How Does Fitzgerald Create Happiness In The Great Gatsby

The story of Jay Gatsby: his search for personal fulfillment

What is the meaning of life? The most common answer is happiness. But does this happiness come from wealth or love? The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott. Fitzgerald and narrated by Nick Carraway. The story takes place in 1922 in the fictional town of West Egg, New York, and follows the life of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious, wealthy man who throws extravagant parties in hope of winning back his seemingly innocent, former lover, Daisy Buchanan. The society of East and West Egg makes one believe that happiness comes from a luxurious life. Fitzgerald presents the contrast between wealth and personal fulfillment through the character of Gatsby. Using the classic story of the American

Throughout the book, Gatsby gives grand parties in the hope that Daisy will come to visit him. She finally attends and they spend the evening together listening to the piano: “In the music-room Gatsby turned on a solitary lamp beside the piano. He lit Daisy’s cigarette from a trembling match, and sat down with her on a couch far across the room, where there was no light save what the gleaming floor bounced in from the hall” (94). Daisy married her husband Tom for his wealth. When she sees that Gatsby has acquired his own wealth, she becomes increasingly friendly with him and desires his attention. F. Scott Fitzgerald connects Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy with the state of his house. In this scene, there seems to be a reignited spark between the two. Using the adjective “gleaming” the house is portrayed as lavish. On the contrary, the morning after Myrtle's death, Nick arrives at Gatsby's house and finds him in a state of distraught. Gatsby no longer has hope of having a relationship with Daisy and his house represents

Gatsby's dream of being happy with Daisy is his deepest desire. In the novel, the reader understands that the green light represents this dream which, at last, becomes impossible to fill. One night, Nick sees a shadow emerge from his neighbor's mansion. He realized it was Gatsby looking at a green light that was shining from Daisy Buchanan’s house. He is standing near the water and starts to move: “he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way… he was trembling”(20-21). The vast dark water separating Gatsby from the green light is not just a literal distance but symbolizes the distance between Gatsby and his dream of having Daisy’s love. The reader knows that Gatsby is in denial: for five years he has hoped to win back Daisy’s love even though there was no evidence she still loved him. He is so unhappy that when he thinks about how much he misses human contact, he “trembl[es].” He fantasizes about his future with Daisy through the idea of seeing the green light. He “stretched out his arms” hoping to reach it and feel complete. The word “stretched” shows a forceful movement, which reminds the reader of Gatsby's strong commitment to Daisy; He is willing to physically come to her. Gatsby thinks Daisy is the woman a successful man should be with, pretty and charming. Therefore, he sees her as the last piece of the puzzle