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Theme Of Idealism In The Great Gatsby

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Of all the theme present in Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the theme of trying to attain one’s inner desires is the most apparent. For the duration of the novel, Fitzgerald demonstrating the disappointment that someone experiences from over expectations, with society only helps further amplify these desires. Throughout Fitzgerald’s usage of the forces of nostalgia, materialism, and idealism in characters he demonstrates the destructive nature of these ideas on an individual. In his wild attempt at impressing Daisy, Gatsby is the prime example of a person influenced by idealism, nostalgia, and materialism. The first true expression of this is after Gatsby’s party, when Nick comments“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 illusions” (95). Amazingly, Fitzgerald uses Nick to show Gatsby over idealized idea of Daisy. Gatsby has used idealism and nostalgia to a dangerous point, where his entire life becomes what he believes Daisy will see as perfect. Furthermore, his desire for Daisy is something that causes him to only put himself at higher and higher risk, until his false reality collapses and he fails at winning over Daisy. Gatsby is as well idealistic in his approach to the movement of time and his expectation of getting a retry on his past. This is most evident when in a private conversation with Nick, Gatsby says “Can’t repeat the past?” he

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