Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her; If you can bounce high, bounce

for her too, Till she cry "Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover, I must

have you!" Thomas Parke D’Invilliers Jay Gatsby went through most of his

life striving for a new beginning, a chance to start over and succeed. He forced

that aspect of life, into his own, by changing his identity. He was James Gatz a

man who’s unknown soul was left to linger in the past. Now he is Jay Gatsby.

Gatsby does not realize that life can be difficult. You can not just move on and

pretend that the past never happened. If you do not face the real and original

you, you will never find success or happiness in the way you wish to live your

present life. All through Gatsby’s life he looked to the green light on the dock

across the bay for hope and reassurance. He needed to know that his dream was

still as bright as it was the day he met Daisy. Gatsby lived for an American

dream. "The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from

his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God – a phrase which, if it

means anything, means just that." (Pg.104) Gatsby created himself to be his

own hero, through the eyes of a seventeen year old boy. He began to wear that

gold hat and rise in society with money, friends, and a love life he dreamed of

returning. "You see I usually find myself among strangers because I drift

here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me."

(Pg.71-72) Gatsby smothered himself in popularity to try and block out the

memory of the man he was before his change. He has been grieving for a love that

he lost when drafted to the war. His only hope left is a green light across the

bay which seems to shine through the unhappiness in Gatsby’s life. Daisy, as

pure and sweet as the flower itself, is the only thing left that is needed for

him to complete his dream. "He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she

should go to Tom and say, I never loved you." (Pg.116) We know that Gatsby

is asking for to much of Daisy, he knows it too. "Can’t repeat the past?

Why of coarse you can!" "I’m going to fix everything just the way it

was before." (Pg.116-117) There is no convincing Gatsby, he truly believes

he can go back to what once was. No one is ever able to relive something that

happened so long ago. The past is behind you now, you must look straight ahead

and see what is in your future. Gatsby did not want to look ahead he liked

looking back better. Looking back into the past meant happiness, and looking

forward meant confusion and sadness. Gatsby had worked so hard to fit Daisy’s

standards for a husband. He believed he was now a man who fit these standards.

He was still the same man she fell in love with years ago, but he was now a

wealthy man. Gatsby new deep down inside that the past could never be repeated.

You can never return to something that was wonderful, and have it be the same.

He himself would never say the words because he did not want to believe that he

dreamt an impossible dream. "Gatsby believed in the green light, the

orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but

that’s no matter-tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther….

And one fine morning " (Pg.189) This green light of Gatsby’s was an unknown

part of the world to others. Nick knew it was something special to Gatsby. The

special thing was the unknown. The green light which seemed so far away to begin

with was now so close and so real. It was so close and real that he could almost

reach out and touch it. Gatsby dies with out knowing if Daisy had fallen in love

with him again. Was the time, effort, and money Gatsby put into himself and his

surroundings worth it? If only Gatsby could have been sure of this before he

died. He could have died happy knowing that his dream had come true or that his

dream was a thing in the past and was never again to be relived. Everyone looks

at the world through their eyes which are effected by their beliefs, and wonder,

if one day their dream will come true. No one can dream without a past to look

back on. This causes us to be torn between the two. "So we beat on, boats

against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." (Pg.189)