Comparing The Great Gatsby And A Streetcar Named Desire

Illusive Natures in The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire
Illusive natures and concealment of a person’s true identity are often evidenced in modern literature and even through our personal lives. Judy Garland, a renowned actress, once claimed, “How strange once an illusion dies. It’s as though you’ve lost a child.” It can be inferred from this that destructive circumstances result because of an illusive nature. This idea is clearly illustrated in both A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The lead protagonists, Blanche Dubois and Jay Gatsby, in both texts put on a facade. Their illusive natures are depicted through their personal possessions (important literary symbols), mysterious

pasts and even through scene setting, colorful descriptions of the character and common motifs that the author displays.
Firstly, both protagonists own distinct possessions that conceal their true identity. Gatsby’s possessions includes his library which contains an array of books and his Rolls-Royce (omnibus). These objects are deceptive because they conceal his past/real identity. As The Owl-Eyed man notes, “It’s a bona fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. This fella’s a regular Belasco. It’s a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop too – didn’t cut the pages.” (Fitzgerald 50)
This asserts that Gatsby never read his books. They were an “illusion” created to distort reality. They were merely there for show because Gatsby wanted to appear sophisticated (to prove that he was an “Oxford man”). The Owl-Eyed man is impressed by this and further comments that he’s like Belasco (literary allusion) who was known for his stage props. Similarly, Nick Carraway also comments on Gatsby’s Rolls-Royce stating: “It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hatboxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns.” (Fitzgerald 69)This illustrates the lavishness of Gatsby’s car and how it added to his wealthy image. Gatsby’s car often commuted throughout town and brought people to his parties. The people realized how affluent Gatsby was upon seeing the omnibus (the car’s various compartments and rich color). They probably considered him to be “old money” which was what Gatsby wanted. The omnibus and library fueled the illusion by giving Gatsby a false reputation (affluent and educated).
Similarly, Blanche Dubois also possesses objects which veil her true appearance or reality.

These objects are the rhinestone tiara and her various accouterments (clothes she possess). Stanley Kowalski mentions to Stella Kowalski: “And diamonds! A crown for an empress!” (Williams 36) Blanche fools Stanley and other people by creating an aura of sophistication, in reality the tiara was from a costume ball and wasn’t real diamond. This aura of sophistication that Blanche creates is also witnessed in the concluding scene when Blanche states: “It’s Della Robbia blue. The blue of the robe in the old Madonna pictures.” (Williams 135) This is in response to Stella and Eunice who claimed that the jacket was lilac and blue. Blanche was appalled by this and corrected them. Blanche tells them that the robe is similar to what Madonna wore, thus creating that aura of sophistication. Blanche relates herself to Madonna – someone who’s sophisticated – because that’s the kind of person that Blanche wants to be connected to. In reality both the tiara and the jacket are deceptive, creating false images. This illustrates that despite the ordeal that Blanche went through (Harold Mitchell deserted her and Stanley abused her) she still surrounded herself with the illusory image at the end of the play (she was still the same person and hadn’t changed). Similarly, as the Old-Eyed man observes: “They used to go there by the hundreds!” (Fitzgerald 187) It depicts how lonely Gatsby was at the end and

how no one had showed up at his funeral, despite the lavish aura he created and elegant parties.
Secondly, both Blanche and Gatsby avoid their past because it’s a depiction of where they stand – the truth.

Gatsby does so by changing his name and concealing how he earns his wealth. As Nick Carraway observes: “James Gatz – that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen…” (Fitzgerald 105) Gatsby changed his name because he didn’t wanted to be connected with his past and wanted to avoid it. He didn’t want people to know that he came from a despondent background (his parents were farmers). He wanted people to think that he was “old money” so that he could win Daisy’s affection. By changing his name people weren’t aware of his meagre past because he wasn’t born into a wealthy family. There were also numerous rumors affiliated with Gatsby such as him being Kaiser Wilhelm’s nephew because people don’t know how he acquired his wealth. Tom also states that, “A lot of these newly rich people are just big bootleggers, you know.” (Fitzgerald 115) This proves that it’s inevitable that the past will be revealed and that Tom is aware that Gatsby didn’t inherit his money but is earning it dishonestly. This shatters the illusion that Gatsby has tried too hard to

maintain.
In addition to this, Blanche conceals her past and her meagre conditions in order to live with Stella; to have a fresh start. She claims: “I was so exhausted by all I’d been through…he suggested I take a leave of absence.” (Williams 21) Blanche told Stella that she was on a break when in reality she had been fired for her promiscuity (affair with a student). She doesn’t tell Stella this but Stanley manages to find out and Blanche’s life takes a turn.