Theme Of Reality In The Great Gatsby

Words: 699
Pages: 3
Open Document
In The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald, one of the main themes is “illusion versus reality.” Fitzgerald dramatizes this conflict through the actions, motivations, and personalities of his characters, one of them being the book’s namesake: Jay Gatsby. Gatsby portrays himself as a young, wealthy, and educated man, but that portrayal hides who he truly is. Daisy Buchanan is another character who hides behind illusions because they have the privilege of wealth. However, Nick Carraway, the novel’s narrator, is the “reality” to Gatsby and Daisy’s “illusion.”
Along with dramatizing the conflict of illusion versus reality through the actions, motivations, and personalities of his characters, Fitzgerald dramatizes the conflict through “the middle class versus the rich.” He is trying to argue that the less grandeur one has to hide behind, the more “real” life is for them. Most of the characters in The Great Gatsby are changed by their illusions of wealth and the parties and drunkenness that came with the 1920’s self-made rich life, but those like Nick Carraway didn’t have wealth, and the illusion that comes along with it. Jay Gatsby, born James Gatz, was born in the Midwest to a poor family and never had a proper college education. But, he later became very wealthy through bootlegging and illegal bonds so he …show more content…
She uses fortune as an illusion and an escape from reality; this is why she marries the wealthy aristocrat Tom Buchanan and becomes infatuated by Gatsby with his big parties, cars, and mansion. She says about her daughter, “… I’ll hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in the world, a beautiful little fool.” Her only motivations are to be rich, and when she gets in trouble after hitting Myrtle Wilson with a car, she and Tom run and hind behind their money. She and Tom Buchanan represent the amoral, hollow rich, who care for nothing, not even their own daughter, but
Show More

Related Documents: Theme Of Reality In The Great Gatsby

The Theme Of Appearance And Reality In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, symbolizes appearance vs. reality in nearly every character involved in the novel. Gatsby’s entire life composes one big lie; he even lies about his name. “James Gatz – that was really, or at least legally, his name.” He lies about everything to anyone who listens, even Nick. His education, his family, and his occupation is all a mystery. He lies even to Daisy, the love of his life, who happens to be doing a lot of lying herself. Everyone thinks Daisy is…

Words 334 - Pages 2

The Great Gatsby Theme Essay

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…

Words 1225 - Pages 5

Green Light In The Great Gatsby Essay

The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is considered a literary masterpiece by millions of readers in that the piece captures both the prosperity and despair of life during the 1920s. This novel exposes the hardships the main character, Jay Gatsby, endures while pursuing the American dream. Gatsby believes that having possession of materialistic objects such as a large house, fancy car, lavish clothing, and the woman of his dreams, will help him to obtain the American Dream. However, Gatsby…

Words 975 - Pages 4

The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The American Dream in The Great Gatsby In the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the Great Gatsby, there is a central theme that the American dream has been destroyed by an emphasis on materialism. This is shown through the themes of fabrication of self, attitudes toward women, and the destruction of the American dream. The characters that symbolize this central theme are Gatsby and Daisy. These two characters show the downfall of the American Dream. There are also symbols to support the downfall;…

Words 1326 - Pages 6

The Great Gatsby Clock Analysis

the overall theme of the text. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the clock in Nick's house where Daisy and Gatsby are reunited after 5 years, represents that appearance differs from reality due to their past relationship. When Nick enters the room *where Daisy and Gatsby were awkwardly sitting, Gatsby is leaning nervously "against the face of a defunct mantelpiece clock" (86) Soon after the clock starts to tip off the mantle. Before the clock has the chance to fall Gatsby deftly catches…

Words 425 - Pages 2

What Does The Color Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

to increase his word count. Fitzgerald uses the constant symbolism of colors to represent the thematic opposition of optimism versus the harsh reality of life by showing it in the relationships between the major characters of the novel and in some individuals themselves. Fitzgerald mentions colors in his novel to reflect the theme of optimism versus reality with relationships in the novel. In the first chapter of the novel, Fitzgerald opens with…

Words 1073 - Pages 5

Why Is Greed Important In The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald there are many themes. These include power, greed betrayal and many more. The theme that stands out the most throughout the entire book, is greed. Each character in the book is affected somehow by either their own, or someone else’s greed. This causes each and every character to either be trying to gain their own wealth, keep the wealth they have, or take someone else’s wealth. This illustrates just how much money and wealth matters to these people. The…

Words 533 - Pages 3

The Great Gatsby Film Essay

The American Dream’s Power to Alter Reality Corruption affects both the elite class and outcasts through the divisions that separate the two, which are fame and money. The concept that classifies people through their status quo can affect one’s self, mentally and emotionally. This is true for the society in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, set in the 1920s, where there is an immense distinction between the elite and the untouchables. Jay Gatsby, the hero of the story, portrays the role of…

Words 1592 - Pages 7

What Does The Color Green Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Color Analysis of The Great Gatsby For many, the color green represents nature, trees, forests, etc. This is not true in F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous novel The Great Gatsby. From the radiant green light across the bay at Daisy Buchanan's house to the flourishing landscape of West Egg, Fitzgerald uses green to deliver themes of ambition for love, hope, and a perpetual effort to regain what one had lost many years ago. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the color green serves as a profound…

Words 687 - Pages 3

The Great Gatsby Tells Us About The American Dream

Jaren Jackson Mr. Martin 16 November 2014 What The Great Gatsby Tells Us About the American Dream In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald is able to portray a major theme known as the American dream. Many of the characters are symbolic in highlighting this large theme in the story. Fitzgerald is not only able to portray this theme through the characters but also scenery and other purposely place symbols throughout the plot. In this way Fitzgerald drives the point that the American dream is an era of…

Words 514 - Pages 3