The Time of Greatness
Time and reality are two coexisting forces; they are relative, yet bind every person. Few are lucky enough to have the privilege to be independent of these factors. It takes great skill to avoid, but even greater skill to manipulate either of them. Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, reality is subjective, dictated by the events and people surrounding them. While many seem to be impervious, one of the characters is significantly less affected by the truth and events which go on around him: Gatsby. His ability to remain unchained by the bonds of reality is, after all, the reason he is Great.
Throughout the novel, reality is merely an illusion for most of the characters. When each individual …show more content…
Hermanson, “for all characters, the relationship between the past and the future is at issue, as well as personal responsibility for the choices they make in navigating the present between these”(Hermanson), explaining how the characters have the ability to cross between the boundaries of time. They remain impartial to the restrictions and rules time sets, selectively ignoring the present moment and the reality of the situation. The very structure of the novel is suggestive of this, as the story is set in the past. Tied into this art is the power of ignoring the invisible borders which determine an individual’s place. Myrtle, for example, who comes from a world completely different from the one introduced by Fitzgerald - glamorous and luxurious- is able to escape it at times, with the help of the distraction Tom creates. Daisy, on the other hand, challenges different ideals. She is not concerned with her social class, yet her own place within it, simply displeased by what is expected of her. Daisy and Tom are …show more content…
As the story progresses, Nick slowly uncovers Gatsby’s fluency in time, his tendency not to remain in either the past, present, or future for too long. Nick points out that “he talked a lot about the past”. This idea of Gatsby’s fondness of the past, and attempt to stay there, is only introduced halfway through the novel, once Gatsby finally meets Daisy, when he “faces of a defunct mantelpiece clock”. Here, the clock is a symbol for time; as it is broken, time stands still, echoing Gatsby’s desire not to move forward in time, but stay in the past. However, this symbol recurs to also demonstrate his ‘fluency’ in time: the present by the working clock, and the future represented briefly through the description of him “running down like an overwound clock”. Moreover, Gatsby is unable to remain in the present moment for too long. He tries reliving the past, or dwells on the future, ignoring what is right in front of him. Slowly, Gatsby is devoured by his own fantasies and even Daisy, because of whom he bought his house in order for her to be “just across the bay” and threw many outrageous parties for, was not satisfying enough, “not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his
Time and reality are two coexisting forces; they are relative, yet bind every person. Few are lucky enough to have the privilege to be independent of these factors. It takes great skill to avoid, but even greater skill to manipulate either of them. Throughout the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, reality is subjective, dictated by the events and people surrounding them. While many seem to be impervious, one of the characters is significantly less affected by the truth and events which go on around him: Gatsby. His ability to remain unchained by the bonds of reality is, after all, the reason he is Great.
Throughout the novel, reality is merely an illusion for most of the characters. When each individual …show more content…
Hermanson, “for all characters, the relationship between the past and the future is at issue, as well as personal responsibility for the choices they make in navigating the present between these”(Hermanson), explaining how the characters have the ability to cross between the boundaries of time. They remain impartial to the restrictions and rules time sets, selectively ignoring the present moment and the reality of the situation. The very structure of the novel is suggestive of this, as the story is set in the past. Tied into this art is the power of ignoring the invisible borders which determine an individual’s place. Myrtle, for example, who comes from a world completely different from the one introduced by Fitzgerald - glamorous and luxurious- is able to escape it at times, with the help of the distraction Tom creates. Daisy, on the other hand, challenges different ideals. She is not concerned with her social class, yet her own place within it, simply displeased by what is expected of her. Daisy and Tom are …show more content…
As the story progresses, Nick slowly uncovers Gatsby’s fluency in time, his tendency not to remain in either the past, present, or future for too long. Nick points out that “he talked a lot about the past”. This idea of Gatsby’s fondness of the past, and attempt to stay there, is only introduced halfway through the novel, once Gatsby finally meets Daisy, when he “faces of a defunct mantelpiece clock”. Here, the clock is a symbol for time; as it is broken, time stands still, echoing Gatsby’s desire not to move forward in time, but stay in the past. However, this symbol recurs to also demonstrate his ‘fluency’ in time: the present by the working clock, and the future represented briefly through the description of him “running down like an overwound clock”. Moreover, Gatsby is unable to remain in the present moment for too long. He tries reliving the past, or dwells on the future, ignoring what is right in front of him. Slowly, Gatsby is devoured by his own fantasies and even Daisy, because of whom he bought his house in order for her to be “just across the bay” and threw many outrageous parties for, was not satisfying enough, “not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his