In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, society has a fixation with the famous and wealthy; this fixation also seems to hold true in real life. The events of Gatsby’s life, such as his busy parties versus the number of people at his funeral, his impartial relationships, and the gossip about his past versus the truth about his start to wealth, convey a different message. Gatsby’s abundant materialistic fortune alternative to his meaningless life, and his driven want of an empty dream leads one to believe Gatsby’s life is not genuinely what it seems to be. Gatsby comes to show that in reality, distinguished people often do not have the ideal life that is perceived, but rather a lonely, hollow life with a facade.
One of the first …show more content…
Just like all of the people in the novel who are fixated on fame, Nick takes pleasure in noting that he has “a partial view of [his] lawn, and [a] consoling proximity [to a] millionaire”(5). Not long after, Nick sees Gatsby for the first time. Gatsby is alone in the dark trembling, yearning for something with outstretched arms, which is later discovered to be the companionship of Daisy. This shows a great contrast between Gatsby’s legacy and life, the first being rich and full and the latter being deficient and lonely. This idea is reinforced when nick meets Gatsby’s father ,“who’s pride in… his’s possessions was continually increasing”(173) and seemed to make a greater impact on him than the death of his son. Even Gatsby’s own father is more interested in his outward materialistic presence than their relationship, a thing of true …show more content…
In one case, when Gatsby gives Daisy and nick a tour of his mansion it is seen to be large and astounding, and decorated with wealthy possessions, but when they visit Gatsby’s bedroom it “was the simplest room of all” (93). This points out how Gatsby uses his house to show off his fortune, not to pleasure himself, because the one room that is designated as “his” is simple and comfortable without a gaudy display. In addition, Gatsby confesses to have “never used [his] pool all summer”(154) this demonstrates that the pool is another object that Gatsby used to make himself seem more affluent to others, to build his reputation, rather than have for his own enjoyment. This supports the idea that Gatsby is too caught up in building his appearance to find substance in his life, like an enjoyable past time such as swimming. As well, Gatsby’s facade is symbolised by his extensive library. It is full of real books that are diverse in subject, giving Gatsby an esteemed appearance, when in reality he could not have possibly read or cared about all the books he owns. The books, as a symbol of deep thought, demonstrate how Gatsby’s life is void of substance. The abundance of books represents his need to keep up
One of the first …show more content…
Just like all of the people in the novel who are fixated on fame, Nick takes pleasure in noting that he has “a partial view of [his] lawn, and [a] consoling proximity [to a] millionaire”(5). Not long after, Nick sees Gatsby for the first time. Gatsby is alone in the dark trembling, yearning for something with outstretched arms, which is later discovered to be the companionship of Daisy. This shows a great contrast between Gatsby’s legacy and life, the first being rich and full and the latter being deficient and lonely. This idea is reinforced when nick meets Gatsby’s father ,“who’s pride in… his’s possessions was continually increasing”(173) and seemed to make a greater impact on him than the death of his son. Even Gatsby’s own father is more interested in his outward materialistic presence than their relationship, a thing of true …show more content…
In one case, when Gatsby gives Daisy and nick a tour of his mansion it is seen to be large and astounding, and decorated with wealthy possessions, but when they visit Gatsby’s bedroom it “was the simplest room of all” (93). This points out how Gatsby uses his house to show off his fortune, not to pleasure himself, because the one room that is designated as “his” is simple and comfortable without a gaudy display. In addition, Gatsby confesses to have “never used [his] pool all summer”(154) this demonstrates that the pool is another object that Gatsby used to make himself seem more affluent to others, to build his reputation, rather than have for his own enjoyment. This supports the idea that Gatsby is too caught up in building his appearance to find substance in his life, like an enjoyable past time such as swimming. As well, Gatsby’s facade is symbolised by his extensive library. It is full of real books that are diverse in subject, giving Gatsby an esteemed appearance, when in reality he could not have possibly read or cared about all the books he owns. The books, as a symbol of deep thought, demonstrate how Gatsby’s life is void of substance. The abundance of books represents his need to keep up