|
|
 |
|
Student Assignments from 2013
GATSBY ESSAY #1
People are supposed to live in the present, planning their goals, futures, and dreams,
but when people try to live in the past, it changes their future. Throughout “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald,
there are many situations that deal with the past, present and future. One major example is Jay Gatsby, legally known as James
Gatz. Gatsby wasted time and his life for a single dream, it was the fantasy of his perfect future that made it an aspect
in his life. Gatsby was unable to have his love from the past, Daisy. He wanted a future with Daisy very much that he'd do
anything to be with her. That is, if she will break her love for Tom, her husband, and go away with him. Since Gatsby was
so stuck in the past, that led him to being shot which ended tragically with his death. He ends up dead because of his incapability
to live in the present. Gatsby was in denial that he couldn't repeat the past. His whole life was destroyed because he kept
chasing the one dream he couldn't let go of.
Gatsby had this perfect image of how Daisy was before, when he was with her. Nick tried
explaining to Gatsby that it has been five years and Daisy has changed, she wouldn't be the same as she was before. "Almost five years!
There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams--not through her own fault, but because
of the colossal vitality of his illusion" (Fitzgerald 95). Although the reality
of Daisy is not as beautiful and amazing as Gatsby's dream and memory of her. Once Gatsby kisses her, he realizes that Daisy
is not pure and perfect like Gatsby thought she was in the past. But he had already built up so much admiration and thought
of her as such a perfect being, that it wouldn't matter how passionate she was, or how dolled up she got, she would never
be as perfect as his memories of her. From Gatsby's delusions of the past absorbing all of his thoughts, he forgot about the
important aspect he exists in, which is the present.
Even though Gatsby was gritty on reliving the past, Gatsby hazily lived for
the present. Gatsby's future was said by his father, that Gatsby had a great future ahead of him and that Gatsby had the intelligence
to be successful. Gatsby showed that he kept an eye on his goals, he was willing to get ahead and in fact had a plan to achieve
his goals. But the one goal he didn't achieve showed Gatsby he had done something permanent for focusing on that one dream, Daisy.
Gatsby's delusion to make what has already past, his future, and his vision was out of reach.
As a result of living in the past, Gatsby limited his future and was hopeless by a one kiss which was his only dreadful
error. In the process of Gatsby chasing his dream, he was murdered.
"Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes
before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter--to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And
one fine morning--
So we beat
on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." (Fitzgerald 180).
For Gatsby, his entire life revolved around that green light, Daisy Buchanan. But that passion destroyed his entire
life.
Gatsby was only thinking about himself. He didn't
realize that Daisy had a life for five years with her husband. He only wanted something that would benefit him and he thought
that it would be the same for Daisy.
"He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: 'I never loved you.' After she had obliterated
four years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken. One of them was that, after
she was free, they were to go back to Louisville and be married from her house—just as if it were five years ago...
'Can't repeat the past?' he cried incredulously. 'Why of course you can!'" (Fitzgerald 109)
In Gatsby’s mind, the last five years have been unimportant and superfluous, since he was just building
himself up in society to win Daisy back. Daisy, on the other hand, spent the past five years building a rapport with her husband,
with whom she shared not only a place in society but also a child. Daisy had a lot more to lose if she ran away with Gatsby
than Gatsby did. If they were to reunite and abscond together, Daisy would miss many things from the life she had built
with Tom. Alternatively, Gatsby didn't have anything to lose.
To sum up, Gatsby wasted his time and his life for a single dream, and it was his fantasy of his perfect future that
made it an aspect in his life. Gatsby was living in the past and when he finally came to the present he was no longer there.
Gatsby was unable to face the fact that he had to let go of the past and move on with the future. Which is why Gatsby ends
up dead, because of his inability to live in the present.
Works
Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby.
New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.
GATSBY ESSAY #2
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, is truly an American
classic that contains a plethora of moral and ethical lessons. One of the main messages that is conveyed through Fitzgerald’s
novel is how having enormous wealth can redound in an impersonal and superficial manner, which is exemplified by the
lifestyle of Jay Gatsby while he is a resident of the West Egg. The depiction of Gatsby’s life is an utter lie from
the moment he is introduced to the readers to his tragic end. His reputation as a wealthy party-thrower over powers and overshadows
who he is as a person. Furthermore Gatsby’s main goal in the book, to find his beloved Daisy Buchanan, reflects how
superficial and clouded his life is by the importance he places on wealth and money. As a result when Gatsby meets his demise
at the end of the book, he faces it alone with only his hollow wealth to shield him. Though even before the readers begin
to learn more of Gatsby’s personality, he is only known through his notorious reputation.
The narrator of the book, Nick Carraway, first introduces the readers to Gatsby by describing the fabulous parties
that Mr. Gatsby hosts at his house; yet his description is fouled by its impersonal tone. He states, “Sometimes they
came and went without having met Gatsby at all, came for the party with a simplicity of heart that was its own ticket of admission”
(Fitzgerald 41). While relating the first time he attend one of Gatsby’s parties, Carraway even goes as far as to say
that he believed he “was one of the few guests who had actually been invited” (Fitzgerald 41). It was simply enough
that people ‘knew of’ Gatsby instead of actually personally knowing him. Gatsby’s parties are represented
as truly splendid events, yet there is a great sense of falsehood upon further observation. An example of this is when Nick
ventures into Gatsby’s library and is met with a drunk man, whom he proceeds to label as ‘Owl-Eyes’, who
excitedly tells him that all of the books are real. Owl-Eyes had been expected to find that all the books were fake since
he didn’t expect someone as wealthy as Gatsby to care enough to have real books. However, this scene still supports
Gatsby’s superficial nature when it is discovered that none of the books’ pages had been cut; which in turn means
that Gatsby has not read any of the books in his library. This represents Gatsby’s thoroughness in ensuring that he
projects an ambiance of realism to the point where it is believable. However upon further examination of the enigma
that is Gatsby, it is found that he is truly a “boorish fraud” (McAdams). Unfortunately the wealth and opulence
that Gatsby has is usually enough to win over most of the people he encounters; which is exactly what Gatsby hopes to do with
his beloved Daisy, whom he has been separated from for so long.
For the duration that Gatsby is known to the readers he has one principal object: to reconnect and become the man of
Daisy Bachanan. This might have been a noble cause at one time, yet Gatsby has corrupted his purpose by the means that he
uses: his wealth. The original affair between Daisy and him had been one of love and passion, for Gatsby had been “a
penniless young man without a past” (Fitzgerald 149). Between the two of them they had love and a small amount of time,
consequently love prospered. Following this however, Gatsby was called off to fight in the First Great War. Upon his return,
he took up the sole mission of getting back to Daisy. Regrettably for him, Daisy had married an extremely wealthy man named
Tom Buchanan during the time he was gone. Consequently Gatsby got it into his head that he could win Daisy with the perks
of having vast sums of money. In the book when Gatsby first reconnects with Daisy after they had been separated, he takes
the opportunity to show off all the lavish possessions he has. In accordance with Daisy’s artificial personality, all
his possessions win her over. There is even an instant where she begins to sob when Gatsby shows her the shirts he has because,
as she puts it, “’I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before’” (Fitzgerald 92).
Just as the hook of a fisherman serves to catch fish, Gatsby’s wealth serves to entice and capture Daisy. Although it is true that the two of them enjoy a period of time together, they are doomed to be separated
eventually due to the hollow wealth that holds them together.
As a result of a series of complicated love triangles that surround him, Gatsby is torn from his beloved Daisy when
he meets death in the form of a bullet. While this event is terribly dismaying, it is the lack of companionship he experiences
that is the real reason for sorrow. Gatsby had been known to the hundreds of people who had attended his parties, and by even
more who knew him just from his reputation. Yet on his deathbed, out of the hundreds of people he had hosted, not one showed
up to offer him their presence save Nick and surprisingly Owl-Eyes. Owl-Eyes even went as far to exclaim, “’Why,
my God! they used to go there by the hundreds’” (Fitzgerald 175). Even Gatsby’s beloved Daisy did not send
“a message or a flower” (Fitzgerald 174). This sad fact just goes to prove the real worth of Gatsby’s wealthy
lifestyle and all the good it did for him in the bitter end. Even in death, Gatsby’s reputation and wealth did not profit
him or cause many people to mourn. As soon as Gatsby no longer had anything to offer people, he was left in the dust and forgotten
about. Accordingly this tragic series of events goes to show the impersonal and superficial nature that had become Gatsby’s
life.
Although the story of Jay Gatsby is a heart-rendering one, it supports and exemplifies the impersonal and superficial
nature that can result from a wealth filled lifestyle. Gatsby might have used his wealth in many different ways, yet he chose to lure people into accepting
and admiring him through the lavishness that it brought him. Even his once noble mission of love was corrupted when wealth
became the means he would use to his end. Consequently, he was left practically alone to die and be buried due to the lack
of authentic friends that his lifestyle wrought him. Although wealth may very well progress a man, it is seen through F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, what happens when wealth commands the man instead of the man commanding his
wealth.
Works Cited
McAdams, Tony. "The Great Gatsby as a Business Ethics Inquiryby Tony McAdams." Ethics in Gatsby:
An Examination of American Values by Tony McAdams. N.p., 1997. Web. 07 Feb. 2013.
<http://fitzgerald.narod.ru/critics-eng/mcadams-ethics.html>.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Print.
|
|
|
GATSBY STORY
It was February 12, 2013, just another day in Hartford Connecticut. However, the events that were about to take
place would contradict this statement in every way. It was about 7am on Tuesday, news breached about a terrible snow storm
named Nemo. The snowstorm was announced to be very dangerous and the citizens were told to stay out of the streets at all
cost. However, this did not stop one young fellow named Jay Gatsby. This young
man was on a mission to find his true love; Daisy. But we’ll get more into that later in the story.
As the day continued more and more people were
busy rustling through the streets trying to get all the supplies they would need. Toiletries,
gas, batteries, water, to even food. People were in such frenzy they seemed to overlook a large telephone booth hurdling down
to the earth. Once the telephone booth came to a complete stop just above the ground out stepped a man. This man looked to
be around 30 years old; he was dressed very fine as if he was trying to impress someone, perhaps a lady. Once this man stepped
outside his telephone booth, he closed the door and off it went back to the grey blue sky. The man walked head help high and
towards the store. He was amazed at carts with wheels, it had a large basket and four wheels, and he didn’t know what
these strange contraptions were. Then he spotted a young lady on this small square object, the ladies thumbs repeatedly hit
the screen. He walked closer to the lady to get a closer look at the object and noticed it even made a sort of clicking noise.
As the lady was typing he became even more amazed that as she pressed letters they instantly appeared on the screen. Suddenly
he heard a high pitched woman’s voice, she sang with a sort of swing and her lines were “We are never ever getting
back together...” He didn’t know what this was, sure it was music but what why was this lady repeating these lines
and why did it come out of the small typing contraption. All of this too much for him to even understand he enters the stores
doors and headed straight to the flower arrangements. He picked out the finest rose and whispered to himself “She will
love this!” Suddenly a woman comes up to him.
“Is that all sir?”
“Yes but hello my name is Gatsby, I am
looking for a beautiful lady named Daisy, she is my love, I need to find her, do you have any thoughts on where she could
possibly be? I’ve came all the way from West Egg”
“Uhm, try her favorite shops. Go to places
you know she would love. I wish you the best of luck, she will love those beautiful rose.”
“Thank you. I certainly hope so. I need
her back.”
Now, this woman that Gatsby has come to look
for is named Daisy. When he was a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight in WW 1 they met and instantly
he began to fall in love. Daisy had even promised Gatsby that she would wait for him to return from the War; she loved him.
Or so we thought, she later married a man named Tom Buchanan. Tom was another wealthy man who fell in love with Daisy and
they later married. However, this did not stop Gatsby. Gatsby is sure if he can
just remind Daisy of what life was like when they were together, the she would leave Tom and they could live happily together.
Gatsby went to the extremes to earn her attention once again, he threw lavish parties only hoping that one day she would walk
in and they could finally reunite but she never did. However, the persistent Gatsby did not stop there, he bought his home
close to hers, so that he could keep an eye on her and sees her beautiful face almost every day, Gatsby was a helpless romantic.
However, things took a sour turn when she ran away with Tom one evening, no address
was left, and no one knew where they could possibly be. Which leads us to today; Gatsby heard rumors about them possibly time
traveling to present day Connecticut, where they could start over without any problems and live their life’s happily
together. As soon as Gatsby heard this, he took that telephone booth and right before he knows it, he's in present day Connecticut.
After asking that young lady where Daisy could
be, he still had no idea where to even begin. The storm Nemo was starting to kick in as flurries began to fall, Gatsby to
escape the cold weather ran into a nearby tall golden building. The building had large windows and all were golden and you
were able to see your reflection. Gatsby was now in downtown Hartford. He entered the building and sat in a seat, he then
dozed off and dreamed thoughts of Daisy. He thought back to their wondrous days together, how much he loved her, how she was
just beautiful in every way, he then began to dream of their life that could be. Since Daisy was already wealthy, he dreamt
of his own wealth and how that could only make her happier. Then something struck him, he remembered how she absolutely only
loved the finer things. It was now his goal to find the most lavish building and she would be inside. He was awoken by an
older man, the man asked him several questions including “Are you lost? Homeless? Need anything?” Gatsby began
his introduction once again; “Hello sir, my name is Jay Gatsby, I come from west egg and I am in search of my beautiful
love, Daisy. Have you seen or heard anything of her? She may be with a sneaky man named Tom.” The security guard looked
confused but still told Gatsby that he did indeed know of a Daisy. “Really? This is fantastic! Where is she? Is she
alone?” The security told him to go to the 11TH floor and she was in room 143, but warned him that he was
not sure if it was the same Daisy due to the amount of people staying in the hotel that day because of the terrible storm.
Gatsby ran off down the hall to staircase, he ran in counting eleven floors up and ran down the hall. The numbers were a bit
off however, the first being 120, the second 122, and etc… Gatsby found himself going to the thirteenth floor. When
he finally approached room number 143 his face lit up. “What if she’s not there? What If Toms with her? Im better
for her, she loves me. Not him.” He knocks. No response. He knocks again this time with much for force and confidence,
no one answers the door. As he knocks a couple more times and calls out for her name, a man with a cart full of toiletries
comes around the corner. “Excuse me sir, is there anything I can do for you?” Gatsby turns to face the man with
the cart, “Hello, my true love is in this room and I cannot get in. do you have a key?” The man pulls out a key
and opens the door letting Gatsby in. He runs in eagerly, his heart pacing and his cheecks flushed with redness as he anticipates
possibly seeing Daisy, he flings open the door only to find a box with images and voices.
Disappointed he turns around but this time finds a note. The note says “Hello, due to the horrible snow my husband,
Tom and I, have decided to leave to charlotte hotel, we appreciate your kindess. –Daisy.” Gatsby thrilled by these encouraging words snatched the note and ran out the door. As he began running
it all felt like it was a slow motion running; your legs are moving but your brain on pause. Gatsby, when he eventually reached
the door to exit the hotel, stops and looks at the moving screen once again. “Excuse me sir, what is this contraption?”
The man puzzled by this question looked at Gatsby in complete loss at words. “Well, sir that is a monitor..” Gatsby
still shocked at the screen, “We have camera’s throughout the hotel, and this here shows me who is exiting or
entering for security purposes” Suddenly it hit Gatsby “DAISY! You can use this camera thing attached to this
monitor thing, and tell me if my love Daisy is with Tom or even if I have the right one, please!” The security guard
still loss at what to do allowed Gatsby to view the monitors. After five minutes of going through film, Gatsby finally says
to stop. He see’s Daisy and she was indeed alone, but that bit of hope was soon to end when Tom appeared with their
luggage. He kissed her on the check and they were off. Gatsby was heartbroken, so many thoughts crossed his mind. “How
could she… she chose him…” At this point it was now Gatsby who had to decide what to do next; he could either
move on and let go of his beautiful could be wife, or he could continue to chase her and try to win her heart back.
Ultimately, he knew he had to try just one more
time. He said thank you to the kind man who had helped him, and walked into the terrible snowstorm. He continued walking bearing
the cold weather, bearing the pain on his ice as each snowflake felt like a thorn, his face pale and becoming weak, however
it does not stop him. One great thing about Gatsby is that his love for her is greater than any obstacle, he is willing to
climb the highest mountain just to see her smile, or feel her touch, or even to just hear soft gentle voice say..
“Gatsby? Is that you?” Filled with
complete excitement Gatsby turns around hopeful that when he did he would find the most beautiful woman in his life. He followed
the voice in what little he could see, the voice was coming from a large building. Gatsby looked to his left and read “Charlotte
hotel, the finest of them all.” Gatsby filled with even more hope enters
the building but making sure to wipe the snowflakes off his face, fixed his hair to his best ability, and entered the building
only disappointed to see that the voice was no other than Tom himself.
So many
thoughts began to run through Gatsby’s head. His heart becoming weaker every second he thought about Tom and Daisy actually
being happy together. However, Gatsby knew at this point it was his last chance. “Tom…just…Where’s
Daisy?” Tom looked at Gatsby with a smirk, Tom knew he had Daisy. He knew that at the end of the day he had already
won her heart. “Daisy..come here. We have an uninvited guest.” Gatsby’s heart stopped the minute he saw
the only woman he had ever loved. The woman he would give up everything for, self respect, dignity, even willing to be someone
he wasn’t all to please her. The light that came to Daisy’s face when she spotted Gatsby was something so different.
Almost as if she was happy to see that he had not given up. They looked into each other’s eyes and Gatsby began fixing
his hair once again. Its amazing how insecure he made her, how willing he was to change for her.
“Eh-hem!” Tom broke the past lovers
locked eyes.
“Gatsby,
I love Tom now, I can’t help the past. I loved you once, but that was before I met Tom. Im sorry but it is only right
I be with Tom.” As she spoke these words her eyes began to tear up, her cheeks grew rosy red.
“You
loved me?” Gatsby’s heart still with an ounce of hope holding on.
“This
is not okay. I am not going to sit back and let a Mr.Nobody from nowhere try to sweep you off your feet. Gatsby, she did not
even know you were alive. She moved on for a reason, there are things between Daisy and me that you’ll never understand
due to our special bond. Neither of us can ever forget our memories, however, she did with you. Why? Because Gatsby she loves
me. You are nothing more than old washed up love.” Tom grabbed Daisy kissing her on the cheek to hopefully prove a stronger
point to Gatsby.
Gatsby could say nothing to these words except,
“Daisy, do you want to be with Tom? Are you happy with Tom? If so, let this be my last farewell. Not for Tom’s
sake, not because I don’t believe we have a love so different, but because I want my dearest to be happy.”
Daisy now
sobbing says her final and most piercing words to Gatsby “I love Tom, you are an old love. Tom is my new love.”
Just like
that, Gatsby recollected himself and gave Tom the most sincere handshake and said “Be great and gentle with her please.
Daisy, I will always love you. Farewell to you both, have a great life together.”
Gatsby
turns to exit the building with so many emotions engulfing him. However he knew he could not do anything more. If Daisy preferred
Tom, then that is her choice. He knew he had done almost everything for a woman that would never realize the full potential
he had. He knew he could no longer put on a persona. Although, he loved her with all of his heart, he knew it was time to
move on because he ultimately wanted her to be happy. Gatsby was in a daze at
this point, ignoring the blistery cold weather. As he continued walking he knew it was time to go home once again. Gatsby
called upon his booth and as the booth began to descend from the sky once again he entered and took one last look at the beautiful
scenery.
Once Gatsby returned home, all he wanted was
to sleep the night, memories, and heattbreak of Daisy away. However, he knew it was late which just meant another wild party
was being held at his house. Gatsby walked to the sea which was lit up and shimmering due to the full moon. He overlooked
the sea, gazing at the beautiful night sky. Gatsby remembers the beautiful rose he bought Daisy earlier that day and pulled
it from his suits pocket. The rose was a representation of Daisy, its beautiful while it last, but in the end its just a rose. He began picking petals off and throwing them into the water. It almost served
as closure for him. He gazed at the sea and beautiful night sky, As he began to smile for the first time, a woman appears
next to him.
“Whats
the matter?” The mystery woman said.
“Oh
hello, My name is.. my name is Gatsby.” Gatsby looked to the woman and noticed her beauty. She was absolutely stunning
and looked familiar. She looked so familiar it reminded him of Daisy’s sweet face.
In conclusion, although Gatsby ultimately did
not win Daisy, he still remains hopeful of finding someone who is more beautiful and sincere. He knows that although Daisy
and him are over there are still other beautiful young ladies. After that night, Gatsby and the woman disappeared. Some rumored
Gatsby grew angry about the parties and kidnapped her others say the woman was Daisy and that night Gatsby killed Tom and
ran off with Daisy. However, the woman was spotted with Gatsby three years later, they happily walked down a street holding
hands and Gatsby with such a grin, that it was clear Daisy was just an old love.
Gatsby Scene Analysis:
1.
This scene holds a key and important part of the Gatsby story. It is the final climaxing point of the story. It is
an ironic portion of the story which causes more problems in the future for Gatsby.
2.
The literary devices that Fitzgerald uses in this passage are: Narrative and Irony.
The Narrative language is being used through his writing through the voice of Nick, who is the Narrator. Irony occurs
when Daisy “accidently” kills Myrtle, because we all know that Daisy did not like Myrtle, and so it is ironic
when she “accidently” kills her
3.
Readers learn that if you live by the rich, you die by the rich! In all seriousness though, the reader later learns
from this chapter, after Gatsby is murdered, that the rich always just run from their problems and never get to really face
it head on because they are scared and think money is always their solution.
4.
“‘Your wife doesn’t love you,’ Said Gatsby. ‘She’s never loved you. She loves me.’”
This is very important because it is another part of the climaxing points that causes a downfall for Gatsby. Tom learns to
hate Gatsby and Daisy finds herself becoming more distant from Gatsby, and their connections falls apart.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Enter supporting content here
|
|
|
|