Jay Gatsby Dreams

Superior Essays
A blood-filled pool, a desolate mansion, and thousands of owner-less shirts are the only carcass of Jay Gatsby’s dead dream. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless American classic The Great Gatsby recounts the tale of Mr. Gatsby and his esoteric wanting. Jay Gatsby, or James Gatz, as he is truly named, starts his life the son of a poor farming family in the Mid-West. Through a series of events, the young man finds his way into the service of yachtsman Dan Cody, where he gets a taste of wealth. This does not last, and Gatsby becomes an officer in World War I. Before he is sent off to Europe, his eyes fall upon the stunning Daisy Buchanan. Daisy entrances Gatsby with her beauty and affluence. Though they are only together for several days, the lustrous …show more content…
Mr. Gatsby, as Nick finds out, is infamous for his extravagant parties. The entire golden coast of Long Island and the whole wealthy population of New York City makes its way to Gatsby’s mansion on summer evenings to enjoy all the booze, music, dancing, and socializing they want. His gorgeous home is cavernous, beautifully detailed, and bustling with servants. Eventually, Jordan Baker, Nick’s girlfriend, reveals, "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay" (Fitzgerald 78). Jay Gatsby bought his extravagant house and throws all of his magnificent parties solely on the basis of being close to and hoping to draw in Daisy. In the words of Sven Birkets, “Gatsby’s legendary parties… are… nothing more than shimmering nets thrown out in the hopes of snaring Gatsby’s long-lost love, Daisy” (Birkets 123). All that Gatsby did, he did for Daisy. His glamorous home and extravagant parties were mere means of getting closer to and hoping to draw in Daisy. His wanting for her pushes him to change himself. It pulls him out of poverty, into the wealthy class, and to the shore across from …show more content…
His overwhelming desire for the love of Daisy Buchanan consumes his life. Gatsby becomes the man that he is solely to impress this gorgeous woman. For her, he obtains wealth, purchases an exorbitant mansion across the sound from the Buchanan’s, and throws countless parties in hopes of drawing in her presence. His wanting is so strong that it distracts him, gives new values to all of his material belongings, and even begins to repel the person he loves most. He is willing to do whatever to reach his goal of Daisy loving him. Numerous scholars suggest that this overpowering want is the factor that allows The Great Gatsby to be the timeless novel that speaks to the American experience in perpetuity. Gatsby’s power to dream sympathises with Americans, who also are willing to, “run faster, stretch out [their] arms farther” (Fitzgerald 180), to pursue their wants and desires. Wanting is a powerful force, the key overtone in The Great Gatsby, and quite possibly the indispensible component of the American

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