Author's Note: This piece is a project on the independent novel that my group and I chose to read -- The Great Gatsby. This novel was considered to be the greatest American novel of all time, and it is understandable for this to be so with the complexity of the novel and the timeless theme of the American Dream: something so longed for, but something not actually achievable, as expressed in the novel.
The Great Gatsby does not actually reveal the theme of the novel until the very end of the book in the last two chapters. During the closing pages of the novel, Fitsgerald wants to press on the point that the American Dream is not a dream, it is a lifestyle. In the 1920's when this book was written, there were some places where the American Dream was still alive, but where the novel takes place, the American Dream has been reduced to a small idea that is only of money and pleasure. Jay Gatsby is one of the people who confused the value of the American Dream with pleasure and money, somewhere in the middle his dream betraying him.
Daisy Buchanan, beautiful and with a voice like silk -- Gatsby's dream girl. Unfortunately, Daisy was too much of this in the literary sense. When Gatsby met Daisy before he went to war, they fell madly in love but when Gatsby was forced to go off to War, he made himself useful to his men and was offered to go to Oxford. By this time, Daisy was lonely and feeling unloved. Her letters started to include less and less of the happiness that usually radiated from her smiling face, and more of the same loneliness that Gatsby would soon become one with. Finally, Daisy said that she could not continue on waiting, and so she left Gatsby. For Gatsby though, she never really left. She was always there, except now he was the one waiting. Gatsby felt incomplete, and instead of striving to fill the empty spot in his heart, he proceeded to attempt to fulfill the "American Dream", and became rich. He bought a mansion, filled this mansion with parties and people everyday, hoping to see her face of full of happiness stumble upon him.
Daisy was now married to a man named Tom, and had a daughter who she fussed over. The 1920's were a time of money and pleasure, both of which Daisy and Tom had, but this was not enough. Tom was a straying husband, one who had cheated on Daisy multiple times, his newest mistress a woman named Myrtle. Daisy knew of these flings, but chose to do nothing about them. She instead questioned if what she had written in that fateful letter to Gatsby was the right choice.
Nick was the only being who knew the truth about Gatsby, about his obsession to find his love and his constant living in the past, and Nick stayed the only one to truly see through Gatsby's money. It also happened that Nick and Daisy were cousins, and Gatsby's only chance to fix what had gone wrong five years ago. Gatsby had worked up such a great vision of Daisy from what he remembered, that most of what she was to him had come out of his own mind and was far more than the real Daisy. When they finally re-unite, Gatsby seems to grasp this idea, but not fully, for he cannot see that Daisy is simply betraying him.
When the end of the novel comes around, Gatsby, one who has already accomplished the American Dream, and, one who has already found Daisy, simply has nothing else to live for. Gatsby must die. Gatsby held on to the green light of Daisy's dock for years, and he had almost been able to grasp it. Truly though, Gatsby's dream was behind him, in the past where he constantly tried to recreate. The green light has faded now, and with it Gatsby. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's not matter -- to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning ----- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
The Dream
The green light illuminates the water
The Great Gatsby does not actually reveal the theme of the novel until the very end of the book in the last two chapters. During the closing pages of the novel, Fitsgerald wants to press on the point that the American Dream is not a dream, it is a lifestyle. In the 1920's when this book was written, there were some places where the American Dream was still alive, but where the novel takes place, the American Dream has been reduced to a small idea that is only of money and pleasure. Jay Gatsby is one of the people who confused the value of the American Dream with pleasure and money, somewhere in the middle his dream betraying him.
Daisy Buchanan, beautiful and with a voice like silk -- Gatsby's dream girl. Unfortunately, Daisy was too much of this in the literary sense. When Gatsby met Daisy before he went to war, they fell madly in love but when Gatsby was forced to go off to War, he made himself useful to his men and was offered to go to Oxford. By this time, Daisy was lonely and feeling unloved. Her letters started to include less and less of the happiness that usually radiated from her smiling face, and more of the same loneliness that Gatsby would soon become one with. Finally, Daisy said that she could not continue on waiting, and so she left Gatsby. For Gatsby though, she never really left. She was always there, except now he was the one waiting. Gatsby felt incomplete, and instead of striving to fill the empty spot in his heart, he proceeded to attempt to fulfill the "American Dream", and became rich. He bought a mansion, filled this mansion with parties and people everyday, hoping to see her face of full of happiness stumble upon him.
Daisy was now married to a man named Tom, and had a daughter who she fussed over. The 1920's were a time of money and pleasure, both of which Daisy and Tom had, but this was not enough. Tom was a straying husband, one who had cheated on Daisy multiple times, his newest mistress a woman named Myrtle. Daisy knew of these flings, but chose to do nothing about them. She instead questioned if what she had written in that fateful letter to Gatsby was the right choice.
Nick was the only being who knew the truth about Gatsby, about his obsession to find his love and his constant living in the past, and Nick stayed the only one to truly see through Gatsby's money. It also happened that Nick and Daisy were cousins, and Gatsby's only chance to fix what had gone wrong five years ago. Gatsby had worked up such a great vision of Daisy from what he remembered, that most of what she was to him had come out of his own mind and was far more than the real Daisy. When they finally re-unite, Gatsby seems to grasp this idea, but not fully, for he cannot see that Daisy is simply betraying him.
When the end of the novel comes around, Gatsby, one who has already accomplished the American Dream, and, one who has already found Daisy, simply has nothing else to live for. Gatsby must die. Gatsby held on to the green light of Daisy's dock for years, and he had almost been able to grasp it. Truly though, Gatsby's dream was behind him, in the past where he constantly tried to recreate. The green light has faded now, and with it Gatsby. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's not matter -- to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning ----- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."
The Dream
The green light illuminates the water
Bouncing between the waves
Playing with my eyes
My mind
A hush whisper calls to me
I know it is coming from behind me
Too far behind me
From my past
I try to turn around
But the light captures me
It holds me;
Gently caressing the corners of my soul
I can feel it emptying the pockets of my heart
Searching, or perhaps,
I imagine it searching
For I do not feel anymore
Feelings are a part of the past
I can only live now
Or try to,
For what I do is not called living
I breathe,
My heart beats
But none of these actions are reality
Not since you became my dreams
I try to remember a time
That was not lived in my past
But the light is blocking my vision
I cannot see
But was this not what I wanted?
Had I not dreamed of this light,
Every hour,
Of every day?
This light
Does it not hold
What I want?
Does it not hold you?
My hand gropes for something
To hold on to
But truly,
I search for you
Instead,
My fist closes on air
The light fades to blackness;
I am gone
