The Great Gatsby

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Recommended: Gatsby’s dream and how it fares when confronted with reality

"I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." Daisy admits this to Nick on page 17. This short statement reflects a great deal on what the society of that time thought about women. They were supposed to marry money and be happy the rest of their lives. This represents a theme in the Great Gatsby that many people believe that money can buy you happiness and love. Many characters in this book try to buy things that they think will make them happy. For Tom it was Myrtle, and for Gatsby it was Daisy. Money only increased their problems, for instead of realizing that the thing they wanted would not satisfy them they continued to push at happiness with money expecting results. At the end of the book the reader comes to realizes that happiness and love is one thing money can’t buy for most people. There are many examples of this throughout this book.
One prime example is when Gatsby thinks he can reverse time with the money he has so he can be with Daisy and be happy. On page 110 Gatsby declares “Can’t repeat the past” he cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!” With this statement it is very obvious that Gatsby is very obsessed about the past and is hoping that the money he has gained will draw Daisy back to him. While waiting for Daisy at Nick's house, Gatsby knocks over a clock because he is reminded that time is different now. Pg.86 Gatsby is a man who thinks in the past and feels that money would have gotten him Daisy in the first place. With all that money Gatsby was unable to see that Daisy was only a fantasy and not what he truly needed. The money he had accumulated was spent wastefully on things to impress Daisy. Although Gatsby had a great deal of money he died with...

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...referring to the “old money”.

In conclusion the theme, that many people believe that money can buy you happiness and love, is clearly signified in The Great Gatsby. Not only was Nick shown the differences between those born rich and those who worked hard for their money but he was also shown the value of love. With all that money and no love (besides the love for Daisy) Gatsby lived a lonely and empty life. Not near as empty as Tom and Daisy who both fled the scene of the crime to escape from their mistakes leaving Nick to clean up the mess they had made. Also we are able to see that while Myrtle was trying to substitute the love of her husband with the money of Tom she went to far and ended up ending her life. Myrtle and Gatsby lives both had tragic endings, which show that when there is money involved you, can not buy happiness.

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The Great Gatsby

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