He wants everyone to think that he is an Oxford man and to believe that he is well educated by having a library in his house with countless books. However he never really touched them, the books are only there to show the public a fake image of him. In the end, the great Jay Gatsby appears to be a character who can’t seem to be letting go of his past. *ADD QUOTE* Tennessee Williams on the other hand, portrayed Blanche DuBois from A Streetcar Named Desire with a different view of her past. Unlike Gatsby, this character was wealthy, with a big loving family and a great plantation. She was married to a rich man and had the life she ever wanted. However, Blanche slowly started losing everything she ever owned, her life was falling apart. The symbol of light has a great impact in this character’s behaviour. Blanche avoids all direct, bright light, especially in front of men. Mitch, one of her potential suitors, proves this statement when he points out to Blanche: “I don’t think I ever seen you in the light. That’s a fact!” (Williams…) She refuses to reveal her age, and it is evident that she stays away from light to avoid others seeing her losing her beauty and her age. Blanche’s inner conflict gave the play an unforgettable conclusion. She “[doesn’t] tell the truth, [but instead] …show more content…
The readers can grasp that this theme bring up countless similarities and minor contrast in both characters. Both The Great Gatsby and A Streetcar Named Desire illustrate how this dominant theme portray significant symbols, inner conflicts and how appearances vs. reality impact the leading characters. The authors reveal Gatsby and Blanche as unstable and conflicted throughout their plot. In the end, the past has great importance to both characters as they use it to define their