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Similarities Between Puritan And The Great Gatsby

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Daniel Dorfman Ms.Barth English P4 22 May 2024 Gatsby’s and Hester’s Pursuit of Personal Freedom The Great Gatsby delves into Jay Gatsby's desire to rise above his meager beginnings. Gatsby’s attempt to fit in with the ultra rich, ultimately failing in his efforts. The Scarlet Letter explores Hester’s escapades in 17th century Puritan, New England. Hester, a common-born woman, faces public shaming and humiliation because of the birth of her bastard daughter, Pearl. Despite several centuries of separation, both Gatsby’s and Hester’s Prynne searches for personal freedom reveal the impact of societal values. The quest for personal freedom changes across a variety of cultures, with Jay Gatsby seeking liberation from destiny, believing material …show more content…

Gatsby, born Jay Gatz, originates from a farming family, and attempts to follow his dreams of thriving in a life different from his own. After a newspaper reporter stops by Gatsby’s estate, Nick reveals that, “Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself” (98). Gatsby, born into nothing, had conjured an image of himself and lived according to that fantasy. Plato’s cave perfectly describes Gatsby’s reality, with ideas about his future being more real to Gatsby than the material world surrounding him. Prior to his meeting with Captain Cody, Gatsby worked in any “capacity that brought him food and bed” (98). Yet after that choice meeting, and following his dream of fulfilling his desired destiny, Gatsby carves out a fortune. Despite his enormous fortune, Gatsby remains an outsider to the community of the ultra rich. Despite his vast fortune, Gatsby’s lack of acceptance by the ultra-rich aristocracy, demonstrates the limits of personal freedom in his …show more content…

The relentless movement demonstrates Gatsby’s internal insecurity. Despite his elaborate car, Gatsby is still aware of his outsider status. After being offered an empty invite by Ms. Sloane to join the Sloans for dinner, “He[Gatsby] wanted to go and he didn't see that Mr. Sloane had determined he shouldn't” (103). Demonstrating the society around Gatsby failing to accept him, the Sloans embody the typical ultra rich family. However, Gatsby, unaware of the disdain behind the invitation, pursues his dream of personal freedom through societal integration, regardless. Even though the Sloans invited Gatsby, they only did so for external validation and never fully welcomed him. Gatsby lacks social acceptance by the ultra rich because of his attempts to appease those around him instead of remaining steadfast in his character. During one excursion, Tom, the embodiment of old money virtues, hurls accusations towards Gatsby after discovering Gatsby’s affair with Daisy. During his argument with Tom, Gatsby began “defending his name against accusations that had not been

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