With the setting of the sun

With the setting of the sun

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, there is a constant

feeling of movement and the desire to get away. Nick, Gatsby, Wilson,

Tom and Daisy all move, or have the intention of moving. Not only does

this movement seem to foreshadow events in the book, but it also seems

to lead to the conclusion that society as a whole in the 1920's was

rather unstable and was undergoing constant change. Not all the

characters move in the same way, and this shows how different their

backgrounds and lifestyles are. The main movement seems to be from

west to east. Throughout the decades man is said to be progressing

through the steps of evolution and toward the setting sun, or east to

west. The characters move in opposite direction from which the sun

sets, which seems significant to the physical and psychological

patterns of the characters. The two main characters that movement

affects are Nick and Gatsby. The movement of Nick and Gatsby in this

direction shows us how their personalities and feelings change as the

sun goes down. There are also the various meanings that the sun has,

that seems to map out, or affect their near future. The sun

foreshadows Nick and Gatsby's actions and emotions, which in turn are

affected by the many representations the sun has.

Jay Gatsby is a character that the sun affects in such a way that it

becomes a symbol of his ability to direct his will and, when put

together with his dream, this gives him a sense of purpose. Jimmie

Gatz was born in a town in Minnesota. After changing his name to Jay

Gatsby, he moved to West Egg, Long Island in order to start a new life

revolved around impressing Daisy. Here the sun represents a

psychological belief that surp...

... middle of paper ...

...nd that they, "had

never, all along, intended doing anything at all. But it was done now.

It was too late."(139) Just as the colors begin to bloom in the

dazzling night sky they fade and disappear out of sight, just as Nick

moves away.

The rising sun has been used to describe progress and evolution, but

as the sun travels backwards, it shows people for who they really are.

The light is shone hard on the characters, so much so that they have

nothing to hide behind. This minor action seems to set and change the

entire novel at the same time. It also fits in perfectly with the flow

or plot of the book. It shows how the characters are slowly opening up

to their surroundings, and how much the sun, metaphorically, affects

them. Throughout the novel, the sun has shone light on certain

characters to show the power and hidden creativity of the unconscious

mind.