Ethan Frome And Jay Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

In the novels Ethan Frome and The Great Gatsby, there are psychological characteristic similarities seen in the characters Ethan Frome and Jay Gatsby. These similarities include chasing love for wrong reasons and having the desire for someone you can not have and they are exemplified in their day to day lives. Both Jay and Ethan suffer from a great loneliness, emptiness, their dreams in which can never come true. They both destroy themselves in the end because of a great want and desire. Neither achieves their goals and end up living in misery.

In the novel Ethan Frome, the main character Ethan Frome, has complex problems going on at the same time. The main theme of the book is failure, and this is shown through the marriage of Ethan and his wife, not being able to stand up to his wife, and lastly his desire for Mattie. Ethan rushed into his marriage for all the wrong reasons. At the time his mother had just passed away and Ethan wanted a way out of the loneliness, therefore he turned to Zeena. Mattie, Zeena’s cousin, arrives to help with the household duties due to Zeena being ill. Mattie’s presence fills Ethan with dreams of happiness. Mattie and Ethan find they are falling in love, and plan of running away together. The plan cannot be put into action, and in order to preserve the happiness and beauty of their love, Ethan and Mattie abandon themselves to the emotion of the moment and make an attempt at suicide, which leaves them crippled for life. They are forced to stay in the house with Zeena.

In the novel The Great Gatsby, the main character, Jay Gatsby devotes his whole life to the fulfillment of a romantic dream he created at a very young age, and by its very nature his dream requires an adolescent faith. His personal vision is based on the belief that time can be fixed and the past can be repeated forever. The means by which this goal is to be attained is wealth, and so Gatsby’s vision is like the American dream that youth and beauty can be recaptured if one can make enough money. In the novel, Jay falls in love with Daisy and because Daisy is a rich girl she believes that it is wrong for a rich girl to marry a poor boy. Jay goes on to the army and when he returns he has much wealth. He spends money to look good in front of Daisy. He is the man behind all of the fun and parties. Jay is perceived as very shallow, selfish, and lonely. In the end, Gatsby is destroyed by his illusions of the American Dream of wealth, beauty, and happiness.

In conclusion, Ethan Frome and Jay Gatsby share psychological characteristic similarities. Both seek desire for all of the wrong reasons. They shame themselves because they are never recognized by anyone, especially the people they desire most. In the end they live in loneliness and emptiness, with nothing to show for all of their work for their dreams.