The Great Gatsby Esssay

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Michael Rossi
July 25, 2009
Advanced Placement Language and Composition
The Great Gatsby Essay prompt two: Shelia Graham writes: “I think Scott (Fitzgerald) wanted me, through my reading, to understand and perhaps share some of his basic tenets about existence: that as he so often old me, there was no such thing as happiness. …As he explains, “…the sense that life is essentially a cheat and its conditions are those of defeat and redeeming things are not ‘happiness and pleasure’ but the deeper satisfactions of the struggle.

Failure is Success ,Selfishness is Charity, War is Peace
How does Fitzgerald, through his novel, attempt to share and impose his beliefs upon his readers? This question arises from reoccurring instances throughout the characters lives within the text. Each character has qualities about them that bring them misfortune. Fitzgerald shows that no one, not even the great Gatsby, is devoid of these poor qualities. Gatsby is tormented by jealousy and greed, Nick is unable to stay true to himself and to others, and Tom is an ignorant racist. Each of the novel’s characters were set on a trajectory towards failure instigated by their poor attributes. Achieving success and happiness is an impossible feat. It is like a child trying to keep a beach ball submerged under water. Fitzgerald demonstrates that humanity cannot be truly happy due to these two pillars of reason: happiness is nonexistent and at the core humans are driven by selfish motives.
Happiness is a relative term unique to the individual. Humanity has struggled since the beginning of its existence to order to attain success. Gatsby was in possession of wealth and friends and his goal was to settle down with Daisy. Many would consider love a necessity in one’s life. For some it is what they perceive as happiness or success. Through Fitzgerald’s eyes, success is failure. Humans base their idea of happiness upon some form of achievement. Successfully accomplishing one’s achievements will leave them with a satisfied feeling that may be perceived as happiness. If one fails to accomplish their goal, then they become subject to a
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self induced agony. The only true form of happiness is the state of wanting nothing. The character who most relates to this is Nick. Nick regards his friends as fools because they have unrealistic goals. . This is best exhibited when Nick (in the attempt to offer courage to Gatsby) said, “ ‘Thery’re a rotten crowd,’ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.’ I’ve always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end (154). This quote is a great representation of Nick’s true feeling. He tells Gatsby he does not believe him to be in Tom, Daisy, and Jordan’s circle when in reality he disapproves of him from beginning to end because he is the circle’s main pursuer of happiness’s shadow. Tom wants Daisy to become subject to his ownership and Gatsby wants Daisy to abandon her husband and current life to be together with him. These high and lofty goals set Gatsby and Tom up for devastating failures. Tom was forced to realize that he can be wrong and Gatsby was forced to realize that people do change, and that the world does not revolve around him. Since Nick lived humbly and did not allow himself to be rendered head over heels for a potential lover, he did not experience such a drastic fall at the end of the novel. Nick was on the outside of the ring of great ambition created by his friends. Nick flowed through the novel and did not struggle through it. He simply socialized with his friends to witness the spectacle that was their existence.
Fitzgerald also made it possible for the readers to determine that characters within the text acted out of selfishness. Very often in life, people make friends who share similar goals and values in order to learn and grow with them. Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald was able to convey the concept of growing at the expense of others, not with them. Gatsby used Nick to grow closer to Daisy. Gatsby was portrayed as the most generous man throughout the novel. He threw parties in
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which he did not fully partake. He purchased food and alcohol for his guests that he did not consume. Fitzgerald tries to show that selfishness is part of human nature do to the elaborateness of Gatsby’s selfish rouse. Gatsby was conscious of his plan to obtain Daisy through his lavish parties. He did not try to stray from selfishness, but to disguise it from others so that meeting Daisy would seem more natural. He would simply be a guest and a generous man whose reputation and generosity were wildly renowned. To others Gatsby’s interest in Daisy would portray him as a man who simply wished to meet everyone and please everyone. Daisy would simply be the next of Gatsby’s list. If Gatsby had neglected to fortify his reputation he would simply be a heartbroken stalker who sought to steal Daisy from her husband. Through Gatsby his questionable business and obsession with a married woman seemed permissible due to his multitude of redeeming qualities. If Gatsby’s desires and occupation were to belong to another person who did not emanate an aura of perfection throughout the novel, then they would become clear as lucid selfishness, distinguishable to any reader. If Nick was involved in shady business, was still poor, had an unknown reputation, and sought after a married woman, the reader would show no sympathy towards him.
Fitzgerald believes that humanity cannot truly be happy due to these two pillars of reason: happiness is nonexistent and at the core humans are driven by selfish motives. The Great Gatsby could be read as Fitzgerald’s handbook. None of the characters within the novel were able to fulfill their dreams, however Nick had no remorse. Since Nick had no selfish dream he was able to witness the dreams of other and partake in their excitement. Nick was not happy about every aspect of his life; however he did come the closest to true happiness. He was not subject to life suppression, either by his financial status, his haphazard love life, nor the horrid
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death of his closest friend. Pristine happiness and success are impossible because life always presents new obstacles both internally and externally. Nick did not swim against life’s current, but rather coast along with its waves. Nick is like the child that continually pounces upon the beach ball and thoroughly enjoys the duration in which he is able to maintain his balance. He is used to the ball fighting with his weight and sending him in the cold ocean. He knows that it is impossible to stay atop the ball and he will fall just the same way in which Gatsby and the others did and he does not mind for he knows those who never give in come the closest.