Forrest Gump Literary Analysis

In the discussion of identity between two American Literature, one controversial issue is can a person change his life. On one hand, in the novel The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is not satisfied with his born life, he wants to reach the upper social class and be one of them no matter what it takes. On the other hand, in the movie Forrest Gump, the character, Forrest Gump, is optimistic with his life in spite of people making fun of him or treating him like freak, but unintentionally, Forrest becomes wealthy and famous. Although both The Great Gatsby and Forrest Gump argue that American Dream is possible for everyone to earn a opportunity to change their life, Gatsby argues that one’s effort can help him fill his desire and gain the status. while Forrest

He met Daisy in Louisville before WWI, he was attracted by the beautiful lady who is heiress of her family. In order to get in touch with Daisy, Gatsby act like the one of the wealthy, and he keep the relationship with Daisy. He fall in love with her, and also the wealth she represents. Gatsby make a lot of money after going to the front, and he believe he can win her back even if Daisy is already married and has a child. "We haven 't met for many years," said Daisy, her voice as matter-of-fact as it could ever be."Five years next November." (5.69-70), For Daisy, Gatsby is just a memory, but Daisy is his past, present, and future. The comparison of memory is a good example; Daisy’s memory about Gatsby is abstract, but Gatsby has been so obsessed with her, he count the days and months until they reunion. We can see that Gatsby’s love for Daisy is more intense than her love him. For Gatsby, Daisy has come to represent all of his larger hopes and dreams about wealth and a better life, and she is literally the incarnation of his dreams. "Oh, you want too much!" she cried to Gatsby. "I love you now—isn 't that enough? I can 't help what 's past." She began to sob helplessly. "I did love him once—but I loved you too."Gatsby 's eyes opened and closed."You loved me too?" he repeated. (7.264-66) To Daisy, the feeling towards Gatsby and Tom is the same, she loves Gatsby, and also Tom.She

People should discover the sense of self-value, and be satisfied with their position in the society. In the Great Gatsby, Gatsby was born in a poor family, but he has a dream to enter the upper class. Although he wasn’t come from a wealth background, he self taught and earn money from getting into bootlegging and other criminal enterprises. But this cannot change his identity in the society. In the novel, the social status was distinguished by different area. East Egg reflects high class society where the inhabitants are inherently wealthy, referred to as “old money”, but Gatsby lives in West Egg, which stand for the crowd that only become wealthy recently. Even though he mingle friends from higher class like famous director or state senator, he still cannot fit into East Egg. "I wouldn 't ask too much of her," I ventured. "You can 't repeat the past.""Can 't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!"He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand."I 'm going to fix everything just the way it was before," he said, nodding determinedly. "She 'll see." (6.128-131) Gatsby believe living in upper class can do as he want. But in fact, Gatsby is just accepted in a level of society who never would have accepted him in his poorer days. So he should recognize his self-worth that he cannot be the highest class in the society. His dissatisfaction and confidence cause he lose all the