Gatsby
The Not So Great Gatsby The novel The Great Gatsby has always been one of my favorites. Fitzgerald does a magnificent job incorporating the ideals and customs of the 1920s and how they pertained in the lives of the characters in the novel. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald attempts to convey the portrayal of the decline of the American Dream in the decline of morals through the way the characters Daisy, Gatsby, and Tom go about living their everyday lives. A great way that Fitzgerald evidences the decline in morals is with the theme that nothing is ever good enough for the characters. This is evidenced best at the end of chapter four. Jordan Baker informs Nick about Daisy and Gatsby’s love in the past. According to Jordan, before the war both Gatsby and Daisy were living in Louisville, Kentucky. Before Gatsby went off to war him and Daisy had fallen in love. In the 2000 movie based on the novel there is a scene depicting the story of Gatsby and Daisy. It seems that when they are together they are bounded by the innocence of their youth while also coming together with timeless love for each other (McLaughlin). Now with Gatsby fulfilling just about every need of hers emotionally there was still one thing he lacked…wealth. When Gatsby goes off to war it is clear that Daisy can’t wait for him because she goes off and gets married to Tom Buchanan. Most people would not give up so easily on what Daisy and Gatsby had. Yet Daisy is evidence that nothing is ever good enough in the lives of these characters and further illustrates the decline in morals. She had true love but gave it away because finding someone with wealth was more important than love. With wealth the belief is that money can buy happiness. Yet that clearly is not the case in this novel because Daisy is never truly happy with Tom. As evidenced by her affair with Gatsby when they finally do meet with each other again. You can also look to the Tom Buchanan to help illustrate nothing ever being good
Bibliography: 1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 2004. Print. 2. Writ. John McLaughlin. The Great Gatsby. A&E Television Networks: 14 Jan 2001. Television.