Examples Of Escapism In The Great Gatsby

People have a tendency to imagine themselves in different settings or situations, usually to relieve their minds from current circumstances. This is a phenomenon called ‘Daydreaming’. Uncomfortableness in environments or states of mind could possibly trigger those ambient moments. The shift from reality to fantasy is able to become so discernible to the human mind, that some are capable of making their daydreams into their reality. Jay Gatsby, Anna Delvey, and Frank Abagnale are representatives for diving into their fabrications. The urge to escape one’s life and reality has become so prominent because of the protrusiveness of social discrimination. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s notorious novel, The Great Gatsby, tackled the theme of escapism.

Instead, he was pushed to escape due to a chase. Having a criminal background and outed as a con artist, Abaganale was always in the eyes of the police. Because of his unfortunate instability at home and his insufficiency with academics, society shunned him and he became tempted by the life of crime. By first forging checks, he was able to get a taste of his meal of desire. The challenges of being pushed away from all new possibilities of success and made him determined to take all those hardships. At any moment he had a chance to peek around the corner of his gruesome reality, he took it. Frank’s desires were broad. His charming personality allowed him to get away with assuming different identities that were highly respected, socially and politically. Although Abagnale managed to satisfy his cravings of acceptance, he could not run away from the repercussions of his manipulations, “ ‘You people have showed me more love in six weeks than I have ever seen in my lifetime […] ,every cent I owe you will be repaid.’ Camphill, whose parents are long gone, is still waiting.” (Ellin “ ‘Catch Me If You Can’ conman”). As his schemes became more elaborate, he began to be consumed by his new glamorous lifestyle. He managed to fully convince others and himself of his faux identities. Social pressures pushed him further into his schemes and allowed him to be consumed by duplicity. Although he did

Discrimination, in general, creates a dreadful sense of hopelessness and despair, leaving individuals feeling trapped in spaces with no way out. Escaping those mental challenges tends to be a primary goal for anyone; being in a Dana task is ideal when the reality is haunting. To recognize those forms of escape would lead to the resolution of the causes of