Sophia Porath Dr. Conley 5/31/24 What American classics have to say about addiction. 46.8 million Americans, 12 and older, have struggled with addiction and substance abuse in the past year1. The present addiction crisis is a current issue, but if we look to the past, the theme of addiction is intertwined with American literature. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, and Passing by Nella Larsen all discuss themes of addiction. However, each book discusses a different addiction and describes the different methods of dealing with an addiction. Although, all three American classics depict different addictions, they all agree that addiction forces a person to forfeit their identity. In The …show more content…
After unsuccessfully trying to woo Daisy at one of his parties, Gatsby is upset that Daisy doesn’t understand him like she used to. But, when Nick tries to console Gatsby by explaining that people change with time, and that one “can’t repeat the past”, Gatsby responds by confidentially declaring, “Can’t repeat the past?...why of course you can!” (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby’s reassurance in changing the past suggests that he really believes he can alter his past by reliving it. Gatsby is so enveloped in changing himself to Daisy, that he is willing to become a bit delusional about the laws of time. Gatsby is completely comfortable with changing his past because it did not reflect the person he wanted to be. Gatsby would rather manipulate his present life than reveal anything of his past, revealing his deepest insecurity. If Gatsby were to reveal his past and the struggles he faced, Gatsby assumes that people, specifically Daisy, would think less of him. Gatsby feels like he needs to alter his past to be more successful, because when he was with Daisy, he felt like he was not worthy of her. When Gatsby was younger, he constantly felt out of place with Daisy. Gatsby knew he had to be successful in the future, but at the moment he met Daisy he was “a penniless young man without a past” relying on the “invisible cloak of his uniform” to give him status (Fitzgerlad 148). Gatsby knew his time with Daisy was short lived "because he had no real right to touch her hand” and knew eventually they would be separated (Fitzgerlad 148). Gatsby's portrayal of himself suggests that he places all his self-worth on being with a high-class woman, like Daisy. By describing himself as “penniless” and “without a past” Gatsby is devaluing himself, revealing a lot of internal self-hate. To Gatsby, the only way of showing a person's value is by how