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How Is Gatsby Similar To Pursuing The Holy Grail?

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Should you turn your life around for something that's not guaranteed? In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby centers his actions on his desire to win back Daisy Buchanan, the woman he fell in love with but lost five years earlier, and this eventually leads to his death. Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy is similar to pursuing the holy grail because he believes that his difficult quest will be rewarded with Daisy and his emotional fulfillment. Gatsby views Daisy as the holy grail, which makes him very dedicated to the idea of fate. The concept of the Holy Grail is a chalice that was used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper and is believed to possess miraculous powers. It has taken on various symbolic meanings over time, including the ultimate goal of one's quest or a symbol of the divine feminine, in which both Gatsby have assured himself that this is his destiny: “He had waited five years and bought a mansion where he dispensed starlight to casual moths — so that he could ‘come over.’ some afternoon to a stranger’s garden” …show more content…

Even though Gatsby did have an affair with Daisy, she was still married to Tom and didn’t want to leave him; “Just tell [Tom] the truth... that you never loved him” (101). Gatsby expected that Daisy would leave, but at heart, Gatsby was something of her past, not a priority, and something she couldn't fully care about. Nick is at Gatsby's funeral, with only one other person to attend who isn’t Daisy: “I tried to think about Gatsby then for a moment, but he was already too far away, and I could only remember, without resentment, that Daisy hadn’t sent a message or a flower” (Fitzgerald 133). In the ending of the book, when Gatsby dies, Daisy does not care. Gatsby's life was thought to be one that promised wealth, success, and happiness but often led to disillusionment and

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