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Theme Of Innocence In The Great Gatsby

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Theme Of Innocence In The Great Gatsby
The Innocence of Man F. Scott Fitzgerald evaluates the destruction of innocence and its hypocritical wealth coating in his novel, “The Great Gatsby”. Between West Egg and East Egg you have two kinds of people, Old Money and New Money, and both through one route or another are crooked. As New Money swindles, Old Money cheats, and as New Money bluffs, Old Money lies. In chapter 1, innocence is first shown when Daisy’s unnamed child is presented before Nick. This then starts a chain of corruptions. In chapter 4 Jordan states, “They were so engrossed in each other that she didn’t see me until I was five feet away.” (pg 74) This shows a pure true love and that is only achievable when you are truly innocent to the ways of life. When Gatsby leaves, Daisy is destroyed, and after a few years she rushes into a marriage with Tom Buchanan, for the money. “…and the day before the wedding he gave her a string of pearls valued at three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.” (pg75) The night before her wedding she finds out that her true love is still alive and her innocence rushes back, if only for a few minutes. …show more content…
Gatsby scorns Tom Buchanan for cheating on Daisy, yet he is willing to help Daisy cheat on Tom. In chapter 1 Nick states, “In consequence, I’m inclined to reserve all judgements…” (pg 1) By the end of the book, however, he is sickened by everything that people work for and the people in general. Tom Buchanan despises New Money for making a fortune, yet he has no trouble spending his own. Tom Buchanan also behaves like a superior “Nordic” human being, but throughout the novel he commits adultery and condones racism. These are immoralities in society that make him infinitely more hypocritical than any other character in the story. “The idea is that we’re Nordics. I am, and you are, and you are… And we’ve produced all the things that make go to make civilization – oh, science and art, and all that.” (pg
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