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Definition of happiness in literature
Happiness vs pleasure aristotle
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In society, the line between happiness and pleasure has been blurred for ages. It can be difficult for one to determine the difference between true happiness and pleasure. Although pleasure is a key component in determining one’s happiness, pleasure provides one with short-term satisfaction, which almost always seems to fade, leaving emptiness within. Happiness, on the other hand, provides one with long-lasting satisfaction that seems to endure through the good as well as the bad. In effect, pleasure’s deception can lead one astray from the achievement of true happiness. F. Scott Fitzgerald realized this concept, which he emphasized it in his novel, The Great Gatsby.
The Great Gatsby is set during the 1920s after the ending of World War I. Many people are suffering and desperately searching for happiness. As stated in The Neuroscience of Happiness and Pleasure, pleasure is a key factor to happiness and is important to one’s perception of wellbeing. This is clearly demonstrated in the novel, as nearly all of the characters are
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restless; seeking pleasure as often as possible. And when the characters’ most important relationships fail to provide them with satisfactory levels of pleasure, they are teased into finding other sources that may produce substantial amounts of pleasure. The article also states that, “Since Aristotle, happiness has been usefully thought of as consisting of at least two aspects: pleasure and meaning.” The idea of meaning is crucial in understanding pleasure as a key to happiness. Although pleasure provides satisfaction that adds to one’s happiness, that pleasure must come from a meaningful relationship in order to do so. In effect, meaningless pleasure may have negative effects on one’s search for true happiness. Fitzgerald demonstrates how meaningless pleasure can lead one astray as he presents Nick Carraway in the novel. Nick enjoys the presence of Jordan Baker, and even loves her. The two enjoy many fine moments and experience moments of pleasure with one another. However, instead of solely enjoying his relationship with Jordan, Nick seeks additional pleasure outside of their relationship as he fools around with other women. This leads him off the path to true happiness with Jordan as their relationship turns sour and Jordan finds another man to marry. Another example of pleasure’s deception is found in the character of Tom Buchanan. Tom, who is married to Daisy, has an amazing life. He loves his wife, yet he seeks additional pleasure with Myrtle Wilson. This sexual pleasure with his mistress deteriorates his relationship with his beloved wife. Tom, however, realizes that true happiness is found with Daisy, whom he loves. He demonstrates this knowledge when he refuses to divorce Daisy in order to be solely in a relationship with Myrtle. He also shows his love for Daisy when he states, “And what’s more, I love Daisy too. I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time” (Fitzgerald 7). Although Tom realizes where true happiness lies, he is continually drawn away by the deceptiveness of pleasures outside of his relationship with Daisy. A third example of the deceptiveness of pleasure is found by examining Fitzgerald’s portrayal of Daisy Buchanan.
Daisy grew up rich and always desired the finer things in life. After her love with Gatsby had blossomed, Gatsby was ordered to war and it seemed as if the couple’s happiness could not be restored until they found themselves together again. Instead of waiting for Gatsby to return, Daisy sought out pleasure with Tom Buchanan in a futile attempt to regain the happiness she felt with Gatsby. She sought the man with money over the man who would bring her true happiness. She believed she was doing the right thing to get married but as soon as she had officially tied the knot, she remarked, “The only crazy I was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake” (Fitzgerald 2). After her marriage with Tom, Daisy became aware that happiness would only be attainable through her relationship with
Gatsby. At the close of the novel, Fitzgerald writes, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Fitzgerald 9). I believe that this phrase relates to one’s desire for true happiness. While pleasure is indeed a key factor in determining happiness, the meaning of that pleasure is even more important. We continue searching for happiness while at the same time we are held back by the temptation of excessive pleasure. Time and time again, one is borne back from the realization of true happiness by the ever so powerful deceptiveness of meaningless pleasure. One may perceive all types of pleasure would lead to happiness because of the satisfaction one may receive from all types of pleasure. However, pleasure tears one away from the more desirable satisfaction of happiness if it has no meaning. One must remain faithful to meaningful relationships in order to receive meaningful pleasure and satisfaction that may set one on the path to true happiness.
“Money can’t buy happiness” is a saying that is often used to make one understand that there is more to life than wealth and money. Jay Gatsby was a man of many qualities some of which are good and bad. Throughout the book of “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we learn of his past and discover the true qualities of Jay Gatsby. Starting from the bottom, with little money, we learn of why Gatsby struggled so hard all his life to become wealthy and what his true goal in life was. When reading this story, the true reasons behind Gatsby’s illegal actions reveal themselves and readers can learn a great life lesson from this story and the actions the characters take. Readers can see through Gatsby’s contradictions of actions and thoughts that illustrate the theme of the story, along with his static characteristics, that all humans are complex beings and that humans cannot be defined as good or bad.
Her only profession is finding ways to keep her husband satisfied. So, that he should procure whatever she currently desires. The constant state of leisure that surrounds her everyday life gets too boring for Daisy. She seeks new, exciting, and passionate beginnings in her life. After all, Daisy Buchannan always gets what she wants. When Jay Gatsby finds himself reacquainted with his lost love, Daisy takes this opportunity to entertain her presently dull lifestyle. Their escapades all suited Daisy, until Gatsby presented Daisy with an ultimatum. She had to tell Tom she never loved him, and then she can run away to live happily with a man who adores her. The idea seemed romantic, until Tom caught on to Daisy’s deception. Of course he would still want her, and he made a few convincing arguments to keep Daisy from leaving him. Daisy left for the Buchannan’s house with Gatsby feeling conflicted and confused about Tom’s promise of a better marriage. In her disgruntled state, Daisy wound up killing Tom’s mistress in a hit-and-run car accident, a true show of irony. She didn’t even stop to see if the person she hit was alright, and she honestly didn’t care. Daisy continued her way home, because her relationship was more important than the death of a human
She was materialistic and only saw the lavish lifestyle, and lived void of a good conscience. She ran off with Tom because she saw his wealth. Even with endless dresses, and polo horses, Daisy still wanted more. Reunited with Gatsby after meeting in Nick's house, she walked with Gatsby to his house. It was only when she realized the huge mansion across her own house belonged to Gatsby, that she truly wanted to be back with him. Walking in the house, hand in hand, ignoring Nick who follows behind, it seemed the two were reunited by love. In his bedroom, "he took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel. (Fitzgerald 92)" Gatsby is clearly extremely wealthy, able to afford whatever suits his interest, and he was in the mindset that he would buy anything for Daisy. Daisy seeing this, "suddenly, with a strained stained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. 'They're such beautiful shirts,' she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds (Fitzgerald 92)." She doesn't cry because she has been reunited with Gatsby, she cries because of the pure satisfaction all his material wealth brings her. When Tom's wealth was not enough, she ran off to something more
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby’s conflicts between passion and responsibility demonstrate that chasing empty dreams can only lead to suffering. Gatsby’s motivation to achieve his dream of prosperity is interrupted when his fantasy becomes motivated by love. His eternal struggle for something more mirrors cultural views that more is always better. By ultimately suffering an immense tragedy, Jay Gatsby transforms into a romantic and tragic hero paying the capital price for his actions. Gatsby envokes a deeper Conclusion sentence
“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man 's needs, but not every man 's greed.” As humans, we work countless hours in order to have a greater opportunity to succeed in life to fulfill our wants. F Scott Fitzgerald, author of The Great Gatsby, utilizes effective language and punctuation in the text in order to accomplish his purpose: Illustrate what material goods does to a society. From a rhetorical standpoint, examining logos, ethos, and pathos, this novel serves as a social commentary on how pursuing the “The American Dream” causes people in society to transform into greedy and heartless individuals.
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby makes the reader feel almost depressed. Fitzgerald describes things that are usually viewed as pleasant and beautiful in dull, grim ways. The story line itself is grim, and Fitzgerald truly conveys that through his descriptions, which set the tone of futility. When reading the book, one understands right away that the story isn’t going to be a happy one. A description of Tom Buc...
It is then, when Gatsby emerged from F. Scott Fitzgerald. A true character of 1920’s America, the parties, the young-money, the helplessly in love, the pursuit of happiness. Darrin McMahon’s “In Pursuit of Unhappiness” explores the topic of seeking felicity and encountering barriers that we would not preoccupy ourselves with if we existed in an otherwise empathetic society. “Secular culture since the 17th century made "happiness," in the form of pleasure or good feeling, not only morally acceptable but commendable in and of itself.” (para. 4). As this quote exemplifies, there is a cultural notion of happiness being expected to be our default state of being. Due to this ingrown conception, we are riddled with the demand of forcing our path to contentment, as Gatsby, a character dumbfounded by a love he thought unmatched with a young debutante,
Wanting to be with her true love again, she sneaks visits with him without Tom knowing. Just like Myrtle had, Daisy torn into her own marriage. She loved both men, but as soon as it was found out, the men began fighting for her. “I glanced at Daisy who was staring terrified between Gatsby and her husband…” (Fitzgerald 143). This isn’t what Daisy wanted at all. At some point Daisy loved Tom, and it’s very likely that she still does, regardless of all of his cheating. Living a life of riches for so long has affected her with affluenza, blinding her morals as it did to Tom. When someone already has everything they could ever ask for, they’re still going to want more. Something to work for, or else life becomes boring as Daisy points out many times in the novel. When both men she loves are threatening each other and fighting for her fondness she’s realized what she’s done wrong. She’s fallen into the same trap as Myrtle, being stuck between two men, but she still has feelings for Tom.“I saw them in Santa Barbara when they came back and I thought I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband. If he left the room for a minute she’d look around uneasily and say ‘Where’s Tom gone?’” (Fitzgerald 83). Gatsby tries to convince Daisy that she loves him and only him, yet Daisy actually loves them both. After Daisy was married she could think about anything except Tom, while Gatsby has spent the five
Daisy Buchanan is married to Tom Buchanan and cousin to Nick Carraway. During World War I, many soldiers stationed by her in Louisville, were in love with her. The man who caught her eye the most was Jay Gatsby. When he was called into war, she promised him that she would wait for him. Also that upon his return they will be married. Daisy, lonely because Gatsby was at war, met Tom Buchanan. He was smart and part of a wealthy family. When he asked her to marry him, she didn't hesitate at once, and took his offering. Here, the reader first encounters how shallow Daisy is, making her a dislikeable character. Another event that Daisy is a dislikeable character is when she did not show up to Gatsby's funeral. When Daisy and Gatsby reunite, their love for each other rekindle. She often visited Gatsby at his mansion, and they were inseparable. This led Gatsby on because he dedicated his whole life into getting Daisy back, and she had no gratitude towards it. At the hotel suite scene, Daisy reveals to all that she loves Gatsby, but then also says that she loves Tom as well. This leaves the reader at awe, because after...
Daisy's impatience created consequences in the long run and knew it was too late to fix it. When Gatsby was talking about he met and fell in love with Daisy he mentioned that she felt abandoned when Gatsby did not come back from war right away. "She didn’t see why he couldn’t come. She was feeling pressure of the world outside, and she wanted to see him and feel his presence beside her and be reassured that she was doing the right thing after all." ( Fitzgerald 151). Since she wanted to be in the higher social class she wanted to know if staying with Gatsby who is not in that social class would be the right thing, because she got so impatient, she married Tom Buchanan who did filled her standards. By doing something that was in
Daisy, for example, lives a miserable life, even though she appears otherwise. On the outside, she seems to have everything—a happy marriage, wealth, and beauty— which also connects to the American dream. Her relationship with Tom may appear to be perfect, however their marriage is marked by adultery, deception, and dissatisfaction. She married him only because she had to for his wealth and reputation. Daisy finds out that Tom has an affair with another woman in New York, but she does not leave him when Gatsby gives her the chance to.
Daisy Buchanan, in reality, is unable to live up the illusory Daisy that Gatsby has invented in his fantasy. After Daisy and Tom Buchanan leave another one of Gatsby’s splendid parties, Fitzgerald gives the reader a glimpse into what Gatsby’s expectations are. Fitzgerald claims that “he wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’” (109). Here it is revealed that Gatsby’s one main desire is for Daisy to go willingly...
Tom and Daisy Buchanan, the rich couple, seem to have everything they could possibly want. Though their lives are full of anything you could imagine, they are unhappy and seek to change, Tom drifts on "forever seeking a little wistfully for the dramatic turbulence of some irrecoverable football game"(pg. 10) and reads "deep books with long words in them"(pg. 17) just so he has something to talk about. Even though Tom is married to Daisy he has an affair with Myrtle Wilson and has apartment with her in New York.. Daisy is an empty character, someone with hardly any convictions or desires. Even before her relationships with Tom or, Gatsby are seen, Daisy does nothing but sit around all day and wonder what to do with herself and her friend Jordan. She knows that Tom is having an affair, yet she doesn't leave him even when she hears about Gatsby loving her. Daisy lets Gatsby know that she too is in love with him but cant bring herself to tell Tom goodbye except when Gatsby forces her too. Even then, once Tom begs her to stay, even then Daisy forever leaves Gatsby for her old life of comfort. Daisy and Tom are perfect examples of wealth and prosperity, and the American Dream. Yet their lives are empty, and without purpose.
Daisy's life is full of excitement and wealth, she gets practically everything she desires and feels like she has it all. As a person of high society she treats those below her with disdain, even her cousin. “What shall we do with ourselves this afternoon...and the day after that, and the next thirty years?” (Fitzgerald 118). The Jazz age had changed Daisy and influenced her to become careless as she seeks empty love, money and pleasure. It is only when Gatsby comes along she realizes that she has been missing something. Gatsby had been her first love, but she
Happiness symbolises a form of content, a form of satisfaction that can lead to several types of actions. In the Great Gatsby, happiness is portrayed in unusual forms with different characters, however every single character has some form of a dream in mind. Fitzgerald juxtaposes his influence of T.S. Elliot’s use of Valley of the Ashes showing poverty, decay and lost spiritualism with the rich lifestyle of West Egg as he shows the wealth, parties and liveliness of this Egg. The Egg represents the symbol of birth and life, as well as the fragility of society and mainly the fragility of dreams. Each character in the novel has their own interpretation of the ‘American Dream – the pursuit of happiness’ as they all lack happiness due to the careless nature of American society during the Jazz Age.