Role Of Idealism In The Great Gatsby

Idealism, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel about a keen young man named Nick, who moves to New York to pursue his goal of making it big in the Stock Market. During his adventure he reconnects with his cousin Daisy, a mysterious golden girl who is stuck in a partially abusive relationship with her Husband Tom. He finally meets the illustrious Gatsby who, along with Tom and Daisy, change his life forever. Through its enticing plot the book never shies away from exposing the false lifestyles that every New Yorker tries so hard to shelter from reality. The manners of Idealism ignite the fires that inspire the pursuit of unethical

Some goals are completely unachievable, and ideals give a sense of false hope to those pursuing such goals. Gatsby’s sole purpose in life is to romance Daisy out of her toxic lifestyle and into his care, and to repair the relationship that they once five years before the events of the novel. After he fails to make a good impression upon Daisy, Gatsby laments about his actions which prompts Nick to write “He wanted nothing left of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’ After she had obliterated four years with that sentence they could decide upon more practical measures” (Fitzgerald, Pages 105 – 2016). Any reasonable human being could understand how outlandish these expectations are; Daisy might be somewhat unhappy with her marriage, but expecting her to leave Tom so suddenly is unreasonable. Gatsby living by his ideals makes it appear to him that he is in the home stretch for winning over Daisy, but in reality it will never work out. This is further strengthened later in the book where Tom and Gatsby argue over Daisy’s love, and as Gatsby pulls her aside she cries “Oh you want too much! She cried to Gatsby. I love you now – isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” (Fitzgerald, Page 126). Gatsby’s idealism is dragging him away from the irrefutable truth, and even Daisy can recognize through her own Narcissism that his

At the end of the novel, Gatsby is wrongly framed for the death of a woman and pays for it with his life, and during the funeral one of the only men present exclaims “Why, my God! They used to come here by the hundreds” (Fitzgerald, Page 166). This is in reference to Gatsby’s notorious parties that seemingly everyone in New York attended, yet due to his pursuit of idealism he never developed any true relationships. Gatsby died hopeless and alone, without anything except broken dreams from his strive to fulfill his self-imposed purpose. Daisy and Tom end their character arcs by leaving New York behind and seemingly forgetting the events that had transpired earlier. After a frustrating conversation with Tom after Gatsby’s death, Nick writes “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or vast carelessness” (Fitzgerald, Page 170). The two of them follow their ideals, and while it may work for them, their lives have no real purposes. This can also be seen earlier in the chapter when they attend Gatsby’s party, and Tom claims “We don’t go around very much, he said. In fact, I was just thinking I don’t know a soul here.” (Fitzgerald, Page 101). Tom himself admits that they live a corrupt lifestyle, where the only people they ever had a bond with was each other.