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Examples Of Fear In The Great Gatsby

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The unconscious sources of desire and fear introduce underlying human behavior that changes with different interpretations and theories. The plasticity of the interpersonal drives either the abundance or lack of certain dependencies based on what a person truly wishes for. Fear unknowingly appears throughout personality and opinions and causes unresolved confusion on various topics. F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby reflects his own fears and conflicts in the relationships throughout the book. The creations of Daisy, Jay Gatsby, Tom, and their relationships mirror Fitzgerald’s unconscious fears and desires encountered in his life. Fitzgerald’s individuality allows him to perfectly execute the notion of human behavior being represented through …show more content…

Later associating Myrtle and George’s relationship, Fitzgerald falls in love with a woman named Zelda and is informally engaged to her, but she declines to marry him due to his financial instability. As the realization finally kicks in about their upcoming marriage, Myrtle later says, “I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody’s best suit to get married in, and never told me about it” (Fitzgerald 27). Myrtle becomes disappointed with George’s lack of social status and wealth, and realizes that she has made the mistake of marrying for love, not money. She eventually turns to Tom, who is much wealthier than George, and has an affair to feel better about her stifled marriage. Myrtle’s realization of her marriage reflects back on Fitzgerlad’s love-hate relationship with Zelda. Their marriage appears as loving, but “this element of their relationship is like a fantasy” (Stevens 4). The corruption taking place ruins Zelda and Fitzgerald's relationship and characterizes it with partying, drinking, and fighting, similar to George and Myrtle. The illusion of their love crumbles as Myrtle has an affair with Tom and indefinitely destroys her relationship and her life. Myrtle is dissatisfied with her marriage with George and turns to avarice and cheating, comparable to the frustration of Fitzgerald’s marriage with Zelda. Although Zelda had originally declined Fitzgerald’s marriage, “she agreed to marry him because he was beginning to gain the success she wanted” (IPL.org). Zelda later marries Fitzgerald due to his growing success, but hate and annoyance consumes their marriage, much like the loathing that Myrtle and George share. People are greedy, like Myrtle Wilson, to attain success in life and forget about the significant people in life, especially her husband. The abuse, fighting, and regret characterize both the fictional and real

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