All the characters have a disillusion about who they are and what they want. Myrtle for example is on the outside of high class status looking in. She has this hope and dream to get to be at the same level as Tom, she changes dresses to change her persona. Acting all mighty to the people that she thinks are “below” her, when really she is at there exact level. Another character that does this is Jordan she wants to be respected but in reality she cheats at golf and is an incessant liar. The most important character that has this disillusionment though is Gatsby. Nick picks up on it at the end of chapter 5 when Gatsby and Daisy are alone, “Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed absorbed in what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. Compared to the great distance that separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on the dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” Nick states that Gatsby has always been trying to get Daisy. He believes that once he gets her his dream of reaching the elite class will also be met. Gatsby is reaching for something that is unattainable, the green light; because he doesn’t really want Daisy he wants the image that daisy resembles. Nick says that Daisy has fallen short of Gatsby’s 5 year dream.
-Michael Spinosa
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I also think that many of the characters seem to try to make themselves look better than they actually are. Tom and Daisy prepare an extravagant party and maintain artificial conversation in order to portray themselves as wealthy and sophisticated. The best example, as you mentioned, is how Myrtle tries to make herself part of the upper class by associating herself with Tom and wearing fancy clothing. However, I do not think Gatsby fits in here. While the rest of the characters use other people as a means to their end of material wealth and satisfaction, Gatsby uses money solely as a means to obtaining his true love: Daisy. I do not think Gatsby cares about being a part of the upper class. He only cares about being with Daisy. Gatsby’s dream is unattainable not because he cannot become part of the upper class, but because his expectations for Daisy and society are too idealistic.
It's also significant that the realization of Daisy "tumbling short of Gatsby's dream" is Nick's, not Gatsby's! To Gatsby she remains the "golden girl."
Dr. No
Post a Comment