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The Great Gatsby Flaws

Decent Essays

“...I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” p. 4 -Throughout the novel, there is a constant reference to the “American Dream.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, even appears to mock the naivety and oblivion that comes with this false reality. Characters like Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby attempt to hold onto the idea of what a perfect and happy life is. They attempt to envision a better and brighter day. They attempt to “start over”, Tom with his mistress, Daisy with her affair with Gatsby, and Gatsby with his affair with Daisy. However, Fitzgerald proves that the notions of a “perfect” tomorrow are flawed, and he does so by having all of their lives (Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby) end with some type of tragedy. “...two …show more content…

He uses the character or Myrtle and Lucille to demonstrate how individuals, particularly women, are attracted to the wealth of a man rather than the man’s actual character. Deeper within the novel, Myrtle explains that she married Wilson because he was a “gentleman” (p. 34), but later went on to say “he wasn’t fit to lick [her] shoe” (p. 34). This again demonstrates the rhetoric at the time; the shallowness of these women is both disturbing and yet comical, and Fitzgerald uses them to poke fun at the individuals in our society that act this way. “Some time before he introduced himself I’d get a strong impression that he was picking his words with care.” p. 48 -This line has two significant explanations in the novel. One being, Gatsby is notorious for calling individuals “old sport.” However, it is not a subconscious act for him, he uses the term “old sport” to maintain the elegance and poise that he works so hard to obtain. It is a facade. Also, this line foreshadows the ending of the novel because, Gatsby ultimately died because he did not choose his words wisely. He opened his mouth and spoke without thinking, and he revealed his affair with Daisy to Tom. This in turn caused Tom to react and pin the affair with Myrtle on Gatsby. “I think he killed a man.” p.

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