Comparative Essay on the Great Gatsby, Free Example

In the bid to unravel the myths surrounding Jay Gatsby - the lead character in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, it is significant to look at the forces that compelled his lifestyle. The story unfolds from Nick Carraway's perspective given that he was privy to Jay's lifestyle as a neighbor. In the beginning, all that Nick knows about Jay is that he is a wealthy American with a knack for l a lavish life - big parties, expensive cars, and clothes as well as everyone's attention. To Nick and the people around him, Jay was an aristocratic man living the American dream some in the 1920s America.

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Nick Carraway narrated the Great Gatsby in 1922; he had the opportunity of having a more in-depth perspective concerning Gatsby reality. Being Gatsby's neighbor, Nick would watch Gatsby lavish lifestyle and desire to be a man of such influence. Nick had relocated from Midwest to West Egg to change his lifestyle by being a bond salesman. After his arrival, Nick travels to Daisy and Tom Buchanan in the East Egg. During the visit, Nick is granted the opportunity to interact with professional golfer, Jordan Baker. East Egg residents experienced a privileged life as compared to Nick's lifestyle; grounded and modest. During his return, Nick notices Gatsby lurking in the dark and reaching his arms in the water, and reaching to the green light. Gatsby appreciated the green light because he believed it guided and provided an assurance of a better tomorrow.

Jay Gatsby creates an illusion surrounding his life. Jay's background was that of poverty that it bothered him to the extent of dropping out of college because he was ashamed of the janitorial job that was used to pay his tuition fee. Jay tries to portray a life of the wealthy by depicting his family as wealthy in Middle West. However, his family was disadvantaged. Furthermore, in chapter 2, Mr. McKee praised the Gatsby's parties and stated that they believed him to be the cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. However, this was not near the truth. Gatsby has stayed with Dan Cody on his yacht for five years, and they sailed three times around the world. Gatsby was entitled to twenty-five thousand dollars after Cody passed, but Cody's mistress changed the narrative and halted Gatsby from claiming his inheritance. Therefore, Gatsby accumulated his wealth through illegal dealings.

Gatsby schooled in St.Olaf College before he dropped out. However, Gatsby tends to associate with Oxford education because of the notion that a man's education is a metric that sieves upper class from lower class. Therefore, someone such as Gatsby who was considered to be in the top hierarchy of social elites, education did matter to him. Most of the people in the book are literates who have acquired exceptional education. However, in chapter 4, Gatsby lies to Nick that he gained his literacy at Oxford. Later in chapter 7, Gatsby narrative changes and confesses to Tom that for five months, he had stayed in Oxford, and thus, he cannot consider himself an Oxford alumnus. Therefore, Gatsby education had a figment of his imagination to ensure that he was deemed to be scholarly and was welcomed in the groups of elites.

Gatsby love for Daisy was his downfall. It was the principal illusion that deferred from his real life. Gatsby had set his heart towards marrying Daisy and accumulated his wealth to provide a gateway towards winning Daisy's heart. Gatsby had set his mind and heart towards marrying Daisy since he left five years. When he returned to the USA and built his fortune, Gatsby had expectations that Daisy would choose him. Gatsby attempts to convince Nick that Daisy will accept his affection and they will be reunited. However, the contrary is true. Gatsby is hanged on the love that had kindled between Daisy and him years ago. "I'm going to fix everything as it was before" (110). Gatsby is hoping for a fantasy love that perpetuates his downfall. When Tom and Daisy are coming from town, and Myrtle is killed, the illusion of romance between Gatsby and Daisy is dismantled. Daisy refuses to take the blame for the accident; thus, she is forced to reconcile with Tom to deter any attention and responsibility.

Gatsby has indulged in activities that have altered the positive attributes expected in the society, he is self-centered and only pursues and executes what benefits him. Gatsby is obsessed with the ideology of being accepted in the elites and higher-class society. When Gatsby meets Daisy, everything ceases to matter and hopes for her acceptance. All Gatsby does is directed towards impressing and winning Daisy. In the novel, there are several instances where Gatsby and Daisy share moments of an affair where they confess their love and how strong it has become. The love spell is broken when Daisy is forced to choose between two men, and Gatsby takes a fall for the accident that Daisy had caused. When Daisy prefers Tom, Gatsby is heartbroken, but he holds to the illusion that he has a chance of winning her.

In Chapter 8, Gatsby starts to confess to Nick about his life and his truths. However, reality hits when George Wilson focuses on avenging the death of his wife. George is convinced that Gatsby did the act and he was sleeping with her; thus, he rushes and shoots Gatsby. Daisy does not look back to fight for Gatsby and instead, she leaves town with Tom to avoid any repercussions on Myrtle death. The reality dawns during the Gatsby funeral where it is attended sparsely compared to his lavish parties. Nick makes an effort and invites several individuals; each individual makes an excuse and skips the funeral. In the end, the family that Gatsby was ashamed of makes an appearance. Gatsby father attends the funeral and is astounded by the life his son had molded for himself. Gatsby's father recalls how his son was ambitious and focused since his early years.

In conclusion, Gatsby associated himself with the rich people and painted that he had originated from a wealthy background. Gatsby had built an image of being raised in wealth and referred to himself as an "Oxford man." However, Buchanan and Baker are skeptical about Gatsby claims. Despite Gatsby fraud efforts, it was challenging to assume a life that you have never belonged. Gatsby leans towards recreating the love he had with Daisy that he forgets to enjoy life. Gatsby obsession reflects his naivete and delusional character about life. Gatsby's love for Daisy becomes his downfall and projects him as an overly optimistic regardless of his past experiences as a bootlegger. Jay Gatsby believed in a better future than his present.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2013. Accessed on 10th May, 2018.