Evie Turner Ms. Sarah Ellis ENG4U1 4 May 2023 Honesty, Deception, and Rumors; Connecting The Great Gatsby to “Truth, Lies, and Storytelling” The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a work of fiction that entangles one in the social, mental, and physical wraths of a dysphoric society, disguised as a utopian illusion. Throughout the novel, there is a common theme of untold truths, deception, and exaggeration. The frequency at which these events occur provides an emotional connection for the reader, truly dragging them through the horrific lifestyles of New Yorkers in the nineteen twenties. Untold truths of the past remain secretive throughout the novel, leaving many characters with ominous backgrounds and motives. Gatsby is exemplary of this, as his past remains ambiguous until chapter …show more content…
It unveils the truth behind the materialism frequently displayed throughout the novel and acts as a source of pathetic fallacy for the reader. The eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg act as a sense of realism, as they represent the eyes of God reflecting upon each character’s past and the darkness of their secrets. Throughout the novel, Eckleberg observes Tom and Myrtle’s affair, Gatsby and Daisy’s affair, Gatsby’s lies leading him to wealth, and Daisy killing Myrtle with Gatsby’s car. All of these events were buried by the characters themselves, but the all-seeing eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg did not forget their wrong-doings, lies, and betrayals. An example of this is George’s reaction to Myrtle’s death when he turns to Dr. T.J. Eckleberg for answers, “... he was looking at the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, which had just emerged, pale and enormous, from the dissolving night” (Fitzgerald 147). Daisy’s unrepentant reaction to Myrtle’s death was reflected by the darkness and sorrow in the eyes of T.J. Eckleberg, representing God’s disappointment in their society, fulfilled by false appearances and