“He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life” In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays a man, by the name of James Gatsby, with a constant picture of hope exhibited on his face. Nick Carroway instantly recognizes that he is distinguished and exudes a rare, but prominent, air of “eternal reassurance.” Nick is transfixed by the “old sport” creating a sense of curiosity and a desire to learn of Gatsby’s affairs. Gatsby is haunted by a time when he and Daisy Buchanan loved each other and dreamed of a future together. He is entirely driven by the need to rekindle his love for Daisy, and Nick soon learns that this is Gatsby’s sole purpose in life. Gatsby, …show more content…
an eternal optimist, still fantasizes of a future with Daisy, although she is wed to Tom Buchanan, and throughout the book, strives to achieve this dream. Even before getting acquainted with Gatsby, Nick notes that he is a mystery because no one knows of his affairs.
Everyone sees the wealthy front Gatsby puts up, but no one truly knows who or what he is. In the instant that Nick meets Gatsby, he recognizes that something is different about him, he is meticulous and his actions are carefully calculated. Nick soon learns that he was invited to Gatsby’s party because he has a connection to Daisy. For five years, Gatsby has been hosting parties hoping that one day, Daisy would wonder in and they would be reacquainted. Because of Gatsby's request, Nick invites Daisy over to his house so Gatsby can see her. After some time, Gatsby and Daisy act as if they have never been apart, even after five years. Nick states, “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams – not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (ch 5). Nick recognizes that Gatsby's hopes are sky high and there is no way Daisy can live up to them. Nick also acknowledges that Gatsby “ had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way.” There was no way of stopping or crushing his dreams, everything that he had done in the past five years was for the sole purpose of finding and pleasing Daisy. The spark between Daisy and Gatsby soon turns into a flame and Gatsby finds himself where he has always dreamed of
being, but still discontent because Tom Buchanan is in the picture. “He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’” (Ch 6). Although his dream of finding and loving Daisy again was right in front of him, Gatsby still wanted Daisy all to himself and would not be satisfied with any other outcome. Daisy, on the other hand, is not too fond of disclosing this information to her husband of four years, despite the fact that he too is unfaithful in their marriage. Daisy remarks, “I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool - that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Constantly turning a blind eye to Tom’s unfaithfulness, Daisy has grown accustom to this lifestyle and finds refuge in Gatsby who loves her and only her. She provides Gatsby with more hope of a future that they could not originally have. Gatsby expresses these hopes and dreams to Nick, but Nick is not convinced of Daisy’s faithfulness to Gatsby. The illusion Gatsby has built up in his mind cannot be acquired in real life, it is too much of the past living in a fantasy devised by a man with too many unreal scenarios. Gatsby loves Daisy, but this love has led to an unfulfilled life, and eventually leads to Gatsby’s demise. Because of his love for Daisy, Gatsby leads everyone to believe that he is the one who kills Mrs. Wilson when, in reality, Daisy was driving Gatsby’s car and is the one who hit Mrs. Wilson. Still believing he and Daisy can be together, Gatsby waits for a reply from her. In the end, Gatsby is killed because of Daisy’s mistake. With no remorse, Tom and Daisy leave town without another word. They do not attend Gatsby’s funeral nor do they contact Nick. After everything, Daisy cannot even attend Gatsby’s funeral. Nick states, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed things and creatures and then retreated back into they're money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (ch 9).
It’s the peak of the nineteen twenties, a time of great modernism and materialism in America. Stockbroker Nick Caraway, a new arrival in Long Island, resides next to a secretive billionaire who goes by the name of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby soon recruits Nick to aid him in rekindling flames with Gatsby’s lost love, Daisy Buchanan, who is actually Nick’s cousin. Although successful at first, the team encounters circumstances that divide Gatsby and Daisy from one another. This story is that of author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s highly acclaimed novel The Great Gatsby. Throughout the tale, the theme that the past is unforgettable is developed through the character Gatsby and his relationship with his long-lost lover, his obsession with material items, and his concealment of the truth.
“ Its attitude is one of disillusionment and detachment; Fitzgerald is still able to evoke the glitter of the 1920s but he is no longer dazzled by it; he sees its underlying emptiness and impoverishment” (Trendell 23)The story is narrated from the point of view of Nick, one of Gatsby’s friends. The problematic and hopeless romantic, Gatsby, sets out to fulfill his dream in acquiring Daisy, his lifelong love, through his many tactics and ideas. Gatsby is introduced extending his arms mysteriously toward a green light in the direction of the water. Later, Gatsby is shown to be the host of many parties for the rich and Nick is invited to one of these parties where Gatsby and Nick meet. When Gatsby later confesses his love for Daisy he explains she was a loved one who was separated from him and hopes to get her again explained when he says, “I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool”(Fitzgerald 56). There are several obstacles that Gatsby must overcome and the biggest one that is Daisy’s current fiancé but that still does not get in the way of him trying to recover Daisy’s old feelings. His attempts are made through money and wealth because he tries to buy her love back instead of letting it happen naturally.
A soft breeze lifts off the Sound and brushes Nick Carraway’s face as he emerges from the shadows into the moonlight. His eyes first gaze across the bay to the house of Tom and Daisy where Nick sees past the walls to people who “...smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together...” (Fitzgerald: 187- 188). Nick’s head then turns to his side where he views Gatsby’ s mansion. His heart swells for the man who was unable to let go of the past, and move toward his future. With the two houses juxtaposed in his mind’s eye, Nick ponders his experiences in the East, and enters the car to take him home with a new perspective on life. Nick’s maturity becomes evident as his perspective of society becomes more realistic as a result of his observing the consequences which occur in unhealthy relationships.
Gatsby’s quest to acquire Daisy was enlarged by his colossal obsession with the idea of being reunited with her, until the time actually came in which something so simple as a tea date was all he asked for in order to meet her. The purpose of acquiring such wealth and an extravagant home seems so pointless when Gatsby decides to meet with Daisy in Nick’s underwhelming cabin. The extravagancy of his vision deeply contrasts the modesty of the acquisition of his goal in this case. This shows a different side of Gatsby and his visions on what he thought would happen when he reached his goal and what actually occurred. Gatsby starts to panic when his visions do not occur when Nick and Gatsby are sat in Nick’s home, waiting for Daisy, Gatsby argues “Nobody’s coming to tea. It’s too late...I can’t wait all day” Fitzgerald 85). Gatsby is clearly very antsy and nervous about seeing Daisy again. He was very deeply in love with her and after 5 long years of waiting to see her again and they are finally reunited. All of his plans will be put into action and all of this planning will make him terribly self conscious
All humans desire a satisfactory last conversation with a dying friend or family member. Those who know their family and friends may die soon try their best to have a meaningful final encounter with the loved one. However, death is not always foreseeable. Many times, family and friends never get to say goodbye. When sudden deaths or lethal accidents occur, companions hope that the person died with a good impression of them. In “The Great Gatsby,” written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the narrator, Nick Carraway, feels satisfied with his farewell to his friend Jay Gatsby. The novel contains only 180 pages, yet contains hidden meanings and symbolism. One must read the story closely to fully comprehend the message of the novel. When analyzed, it becomes clear that Nick’s last goodbye with Gatsby meant a lot to both of them. In Nick and Gatsby’s last scene, he compliments Gatsby. He feels glad that he said this to Gatsby in this scene, because this “was the only compliment he ever gave” Gatsby. This scene reveals Nick’s disapproval of the Buchanans, Gatsby, and the culture of New York in the 1920s. Throughout this scene, Fitzgerald effectively criticizes the culture of the 1920s through Nick’s opinion of his friends.
The Great Gatsby: The Question of Nick Carraway's Integrity. In pursuing relationships, we come to know people step by step. Unfortunately, as our knowledge of others deepens, we often move from enchantment to disenchantment. Initially we overlook flaws or wish them away; only later do we realize the peril of this course.
He wants to marry her,but because of this problem to reach her standards. Once he reaches his goal of gaining the appropriate amount of wealth,he buys a house which is close to hers “Gatsby bought that house so Daisy would be just across the bay(p83).”He throws huge,extravagant parties,in hope that she might happen to show up at one of them. Gatsby does not actually even attend these parties,as he is not much of a socializer,instead he only watches them from a distance,inside his house. After a while Carraway,the narrator of the novel,who is a cousin of Daisy. After some discussion Nick agrees to set up a meeting between Gatsby and Daisy.
When reflecting on his memories of the man he knew as Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway recalls the unique individual’s finest quality: “It was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again” (Fitzgerald 2). Although Gatsby occasionally stepped off the straight and narrow, he never lost sight of his ultimate goal: Daisy’s love. Even when it seemed as though everything was working against him and that he would never regain his lost love, Gatsby kept going, knowing that the strength of his hope would see him through. His childlike determination, while ultimately his downfall, was what made Gatsby truly “great.”
Hugh Hefner once said, “I looked back on the roaring Twenties, with its jazz, 'Great Gatsby' and the pre-Code films as a party I had somehow managed to miss.” The parties of the Roaring Twenties were used to symbolize wealth and power in a society that was focused more on materialism and gossip than the important things in life, like family, security, and friends. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, portrays the characters of Tom and Daisy Buchanan as the epitome of the era. The reader sees these characters acting selfishly and trying to meddle with others’ lives. On the other hand, Nick Carraway, the narrator, acts more to help others and act honestly. Initially the reader sees Carraway’s views towards Jay Gatsby as negative as Gatsby’s actions are perceived as being like the Buchanan’s. As the novel moves forward, the reader notices a change in Carraway’s attitude towards Gatsby. Carraway sees Gatsby for whom he truly is, and that is a loving person who only became rich to win Daisy’s heart. But in this the reader also sees how corrupt and hurtful Gatsby’s actions were to the love of his life. Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy reveals that just as Gatsby’s dream of wooing Daisy is corrupted by illegalities and dishonesty, the “American Dream” of friendship and individualism has disintegrated into the simple pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure.
The novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald relates the story of the mysterious Jay Gatsby through the eyes of an idealistic man that moves in next door to the eccentric millionaire. Nick Carraway comes to the east coast with dreams of wealth, high society, and success on his mind. It is not long before Gatsby becomes one of his closest friends who offers him the very lifestyle and status that Nick came looking for. As the story unfolds, it is easy to see that the focus on Jay Gatsby creates a false sense of what the story truly is. The Great Gatsby is not the tragic tale of James Gatz (Jay Gatsby), but rather the coming of age story of Nick Carraway. In many ways the journeys of Gatsby and Nick are parallel to one another, but in the end it’s Nick’s initiation into the real world that wins out.
Gatsby downfall came when he sacrificed his morality to attain wealth. Gatsby realises that the illusion of his dream with Daisy, demands wealth to become priority, and thus wealth becomes the desire overriding his need for her [Daisy’s] love. Gatsby claims to others that he has inherited his wealth, but Nick discovers "[h]is parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people" (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, pg 104) and that Gatsby has lied about his past. In a society that relies on luxuries, Gatsby throws parties to attract Daisy’s attention. Also, Gatsby expresses that same need to keep busy, just as Daisy does, in a society of the elite. Nick describes Gatsby as "never quite still, there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand" (Fitzgerald, pg 68). Gatsby fills his house "full of interesting people...who do interesting things" (Fitzgerald, pg 96). Gatsby's dream is doomed to failure in that he has lost the fundamental necessities to experience love, such as honesty and moral integrity.
From the beginning of The Great Gatsby by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway is developed as a reliable narrator. His honesty and sense of duty are established as he remarks on his own objectivity and willingness to withhold judgment. However, as the book progresses and Nick’s relationship with Jay Gatsby grows more intimate, it is revealed that Nick is not as reliable as previously thought when it comes to Gatsby. Nick perceives Gatsby as pure and blameless, although much of Gatsby's persona is false. Because of his friendship and love for Gatsby, his view of the events is fogged and he is unable to look at the situation objectively.
Gatsby’s obsession of his love for Daisy and wealth prove his dream as unattainable. Throughout the novel, he consumes himself into lies to cheat his way into people’s minds convincing them he is this wealthy and prosperous man. Gatsby tries to win Daisy’s love through his illusion of success and relive the past, but fails to comprehend his mind as too hopeful for something impossible. In the end, Nick is the only one to truly understand Gatsby’s hopeful aspirations he set out for himself but ultimately could not obtain. In the novel, F. Scott Fitzgerald is able to parallel many themes of the roaring twenties to current society. The ideas of high expectations and obsession of the material world are noticeable throughout the history and is evident in many lives of people today.
In conclusion Gatsby went from powerful millionaire to obsessive lover boy. However it does not end here. Gatsby as a whole can be seen as a cautionary tale, warning its readers to not base their hopes on hallow dreams at Gatsby did. However it’s what he did to attain his status earns him his “greatness”, his self-invention, his talent to make his dreams come true. So there is some good that comes from all the disarray and further cynical attitude set forth by its narrator Nick. Like Odysseus in the Odyssey, he had an undying perseverance to get home or in this case win Daisy back, but like any of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes he did enough to induce his downfall. He chased the American Dream, in constant pursuit with no sign of stopping, even if it killed him.
Thirdly, in F. Scott Fitzgerald's, Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway has to much faith in his neighbor, Jay Gatsby, which leads to consequences. In Nick's younger years, his father gave him advice that"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had"(Fitzgerald 1). With this in the back his mind, Nick, who is originally from Minnesota, moves into a small shack in Long Island that "was an eye-sore"(7) , next to the mysterious Jay Gatsby's mansion. Almost every Saturday, at the mansion is elaborate parties are going on but Jay Gatsby was never seen visible. One Saturday morning "a chauffeur in a uniform of robin's egg blue crossed (Nick's) lawn,[...] with a surprisingly formal not from his employed --- the honor would be entirely Gatsby's, if I would attend his 'little party' that night"(45).