Theme Of Success In The Great Gatsby

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When it comes to the topic of success, most people will readily agree that success is achievement of life goals. Where this agreement usually ends, however, is on the question of what to pursue. Whereas some are convinced that success is a product of service, others maintain success is a product of wealth. In The Great Gatsby, F.Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates that success has a negative influence on Gatsby’s life. Gatsby pursues the wrong definition when buying friends was more important than having meaningful relationships, and dreaming wealth corrupted his morals, and Nick was his only true friend.

Gatsby was unsuccessful because of his lack of meaningful relationships. In the beginning of the novel, Gatsby had extravagant parties with “the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music”(40). The yellow cocktail music is jazz music played by the wealthy throughout Gatsby’s parties. Fitzgerald uses the music to signify his wealth but also his desire to be a part of high society life. Additionally, while Nick is speaking to a lady …show more content…
In the middle of the novel, when Gatsby and Daisy meet again “the clock took this moment to tilt dangerously at the pressure of his head” after many years “ five years next november”(86,87). Gatsby breaks the time to try and recreate past memories of him and Daisy only this time he had power and wealth. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s wait for Daisy to signify the overwhelming pressure of accepting reality and not just the idea of Daisy. In addition to loving the idea of being Daisy, Nick thought Gatsby wanted “to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy”(110). Gatsby’s views Daisy as the trophy to superiority and having him believe that the only way to achieve wealth is to be nostalgic. Fitzgerald uses Daisy to signify the completion of Gatsby’s dream of having the riches and
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