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Examples Of Outsiders In The Great Gatsby

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Outsiders are used in novels to demonstrate a different perspective of a character where it is how other characters in the novel are perceived and not how the characters see themselves. It can also be used as a satirical tool to demonstrate the flaws within society. It can also be argued that society is to blame for the marginalisation of its people. Some of the characters in the Great Gatsby and the Reluctant Fundamentalist are portrayed as outsiders. It is evident in the way characters treat each other. A notable example of this in the Great Gatsby is when Tom Buchanan calls Gatsby ‘Mr Nobody from Nowhere’, Tom is not only insulting Gatsby. It is also a reminder to Gatsby will never be able to fit in with the society that Tom belongs to …show more content…

Jim, the executive vice president of Underwood Samson, often points out to that Changez’ feelings of being an outsider comes from ‘feeling out of place’. Changez’s state of mind of feeling out of place is reiterated in his epiphany that he has become a ‘modern-day janissary’ used to strengthen America meanwhile never truly being accepted within the American society as seen in the xenophobic episodes in the novel. It can also be argued that society is not the only reason that Changez feels like an outsider, it may be a result of the ‘unhealable rift…between the self and its true home’ as pointed out by Edward …show more content…

This enhances the reading of Gatsby as an outsider because Gatsby possesses many characteristics that set him apart from other characters such as his remarkable faith in himself and his ability to hope and dream. Possessing such qualities isolates him from the others characters. Alternatively, the fragmentation of the narrative could be representative of the marginalisation of the characters as a result of the society they were living in such as Myrtle Wilson, who is an outsider who wants to be a part of the old wealth. Ultimately, characters such as Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson who try to shift society’s hierarchy of old wealth, new wealth and no money lose their

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Outsiders are a common sources of topic throughout literature and are defined as people who differ from what society deems as normal or having normal qualities. Throughout the semester, we have read several works that use outsiders to help convey a certain theme or message and there was one particular work that stood out from the rest. While reading “The Joy of Reading and Writing: Superman and Me” by Sherman Alexie, the use of outsiders was incredibly effective due to Sherman using his own experiences of being an outsider throughout his life. This essay is the perfect example of the use of outsiders because of Alexie discussing how his parents raised him, his childhood experiences in school, and his adulthood ambitions. First of all, Alexie

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849 Words | 4 Pages

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1588 Words | 7 Pages

Gatsby Analytical Essay Author F. Scott Fitzgerald has deftly woven dozens of themes and motifs throughout his relatively short novel The Great Gatsby. One theme that resonates in particular is that of isolation. This theme pervades the entire book, and without it, nothing in Gatsby’s world would be the same. Every character must realize that he or she isn’t capable of truly connecting with any other character in the book, or else the carelessness and selfishness that leads to so many of the book’s vital events would not exist. Fitzgerald develops the feeling of isolation and aloneness by his use of the motif of careless self-absorption, a behavior we see many characters exhibiting.

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Within The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald presented Myrtle as a character who was unaffected by true love and craved extreme wealth. Many people like Myrtle in the 1920s felt having lots of money meant being able to live a luxurious and happy lifestyle. They refused to accept the idea of a simplistic lifestyle and always anticipated more. Fitzgerald’s writing revealed more than Myrtle constantly insulting her husband’s situation. He exposed the corruption of the “new” American Dream and the relationships it destroyed as a

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Examples Of Elitism In The Great Gatsby

879 Words | 4 Pages

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1323 Words | 6 Pages

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619 Words | 3 Pages

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