The Great Gatsby Theme Essay

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Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby, the most prominent theme is THE NEED FOR A distinction between illusion and reality. F. Scott FITZGERALD PROVIDES many examples of characters being careless and shooting for dreams there are no chances of reaching. The theme that Fitzgerald conveys throughout The Great Gatsby is THE NEED FOR a distinction between illusion and reality which is shown within the recurring motifs of cars, the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, and the green light. The first motif that upholds this theme, the need for a distinction between illusion and reality, IN The Great Gatsby is that of cars, as they often symbolize the reckless behavior of characters in the novel. One specific example of this is when Nick asks Jordan …show more content…
Eckleburg’s eyes in the novel is another motif that supports the theme by representing a higher power that is all-seeing. One specific instance when this is mentioned is by explaining how people’s everyday actions to get what they want, moral or immoral, are all seen by God. When Nick is first meeting Tom’s mistress, something that IS not ethically okay but is still pursued by Tom, and is going through the Valley of Ashes, he comments on how “above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust,” which represent everyday actions, that “the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg” can be seen (23). Although doing morally awful things to pursue an ideal goal seemS commonplace at this time, Fitzgerald emphasiZes that a higher power is always watching. Another example of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes being compared to God is when Mr. Wilson is speaking about Myrtle’s affair, stating that “she might fool [him] but she couldn't fool God” while looking at Doctor T.J. Eckleburg’s eyes (159). This represents how God IS judging the acts of people at this time. They were going full force into everything, including affairs and potential relationships, without stopping to think about the consequences or the situation’s MORALITY. Although they could personally ignore the negative attributes OF what they were doing, God see’s
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