The Artistry of James Gatz in the Great Gatsby
The Artistry of James Gatz in the Great Gatsby
During The Great Gatsby it is apparent that the author F. Scott Fitzgerald hints countless times of the recurring theme in the novel, “unreal” or “illusory” things. More specifically, he links this concept of unreality to his main character Jay Gatsby. Gatsby has conjured up his opulent lifestyle out of ambition and desire for a woman. This woman is Daisy Buchanan, his long lost love of many years. Gatsby as a young lieutenant tried to woo Daisy but was unsuccessful because of two separate theories. Reality: he wasn’t in the same wealthy social class Daisy was from (she was old money and Gatsby at that point was no money). Or the unreality: he had to go off and fight in the war and lost contact with her, which is the theory Gatsby himself must would like to have believed in. However, to make sure the “reality” theory wasn’t genuine, Gatsby pursued the American dream. The dream many have to make uncountable amounts of money in a short period of time. By pursuing this American dream and also Daisy, he unknowingly created himself as an illusion, something made just for show in order to acquire something. Gatsby’s goals are tainted by unreality, and later is the trigger to his unfortunate decease.
Fitzgerald has blatantly hinted to the reader that Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy after the war could be labeled as a structured plan, “but now he found that he had committed to the following of the grail (156).” The author deliberately put that line in the story to show that Gatsby’s mission for Daisy is nothing but a mid-evil crusade. There are many ideas Gatsby attempts to execute to try to harness this “grail”. Gatsby purposely bought a mansion in West Egg right across the bay from Daisy’s house. Also, he gets Jordan Baker to ask Nick (the narrator) to invite Daisy to his house for tea. This is done to make it more convenient for Gatsby to “inadvertently” meet the woman he has loved for so long. Daisy’s meeting of Gatsby is very indistinguishable from the start. They meet and as Nick explains:
“For half a minute there wasn’t a sound. Then from the living room I heard sort of a choking murmur and part of a laugh followed by Daisy’s voice on a clear artificial note ‘I certainly am awfully...