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Examples Of Optimism In The Great Gatsby

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Bright-Sided: How the Relentless Promotion of Positive Thinking Sacrificed Gatsby’s Sentimentality Nick Carraway barges into the kitchen without shame. He was not guilty of interrupting Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby’s intimate talk in view his of petty presence not causing as much as a dent in their intense togetherness. Soon after realizing his insignificance, Nick turns his attention and worriment to Gatsby’s unusual composure. Daisy is in tears over the conversation that just happened between her and her ex-lover, but Nick is more worried about Gatsby’s idle reaction to her transparent distress. Gatsby’s reaction displayed the optimism he bears in pursuance of Daisy’s love. He may even be pleased to see Daisy so overwhelmed, as to him it proves her undying affection for him. Gatsby’s unfazed counterbalance to Daisy’s dewy-eyed exhaustion is laced with pretension over his newly acquired persona. Living up to his self-made greatness has evidently caused him to lose some humanity; he is acting cynically and superficially only to reinforce what he believes makes him worthy of Daisy’s attention. This is proven when he says “‘I want you and Daisy to come over to my house...I’d like to show her around...‘My house looks well, doesn’t it?’” He …show more content…

Why not reach out to others in love and solidarity or peer into the natural world for some glimmer of understanding? Why retreat into anxious introspection when... there is a vast world outside to explore? Why spend so much time working on oneself when there is so much real work to be done?” This interrogative quote from Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright-Sided demonstrates how Gatsby’s optimism has gotten in the way of his morality by questioning the superficiality of an outward renovation. Gatsby does not reach out to Daisy in love and solidarity but rather hopes to attract her into his life through his wealth, further solidifying the sinister nature of his

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He displays the symptomatology of melancholic depression which is a form of repetition compulsion (Freud 18:21). Putting reasoning behind the supposed true love he displays for Daisy, and unveiling it as what it really is: melancholia. It becomes more clear that Gatsby's feelings for Daisy were something other than love, “‘Look at this, said Gatsby quickly. ‘Here’s a lot of clippings-about you’” (Great Gatsby 59), gives you more of a look into Gatsby's obsession with the idea of Daisy as he goes to the lengths of collecting newspaper clippings involving

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The Roaring Twenties was a period of rowdiness and economic prosperity. The Great Gatsby proved this point in different events, including stupendous and extravagant parties. Located in West Egg, a home made of millions of dollars belonged to Jay Gatsby. He was one to experience all types of emotions during his short lifetime. The most pleasing feeling he had felt for the first time in five years led him into the worst case scenario, his own death.

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Gatsby has spent his whole life trying to prove to Daisy and everyone around him that he is worthy of her. The only way to be on the same social level as her is to turn himself into new money. Since this is not possible, he has to try to convince to others that he truly is old money. To do this, he becomes rich, and lies about his past, but the only way for him to complete this idea is if he is with Daisy. She is the final piece in his American dream.

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Balagtas 1 Living the American Dream: High Hopes and Opportunity Hopefulness can be a powerful trait to have. It can motivate anyone to do achieve goals that may sound impossible and encourages unlocking the true potential. Pair this characteristic with the wide range of opportunities that the American dream offers and you get one of the most popular, hope-driven characters found in fiction:Jay Gatsby. The well-known book that is written by F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates that in The Great Gatsby, the path of hope can break in two ways. The American dream is not attainable for everyone, and even some who have obtained it may not end up where they desired.

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“He hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes. Sometimes, too, he stared around at his possessions in a dazed way, as though in her actual and astounding presence none of it was any longer real. Once he nearly toppled down a flight of stairs.” (Fitzgerald 112) Jay Gatsby, coming from an unwealthy farm family in North Dakota, leaves home at the age of seventeen.

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Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” This statement shows that even in times of complete despair, there is still hope to look for. Four very different books support this universal theme and can be tied together by infinite hope. In Night, the victims of the holocaust continue to look past the hate of the Nazis. In The Great Gatsby, Jay and Daisy hold onto whatever they think is hope, despite their withered love.

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Persistent hope and the idea of the American dream is a prevalent theme in The Great Gatsby. The American dream is often perceived as the ability to have opportunities and gain economic stability, but in the novel it is represented as extreme wealth and materialism. This is expressed by the extravagant parties and materials Gatsby surrounds himself with in order to receive recognition from people as a successful person, “according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes “ (Fitzgerald 91). Gatsby’s hard work still does not get him “accepted” into the same status as the inherited rich and affects his aspiration to get Daisy back. This represents that hard work will not always result as planned with extensive opportunities and rewards,

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In today’s duplicitous society, men often pursue the “perfect woman”. This woman is construed to be; fit, provocative and ravishing. However, in greatly distinguished American novel, The Great Gatsby, the men have strayed from stalking women for their looks. Instead, Gatsby chases Daisy to achieve her as a prize of his bounty and any affection Gatsby demonstrates toward her, is simply to appease to her sense of status and wealth. The author F. Scott Fitzgerald, exhibits Gatsby’s these feelings for Daisy through the clever usage of connotation, symbolism and metaphors.

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Gatsby’s love for her is not just a passing desire, but a deep and symbolic passion that has taken hold of him completely. Gatsby is one for perfection, ensuring everything is presentable and perfect down to the last bit. He is a very determined, hardworking man. It was the time, Daisy was about to make an appearance and Gatsby had to get everything down to be flawless. Nick analyzed, “An hour later the front door opened nervously, and Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in” (Fitzgerald

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The day after him and Tom’s argument, Gatsby reassures Nick by believing, “I suppose Daisy’ll call,” (Fitz 154). The ignorant mind of Gatsby allows for him to believe after everything that happened between Tom and Daisy following the death of Myrtle, would let him still have a chance to win over Daisy. The pure obliviousness of this statement displays Gatsby’s unbearable optimism which will ultimately lead to his loss of Daisy and death. Gatsby had many gifts, but his most treasured is his, “extraordinary gift for hope,” (Fitz 2). The power of optimism is both beautiful and dangerous.

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The American dream has been passed down from generation to generation in hopes that they can be one of the people to achieve it. If I were to describe what the American dream is, I would say it differs from person to person, but an example that is commonly used is a house with a white picket fence. I would also say that people commonly assume that, with hard work, anyone can obtain the American dream. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he expresses his pessimism about the American dream through his writing and characterization of people, mainly Gatsby. This book was written to show the distaste he has toward the 1920s spirit that hard work makes anything possible.

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In his mind, Daisy was the only person for Gatsby because he regarded her as a perfect, larger-than-life woman. In turn, Gatsby does two things that ultimately lead to his downfall: using any means necessary to obtain Daisy’s attention and refusing to accept that Daisy is not as flawless as he believes. When Gatsby’s idolization of Daisy began, he was still extremely poor and didn’t have the social status that Daisy valued. As a result, he involves himself in the illegal distribution of alcohol to grow his fortune and material possessions that could appeal to Daisy. Likewise, Gatsby throws lavish parties that put his wealth on display, all in hopes that Daisy might take notice (Fitzgerald, 2004).

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Love, a deep affection, is only complete when felt by two unique individuals. In this story Gatsby has become blinded by his affection for Daisy he does not stop to consider anything else but being with her. He has this illusion and fantasy he has longed for since a little boy in his dream. While he has obtained everything else, the fame, glory, and wealth he lacks one thing, a lover. He has his life all crafted out and Daisy was his missing piece.

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Set in motion from the moment he saw her, Gatsby’s illusions are centered on the idea of winning Daisy’s heart. The power of Gatsby’s idolatry of Daisy is clear when he meets with her again, and the two become passionate towards one another: “He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God” (Fitzgerald 110). Clearly, Gatsby has a strong desire to be with Daisy. However, Gatsby knew that in order to join himself with Daisy, he would have to pursue her way of life as well (Rowe). This begins Gatsby’s obsessive illusions, one of which focuses on the green light on the dock outside Daisy’s mansion.

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Gatsby knows that Daisy is a high-class individual who cares very much about status and wealth, so his entire life has been dedicated to being the best so that she will notice him. When Daisy, Gatsby’s one desire, and Nick, Gatsby’s

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