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'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald And 'Their Eyes Were Watching God' by Zora Neale Hurston

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A successful marriage can be defined as a union consisting of three values: happiness, trust, and sacrifice. These values are illustrated in The Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God as they are exemplified by the relationships commented on by the authors. The vows said during the marriage process, mainly till death do you part, relate to these values as a promise between the people about to be wed. In order for the marriage to be successful and contain the values defining a successful union, there must be the presence of a connection between the two people, commonly referred to as love.

In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Zora Neale Hurston incorporates three marriages into Janies life story. The actual process of marriage and the …show more content…

Tea Cake also illustrates sacrifice as he risks his life to save Janie from the dog during the hurricane. This eventually brings upon the ultimate sacrifice, which is death. This marriage encompasses all the elements of a successful marriage, transforming it into a model marriage for determining success.

In F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby, only two marriages are presented that can be examined for successfulness, those of Tom Buchanan and George Wilson. Though the actual process of marriage has evidently occurred prior to the beginning of the story, these marriages can still be evaluated on the existence of the core values and the presence of love. Despite the fact that Fitzgerald does little to comment on the marriages, he still offers a different perspective than that of Hurston.

The marriage between Tom Buchanan and Daisy provides difficulty in forming an opinion as to whether it is successful or not. It appears as though the couple had once been in love, hence the marriage, but that love had faded, calling for the failure of the marriage. Also, though the partners venture towards other people and secret relationships, they ultimately end up together still married. Nevertheless, these separate relationships outside the marriage cause it to be considered unsuccessful. The aforementioned affairs cause for the values of trust and happiness to be found nonexistent

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