Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Willy Loman

The Great Gatsby is a novel about identities, as each of the big characters endeavor to find or create himself or herself as an independent figure in the twentieth century American life. In the 1920s F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" was produced, which also marked the golden age. Jay Gatsby was a man with a lot of money, associates, and not many friends. Although, Nick Carraway narrates the novel, he is a stockbroker in New York, he becomes friends with his rich neighbor Gatsby. Jay Gatsby is the primary character that believes in the American Dream. These attributes are also like the customs of Willy Loman in the short story, "Death of a Salesman" because he too believes in the American Dream, just a tad bit differently. Willy Loman

was very insecure about himself, unlikeable, and he was not even to great at what he did for a living. He tried to make the best of each situation by lying to his family, but in his head, he was a very successful salesman. However, Gatsby and Loman had the same beliefs, they were also set out for a separate journey. Jay Gatsby hoped to gain his love back for Daisy Buchanon, whereas Willy Loman just wanted a happy family with success. The use of speech and dialogue through characterization gives us examples of two present- day tragic heroes because of their choices, which resulted in their downfall and ultimate tragic ending in the vain pursuit of the American Dream.

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Scott Fitzgerald and Arthur Miller's use of direct characterization shows Gatsby and Willy's misapprehension of identity in their tragic ending because in their pursuit, they lose track of their Hollywood ending, confusing it with greed. Although, Gatsby and Willy Loman are characterized and portrayed as wanting to be successful, liked, their lifestyle is the result of the betrayal and lies they live. Gatsby makes an appearance from the military as an idol and Willy Loman works hard to be well-liked and gain material success. Loman feels temporary about himself. Arthur Miller uses indirect characterization to emphasize that he wants Ben to stay another day, "Can't you stay a few days? You're just what I need, Ben, because I—I have a fine position here, but I --- well, Dad left when I was such a baby and I never had a chance to talk to him and I feel kind of temporary about myself (Williams 185). The fact that Willy feels that way about himself is transparently reflected in his inability to come to a thought after he raised the issue of his identity. Willy uses "I" a lot, which brings us to the conclusion he is either uncomfortable or self-conscious. However, Gatsby's extravagant lifestyle leaves us to wonder about many other mysterious things, such as his identity. Witkoski points out, "Gatsby is not Gatsby but Jimmy Gatz, a poor boy from the [M]idwest" Gatsby in a sense is hiding his identity and past from society. In the midst, he had created a character for

himself.

Both Gatsby and Willy's betrayal came about because they made many errors in their lives, which they hoped they would've been able to correct in the future.

In Death of a Salesman, writer Arthur Miller's Willy Loman demonstrates his abstinence from home, which created a desire within him to make his job a second home, as he wanted more intimacy with his family. He states, "She's nothing to me Biff. I was lonely, terribly lonely"(00:19:00-00:25:00). In chapter six of the "Great Gatsby" Nick tells Gatsby that he cannot repeat the past and Gatsby's response is, why of course you can. This quote brings heat to the table because Gatsby has yet to accept the truth, his love Daisy has moved on and gotten married. It is not only idiotic, but crazy to think that you could turn back time. In Act 1 of Death of a Salesman, Willy notices Linda mending her stockings and gets angry (Miller 1037). The reason he takes the stockings away is because that reminds him of the affair he had on her with some other lady. When we consider both Willy and Linda's emotions, we as individuals probably would not agree. If you are happy in your life and the track you are on, then you would have no need to change anything. Willy was upset and wanted to fix things. The whole story is about his made-up stories about his life. Along with the lies, power, and possession they held. Willy Loman ends up betraying his self in the midst by committing suicide. His last years weren't the happiest anyways. In fact, he

was very miserable. Willy felt as taking his life would help his family in the long run. However, betrayal was not the cause for Willy's downfall in my opinion. The downfall contributed to the last act, but it was the ambition that drove him to do what he did. He had a strong notion he no longer had a reason to breath the same air as everyone else and that he was on pins and needles with debt. Even though, Linda was going to make the last payment on their house. From the stories stand point, the cause for the downfall was that the thought of no need of being alive. The aspiration emerges in Willy's voice as he is addressing Ben about Biff and their supposed adoring relationship. The more Willy converses with Ben, the more energized he appears to get. The more drawn out their discussion goes on; the more music becomes an integral factor. Which is the fundamental portrayal of the desire that is covered up inside Willy Loman's choice. In the "Great Gatsby" Gatsby's disloyalty to himself makes him lose his potential after chasing Daisy and trying to get her to notice him back. Each wrong decision Gatsby made was made in the goals of intent of impressing Daisy or doing what other individuals needed of him. He was a racketeer, and he would throw excessive gatherings utilizing the bootlegged alcohol seeking after Daisy to be awed. Gatsby needed just to turn back time to when he and Daisy were enamored. Only, inconvenience happened to Gatsby's quest for Daisy. He dawdled pursuing Daisy and just deceived himself. Gatsby's betrayal of himself prompted his own passing. Rather than doing awesome things and following his arrangement he assumed the fault for one of Daisy's enormous slip-ups, which prompted his defeat. The last disloyalty displayed in the novel is Daisy's treachery of Gatsby. Daisy dependably knew how Gatsby felt about her yet never took an enthusiasm to him. Her sentiments started to change for him once she understood his riches. Therefore, Daisy's deception of Gatsby led him to believe that she loved him but, in the end, he was left alone. He had no one to turn to because Daisy turned back to Tom.

As a result of lack of accomplishment and sense of reality in times and alliances, Gatsby and Willy Loman experience a bumpy road to the "American Dream" which ends in their passing. Amy points out, "[In] Reeve's Dream Hoarders, ours is no longer a mobile society that gives people from all walks of life a fair shot at the American Dream". The American Dream isn't what it used to be back then, whereas it is today. Reeves makes that argument in his book because he believes the upper middle class, or the twenty percent is stashing away the American Dream from everybody before they even have a shot. In Death of a Salesman Willy addresses, "There’s more people! That’s what’s ruining this country! The competition is maddening! Smell the stink from that apartment house! And the one on the other side… How can they whip cheese?" (Miller 1023). Willy claims that his families lack of prosperity is due to population growth and not his broken vision of American Dream. In Chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby the narrator points out, "The Carraways are something of a clan, and we have a tradition that we're descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch"(Great Gatsby). Nick perforates the illusion that his family comes from nobility, but instead he makes another kind. Also, in Pidgeon's article he points out," Gatsby's experience with the Buchanans... It lies in the tragedy of his never knowing that Daisy, the "green light", the green money, the voice full of money" Daisy was symbolism of everything Gatsby dreamt of in the American Dream. The physical and emotional distance between him and Daisy, the promises of the future, and the powerfulness of the "green stuff" he craves– money. In fact, green is written all over the story The Great Gatsby. With this in mind, The American Dream was built by people who had a simple dream. For instance, Gatsby and Loman. Both tragic heroes did not have everything, but they had what they wanted.

Through the use of personation, Gatsby and Loman are present day heroes because of their flaws, downfall, and ultimate tragic decree. In both The Great Gatsby and Death of a Salesman, Gatsby and Willy both tried to achieve the American Dream but, in the process, they stumbled through many challenges and obstacle. As a result, they both died in the ending. In a famous quote Rafeal Cruz once said, "Only in America can someone start with nothing and achieve the American Dream. That's the greatness in this country." This very quote speaks volumes because only in American can the low man start at the bottom of the totem pole and make it to the top. Rafeal Cruz was a prime example. Rafeal was very much like Willy Loman in many ways, they didn't make very much. He came from Cuba with nothing but the clothing he had to cover his back. He later went and found work as a dishwasher making a shocking fifty- cents an hour, but eventually built a business in quest of the American Dream. Numerous inquire as to whether the American Dream accessible; the appropriate response is yes. With inspiration, diligent work, and dedication the American Dream is still possible for every one of the individuals who trust that it is.