The Theme Of Illusion And Reality In The Great Gatsby

Although “Sunset Blvd” has an obvious champion in the conflict of illusion versus reality, The Great Gatsby is more open to interpretation. I believe that Gatsby ultimately sides with illusion over reality. It sides with illusion and dreams over reality because despite the fact that Jay Gatsby, the dreamer, dies, he dies believing in his dream, and so his dream lived on. Gatsby built his entire life off of his dream that is he could become rich, Daisy would return to him. On page 110, Nick Carraway, our realistic, involved narrator (much like Joe Gillis), tells Gatsby “You can’t repeat the past.”, to which Gatsby replies: “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!... I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before.”. Gatsby

Like in “Sunset Blvd”, the closing lines of Gatsby solidify whether the work sides with illusion or reality. “It eluded us then, but that’s no matter--to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…” suggests that if you don’t achieve your dream today, then try again harder tomorrow, and if your dream changes, change your course to follow it. The long dash after “morning” makes the passage hopeful and encouraging rather than melancholy. The jarring cut-off from the preceding description leaves the readers grasping for something to finish the sentence, and so they add something hopeful. No one would end a description of their dream by saying “And one fine morning I will fail and my dream will be lost forever.” America is the land of the dreamers; our entire philosophy revolves around “The American Dream”, the idea that we can all achieve our own greatness until we are the best possible version of ourselves. We are never satisfied with achieving just one thing. Americans are constantly yearning for something new to chase, a new green light to pull us to happiness and fulfillment. Gatsby isn’t the only one staring into the night with a green light taunting him, just out of reach and always