gatillus Illusion Vs. Reality in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby

Illusion Vs. Reality in The Great Gatsby

"A confusion of the real with the ideal never goes unpunished," is how Goethe states not to mistake fantasy for reality. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many of the characters live in an illusory world, though few can see reality.

Fitzgerald presents Jay Gatsby as one character who cannot see reality. "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"(Pg. 116) He focuses so strongly on trying to get what he had in the past that he cannot face the reality that he cannot have Daisy. When Gatsby meets Daisy, he tells her that he is from a wealthy family to try to convince her that he is worthy of her. He also thinks that he can buy Daisy with his money. In addition, Jay Gatsby's real name is James Gatz. He changes his name because he wants to be a different person. Gatsby stakes everything on his dreams, but he does not realize that his dreams are unworthy of him. He loves Daisy so much that he cannot see how money corrupts her.

Daisy Buchanan is another character who lives in an illusory world. Daisy marries Tom only because he has money. Daisy is in love with material objects. She uses her money to get away from reality, and when she feels threatened, she hides behind her money. Furthermore, she says, "And I hope she'll be a fool-That's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."(Pg. 21) regarding her daughter Pammy. This statement shows part of her corruption because she is saying that it is better to be careless and beautiful instead of worrying about real things. Daisy wears white, which represents purity, but she is corrupted by money, which is gold and yellow. The colors white, yellow and gold are like the flower that Daisy is named after.

Another character, Nick Carraway, is one of the few people in The Great Gatsby that lives in reality. "They're a rotten crowd. You're worth the whole damn bunch put together," (Pg.162) is an example of how Nick realizes the corruption that money brings. While Gatsby allows money to possess him, Nick can see the destructive force of it.