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How Does Fitzgerald Use Time In The Great Gatsby

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F. Scott Fitzgerald uses time and the love story between two of his characters to reveal a theme about time's barriers in his novel The Great Gatsby. Those characters, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, partake in a complicated love affair in which Daisy tries to cheat on her husband and renew her love with Gatsby, an old flame from her home town of Louisville. Before their lives become separated by the war Gatsby fights in and the choices each other make, Gatsby and Daisy "were so engrossed in each other" in their youthful days in Louisville that their love could take them anywhere they wish (79). At this point, their love contains no barriers and is simply pure. Instead of staying together and allowing their love to flourish, they separate; with this separation, Daisy chooses to …show more content…

Years later, they frivolously attempt to restore their love at the house of Daisy's cousin, Nick Carraway. Years, and many decisions later, it at the house of Daisy's cousin and Gatsby's most trusted friend, Nick Carraway, that their frivolous attempt to restore their love begins. Fitzgerald uses a clock resting on a mantle to represent the barriers the two have created through choices they make over the time that they are separated. After Gatsby knocks the clock over and catches it, all present gaze at the floor as if it "[smashes] in[to] pieces on the floor"(92). By believing that the clock is broken, Gatsby and Daisy also believe in the fantasy that their love is free from obstacles even though the clock, with its symbolic characteristics, remains in tact. Again, their love starts growing until the main obstacle of Daisy's marriage with Tom Buchanan hinders the growth of their love. Next, Daisy brings Gatsby over to her house while Tom is at home to boast of her beloved Gatsby. It is later in this day that Tom brings to light Gatsby's obstruction, his

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Great Gatsby Symbolism: Clock Time is an ever­present, impermanent phenomenon created by and followed by humans. In the novel The Great Gatsby, the symbol of the clock is used to remind the readers of the time that has passed between the two characters, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, and that time truly cannot be bought or rewound. The symbolism of the clock in the novel helps to show the reality of failure between the two lovers. Focusing more closely on the clock, symbolism highlights the idea that time is represented in memory and that there is a gap between someone’s representation of the world and the world itself.

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The Great Gatsby uses progression and time to reveal characters and their changes from how the narrator, Nick, views them in his own mind. The longer he stays in New York he becomes more and more disillusioned of Daisy, Tom, and even Gatsby eventually to the point where he simply sees the misery and sadness in each one’s lives. From Daisy’s lack of character and decisiveness to Tom’s issues of commitment and eventually to Gatsby’s belief that he has the ability to change the past. When Nick first arrives in New York he knows no one and nothing of the people and the city itself, he knows only of his cousin Daisy who married the rich Tom Buchanan and lived happily ever after, and that he lives as a small man surrounded by giants. However as

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One of them was that after she was free, they were to go back to Lousiville and be moved from her house – just as if it were five years ago” (Fitzgerald 109). Gatsby’s desperation drove him to believe Daisy would leave her present life and continue their love affair as he remembers the connection they once made in the past. The reality of Daisy’s new life is brought to light when Nick and Gatsby see Daisy’s daughter, Pammy, for the first time. Fitzgerald describes Nick’s observation of Gatsby’s reaction when he writes, “Gatsby and I in turn leaned down and took the small, reluctant hand.

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