The Great Gatsby 4
'The Great Gatsby' is perhaps the greatest novel ever written. The language and prose utilized and the relevance Fitzgerald's themes continue to hold in our culture, even after 75 years. Among the many themes of 'The Great Gatsby' one remains prevalent: the loss of innocence. At the beginning of the novel Nick and Gatsby are men of morality and conscience in a time and place where neither is valued. At the end, one is dead and the other is embittered towards the corrupted world around him. A comparison can be made between the initial interaction between Nick and Gatsby and what transpires during the lunch when Gatsby challenged Daisy's feelings for Tom and the portion of the book after Gatsby's death. It becomes clear which events are responsible for the unfortunate changes in character we see in Gatsby and Nick. The first event is when Nick leaves the mid-west after he returns from the war, understandably restless and at odds with the traditional, conservative values that, from his account, have not changed in spite of the tumult of the war. It is this insularity from a changed world no longer structured by traditional values that had sent young men to war, that inspires him to go east to New York,
Nick's departure reveals several aspects of his character. It is reasonable that he would be adversely affected by the events of that summer: the death of a woman he met briefly and indirectly, who was having an affair with his cousin's husband and whose death leads to the death of his next-door neighbor and best friend. His decision to return home to the place that he had so recently condemned for its insularity could cause one to wonder exactly how disturbed he was by the events of that summer. If the extent and the pointlessness of death and destruction during the war left him feeling he had outgrown the comfort and security of events, why would he choose to return home? Perhaps he felt more secure with the principles people held themselves to in the west, rather than the east. Nick may have felt that a battle had occurred that summer, and that he should bow out before becoming a casualty himself. Tension between the characters leads to a confrontation between Gatsby, Tom and Daisy. The affair between Daisy and Gatsby had been brought into the open, and Gatsby is confident enough in Daisy's feelings for him that he brings the situation to a head: 'Just tell him the truth - that you never loved him - and it's all wiped out forever.' Daisy then responds that 'Even alone I can't say I never loved Tom. It wouldn't be true.' This moment in time is the beginning of the end for Gatsby; his dream has died. The same innocence that led him to believe that with the proper wealth, Daisy would return his love now causes him to become bitter, realizing that in her careless world of money and luxury, love is never more than purse deep. Although the implications of her statement are not lost, Gatsby remains rooted in denial, going so far as to take the blame for Myrtle's death. When asked 'Was Daisy driving? He responds 'Yes, but of course I'll say that I was.' Nick, a witnes
Some common words found in the essay are:
George Wilson, West Egg, Daisy Gatsby, Gatsby Nick, Nick Gatsby, Gatsby Daisy, Loss Innocence, Jay Gatsby, Tom Daisy, events summer, gatsby remains, daisy's feelings, loss innocence, nick gatsby, corrupted world, 'the gatsby', return home,
Approximate Word count = 1278
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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