Dreamers In The Great Gatsby, Oryx And Streetcar Named Desire

The ideas of dreamers have helped humanity and its people for thousands of years, one of which is the archetypal critic, Northrop Frye. Frye’s insight on the understanding of literature is useful for readers in a way that helps readers interpret works of literature in a different and enticing way. Many readers use Frye as a help to test literature such as, King Lear, The Great Gatsby, Oryx and Crake, and Streetcar Named Desire. The protagonist of Oryx and Crake, Snowman, concerns a great deal of his time with Frye’s three levels of imagination. Snowman imagines his dead lover, Oryx, on many occasions throughout the novel. Oryx speaks to him as though she were alive. Accordingly, Frye says, “They’re not really different languages, but three different reasons for using words.”, about the three levels of the imagination. Snowman experiences the third level, the level of the imagination. Jimmy proves Frye’s point when he says, “Now he can feel Oryx floating towards him through the air, as if on soft feathery wings.”. Since Jimmy believes that he is the only one alive, which he is not as readers come to know at the dénouement, Snowman

Jay on the other hand, imagines the day that Daisy might stroll into to one of his parties. Frye says, “Our imagination is what our whole social life is really based on”. The dream and imagination of Daisy is what drives Jay Gatsby’s life, and with that his social life. When Nick brings up love at lunch, Gatsby says, “But Miss Baker has kindly consented to speak to you about this matter.” Here Gatsby hesitates to speak to Nick about his relationship with Daisy. Along with his imagination, Gatsby’s social class grows. This proves the importance of Frye towards readers because many of Jay’s party guests gossip about how grand and extravagant his parties