The Great Gatsby Selvi Bunce Analysis

Love at First Sight

According to Selvi Bunce, Love and money: An analysis of The Great Gatsby, “Jay Gatsby’s obsession with becoming upper class, alongside his twisted sense of self worth, bring to question whether or not Gatsby really does love Daisy.” This desire to have it all can lead to moral corruption in society. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores the extravagant lifestyle of society in the 1920s, whether wealth is inherited or obtained through illegal activities. However, the story is more than a novel about wealth and the American dream to become wealthy. It is a love story about Jay Gatsby, a military man, who desires to win back the love of Daisy, a beautiful, wealthy married woman, and the consequences

“Even though Gatsby had struggle with false identity, he was goal-oriented and hope-oriented, an idealist” (Bunce). Even though he was raised poor, he believes that he can achieve his dream of wealth and Daisy’s love. While Gatsby is away at war, Daisy meets and marries Tom. This does not stop Gatsby from making his dream a reality. First, he obtains wealth, although illegally, to impress Daisy. Then, Gatsby shows his love for Daisy in many aspects of the book. The first time Gatsby physically makes a plan to meet Daisy and to tell her how much he loves her is when he asks Nick Carraway, his neighbor and Daisy’s cousin, to invite Daisy over for tea so Gatsby and Daisy can casually run into each other. After Nick agrees, Gatsby arranges to have Nick’s yard mowed and buys Daisy millions of flowers just so he can show her how much he really loves her as well as how wealthy he has become. Gatsby believes their love for each other has never changed. He knows if only they are able to meet again, she will have the same feelings for him and they will be happily reunited. Gatsby then brings Daisy to his house and she is shocked by his luxurious home and clothes. “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dream -- not through her own faults but

In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the green light as a symbol of Gatsby’s idealization of Daisy. “He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward--and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far way, that might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 20-21). The green light represents Gatsby’s dream to have a future with Daisy as she represents everything he desires, including her social status and wealth. Multiple times in the book the green light is referenced and represents the dreams of not only Gatsby but the American dream. The idea of Daisy fueled Gatsby's need for great wealth and high social status. As stated by Sven Birkerts author of The American Dream, “Gatsby’s legendary parties... are nothing more than shimmering nets thrown out in hopes of snaring Gatsby’s long-lost love, Daisy.” Gatsby throws extravagant parties with the hope that Daisy will hear about all of the cheer and come to one of his parties where they will be together again. After all, he built his house right across the bay from her house so she will see his gleaming mansion so she will be curious enough to attend one of his famous social gatherings. His intention is to show Daisy his wealth and