Examples Of Delusions In The Great Gatsby

In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays what is thought to be the American dream through the eyes of narrator Nick Carraway in order to ask, “What are the effects of life lies and delusions if they are perceived as reality?”, which he asserts that life lies can only prolong suffering and lead to greater pain rather than alleviate it through Gatsby’s fabrication of a new past for himself, Nick’s denial of himself and the lives of the people around him, and Myrtle’s belief she was going to be released from a life of poverty into the luxurious aristocracy. Gatsby, a man resentful of his past, has transformed his lack of confidence in the truth into a hopeless infatuation with Daisy and what she meant to his past and his

As the narrator of the novel, every event and piece of knowledge presented in the The Great Gatsby is filtered through Nick, although he credits himself as “one of the few honest people that I have ever known” the reader can deduce his inclination to lie, since his hypocritical comment that in spite of his “[inclination] to reserve all judgements” he has become “the victim of not a few veteran bores” (Fitzgerald 59, 1). Nick desires to be part of the upper class shown through his move to West Egg and his values held in luxury over truth causing him to highly regard tactfully convincing liars and mock amateurs. He admires a woman whose bold lies show a “surprising amount of character”, yet claims “dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply” (Fitzgerald 163, 58). On the other hand, Gatsby’s vibrant, “threadbare” yarns are worthy of mocking along with his supposed ruby collection and overly excited display of his Oxford photograph to prove he went there. While Nick is quick to point out deceit in the ways of others, he is oblivious to his own bias, hypocrisy, and lies, creating a delusion of self-righteousness. After starting to go out with Jordan, he reveals a “vague understanding” with a girl back in Minnesota, Nick’s home, that should be

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