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The Great Gatsby Wooden Headedness Analysis

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In everyday actions and decisions, human nature dictates that ignorance is very common. Barbara Tuchman’s theory of “wooden-headedness”, can be applied to real life on many different levels. Wooden headedness consists of assessing a situation in terms of preconceived fixed notions while ignoring or rejecting any contrary signs. This is when a person acts according to a wish while not allowing oneself to be deflected by the facts. Ignorance plays a substantial role in human affairs, although some may think it is just how kids are raised by their parents. Frequently, people will not give in to admitting they’re wrong, even though there may be facts in front of them. Wooden-headedness plays a remarkably large role in human actions and decisions. …show more content…

In the book "The Great Gatsby" written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, provides multiple examples of wooden-headedness. Gatsby shows a great deal of stubbornness with his emotions towards Daisy. At one point in time, they were in love, although times have changed. Finally seeing Daisy after many years (present participle), he still thinks they will once again be in love. Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan, and is not interested in being with Gatsby. Although Gatsby oversees this, and attempts to make her once again fall for him. Even though Gatsby is always home, home is very lonesome to him which causes some pain. (anadiplosis) Daisy then cheats on Tom with Gatsby, giving Gatsby false hope about their love. Another form of wooden-headedness is Tom being too stubborn to give into the idea that his wife was cheating on him. He still believes she would never betray him, even though he does it all the time. Another way Gatsby is so ignorant is his constant want for his life to be a mystery. The town has rumors upon rumors about Gatsby. He supposedly is a great Oxford man, has killed someone and was a German spy. Knowing these rumors were going around, Gatsby was too ignorant to do anything about it. He liked the fact his life was a mystery to others, and even to

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