Compare And Contrast Dexter And The Great Gatsby

Dexter and Gatsby have much in common including their past, their rise to wealth, and a significant woman present in their lives. Dexter and Gatsby have similar characters and their stories reflect one another in their separate texts. There were emotions displayed by both characters in their respective stories, however the emotion that was exhibited the most by both Gatsby and Dexter was lust. Lust is responsible for driving Gatsby and Dexter’s decisions throughout both of their stories. Gatsby’s entire life is centered on obtaining Daisy’s love and having her for himself. Gatsby is willing to do whatever it takes to get Daisy’s affection. He buys a huge mansion to be close to her and to get her attention, he earns an enormous amount of money

He expresses love for Daisy, and hope for their future together. He displays confusion at the fact that Daisy could love him and Tom at once. Gatsby emotions can be somewhat blinded by his affection for Daisy. He is hardly impacted by the fact that Daisy killed a woman, and he “spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only thing that mattered” (Fitzgerald 142). Gatsby is fully ready to accept responsibility for Daisy’s actions. Dexter’s emotions are not as prevalent as Gatsby’s are in the text. Dexter’s primary emotion is an obsession with Judy Jones, and admiring her. Judy Jones sauntered into Dexter’s life when he first sees her on the golf course and his lust for her greatly impacts the course of his life. Dexter’s decision to leave Irene, who he could have had a life with, for Judy, leaves him alone in the future after Judy breaks off her engagement to Dexter. Dexter and Gatsby both describe Judy and Daisy with an intense luminosity, which is often mistaken for love, however it is lust that drives the minds of Dexter and Gatsby. The infatuation that Gatsby shows for Daisy, and Dexter for Judy is an oppressive attempt to control the object (Daisy or Judy) that they want. Once their relationships are scrutinized, it is clear that the emotion that is present is lust or infatuation. This lust controls Dexter and Gatsby’s emotions and