabilities to satisfy her shallow needs. Myrtle has an affair with Tom Buchanan because he fulfills that financial aspect she thrives for. Myrtle becomes a bigger fool while seeing Tom because he physically abuses her and Tom knows she won’t leave because she wants to be a part in his social stratification. “Some time toward midnight Tom Buchanan and Mrs. Wilson stood face to face discussing, in impassioned voices, whether Mrs. Wilson had any right to mention Daisy's name."Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai –– "Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (Chapter 2). Tom showers Myrtle with lies that he will leave Daisy and marry her but that never happens. Myrtle decision to stay in her affair with Tom harms her marriage with George Wilson, which unfortunately this leads to her tragic death. Due to Myrtle foolishness to accept the loss of her unrealistic dreams, Myrtle puts herself in a life or death situation, where she is struck by a car. Unknown to Myrtle, the driver of the car
The novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald is one which deals with theme of unrequited love. Jay Gatsby has spent the last five years attempting to find the person who he believes is the love of his life-Daisy Buchanan. However, Gatsby’s love is not received by Daisy, which leads the reader to question the motives for his love for her. Fitzgerald is able to achieve this through the use of certain literary techniques such as: themes, characterisation and symbolism. Through this Fitzgerald is able to convey a powerful message about the hurtful nature of love.
The relationship between Myrtle and Tom is used by Fitzgerald to demonstrate the consequences of their affair. Daisy finds out that “Tom has some girl in New York” and it hurts her, because as her husband he should be faithful and should try his best to provide for her (Fitzgerald 15).
They pursued the American dream of material wealth. Their lives were full of every materialistic object that one could imagine of, however they were very unhappy and sought to change their way of living. Tom drifts off to "forever seeking a little wistful for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game"(Fitzgerald 10) and he begins to read "deep books with long words in them"(17) just so that he can have a topic conversation with others. Tom is married to Daisy Buchanan; however, he has an apartment in New York and has an affair with Myrtle Wilson there. Daisy Buchanan is one who is empty on the inside, and she demonstrates herself to the world as if she is oblivious to her husband’s affair with Myrtle.
Tom and Daisy Buchanan, the rich couple, seem to have everything they could possibly want. Though their lives are full of anything you could imagine, they are unhappy and seek to change, Tom drifts on "forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game"(pg. 10) and reads "deep books with long words in them"(pg. 17) just so he has something to talk about. Even though Tom is married to Daisy he has an affair with Myrtle Wilson and has apartment with her in New York.. Daisy is an empty character, someone with hardly any convictions or desires. Even before her relationships with Tom or, Gatsby are seen, Daisy does nothing but sit around all day and wonder what to do with herself and her friend Jordan. She knows that Tom is having an affair, yet she doesn't leave him even when she hears about Gatsby loving her. Daisy lets Gatsby know that she too is in love with him but cant bring herself to tell Tom goodbye except when Gatsby forces her too. Even then, once Tom begs her to stay, even then Daisy forever leaves Gatsby for her old life of comfort. Daisy and Tom are perfect examples of wealth and prosperity, and the American Dream. Yet their lives are empty, and without purpose.
Daisy is young, beautiful and quite the socialite. She attracts everyone around her with a “stirring warmth [that] flowed from her as if her heart was trying to come out to you concealed in one of those breathless, trilling words” (Fitzgerald 19). As her cousin Nick Carraway- the narrator of the story and keeper of all secrets throughout the story- describes her, he emphasizes that there is something deceiving about Daisy that made those around her intrigued and invested in her and what she had to say. She and her husband Tom Buchanan “moved with a fast crowd, all of them young and rich and wild, but she came out with a perfect reputation” amidst the fun, hectic and chaotic 1920s (Fitzgerald 82). To those around her Daisy has a desired life as the wife to the extraordinarily wealthy Tom Buchanan- a famous polo player in his college years- with a beautiful young daughter, a big house in the West Egg area of Long Island and plenty of money to spare. However, her seemingly glorious life is not as wonderful as it seems due to her knowledge of her husband’s affair with a young poorer woman named Myrtle Wilson. In Tom and Daisy’s relationship their love for one another is questionable as “Daisy’s affections cannot be relied upon” and neither can her husband’s
An economy is always changing, more and more people are being kicked from it or becoming visible to it again. However, what is the best plan to reduce those who are kicked from it The Gracchi Brothers, Dr.King, or President Obama's plan? The answer is the Gracchi Brothers’ economic plan that was introduced to the Romans in or around 2 century B.C. while wealthy patricians had been taken over Plebeian land. The plan was to “Redistribute the, 300 acres per person. Do not allow plebs to sell their land,” (Yero 40), and “lower the prices of grain and lowering the price of rent to the common people,” (Yero 45,46). This plan was made for the plebeians who supported very well because they felt invisible and this was the plan to make plebeians who
In a world where wealth determines power, the character, Tom Buchanan, is an exemplary model of the American dream and how it is unattainable. Tom Buchanan represents a lifestyle in which many Americans live today, a lifestyle becoming increasingly more popular in modern times. Especially in today’s society, infidelity is becoming more and more acceptable to each generation. F. Scott Fitzgerald could see this happening in the society around him, and, in turn, created the character, Tom Buchanan, in “The Great Gatsby” to illustrate that ideology that was slowly becoming acceptable in today’s society and portray it in its true and repulsive form.
Myrtle has never got it her way, other than with Tom in a way. Plus, Fitzgerald highlights Myrtle’s bad habits, unlike Daisy’s habits; although, she mostly wants what Daisy has, like comfort and love. Moreover, myrtle plants can be climbing plants, which require support to live; consistently, Myrtle needs to reassurance, for she is highly insecure. Furthermore, Myrtle comes from the depressing ash heaps, and Tom and Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator, constantly look down their noses at her. For instance, Nick thinks poorly of Myrtle just for reading gossip magazines, rather than the newspaper (Fitzgerald 29). The myrtle flower is sacred to the Greek goddesses Demeter, goddess of the harvest, and Aphrodite, goddess of love. The myrtle flower is a common symbol of true love, and it is the Hebrew symbol for marriage. In pre-Victorian England, the myrtle symbolized good luck and love in a marriage. In Victorian England, the myrtle flower emblematic of Germany, which relates to non-Nordic origins (Nelson 232-5). Myrtles have always been a flower of love, yet Fitzgerald made myrtle Wilson a tragic character; if society aims to create unnecessary hierarchies, America can end in a tragic state just the same. Myrtle never achieves her goals for love or to get away all because Daisy’s carelessness. Fitzgerald knew of the harm internal strife could cause in the white communities, and he