The Great Gatsby is depicting the story of a young man trying to win back a long-lost love. Nick Carraway is narrating the story from the future in the order of events it happened. The story of Gatsby and Daisy is only on the surface, in fact, The Great Gatsby is communicating a larger theme. The Great Gatsby exposes the ugly truth of pursuing the American Dream. A common misconception of the American Dream is that anyone has the potential acquire a fortune and reverse the past.
Gatsby is considered wealthy, but there is a difference between the rich. Gatsby earned his riches through organized crime and smuggling, Daisy is someone who is born into an aristocratic family. Opposed to Gatsby, who is vulgar, flamboyant, and does not have manners, Daisy is graceful, elegant, and charming. People from elite families like Daisy look down upon people like Gatsby who have just gained their wealth, especially through illegal means. Daisy is desensitized by her wealth. She has the sense of entitlement and selfishness, unlike Gatsby, who is selfless and sincere.
Gatsby’s behavior led his downfall, because he took the blame for Myrtle Wilson’s death even it was Daisy who killed Myrtle. He allowed himself to bear the responsibility when Daisy should have been punished instead. His death did not benefit those around him. Because of Gatsby’s death, Nick and Jordan break off their relationship, Nick returns back to the Midwest, and no one attends Gatsby’s funeral except Nick and Gatsby’s father. Gatsby’s downfall stems from his pursuit of something unworthy and unrealistic, which is Daisy. Winning back Daisy is recreating the past, which is not possible.
Not only does Gatsby want to have Daisy back, Gats. .of Gatsby’s sacrifice to protect her. Ultimately, Gatsby’s fate was sealed when he decided that he wanted to become rich and impress Daisy. He was deluded with the thought that he will have succeeded with the idea of having a long-lost love without the war interfering their relationship. As Nick sits on the beach near Gatsby’s house, he closes the book by saying, “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
” (189). When we chase after our American Dream, we should realize the practicality of our goal, and pursue more noble causes, not just money and luxury, and not be deluded like Gatsby. We cannot recreate our past, nor can we change it, if we try to, we are moving farther and farther away from our dreams. Works CitedFitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli.
The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1925.Print.
