The Theme Of Appearance And Reality In The Great Gatsby
People are not always who they seem to be. And we can be repeatedly tricked by the charade others put on for us to see. Some of those acting can become blinded by the actuality of what is happening around them, and can start living in a fantasy. The appearance of Gatsby and Daisy in Fitzgerald 's novel, The Great Gatsby, undoubtedly shows the theme of appearance versus reality throughout the book.
This theme effectively portrays the nature of people in the 1920 's, and the unrealistic way it was thought they needed to live. There are many occasions in which the appearance of the other characters is different from what they are truly like inside. When first being introduced to new characters, they are seen with class and innocence.
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Gatsby is able to successfully exude this character, but not entirely. Little cues would be noticed by some that he talked to, one being Nick Carraway. He was slightly different from the other wealthy men in West Egg through personality. This was because he worked for his success and started out poor and humble, with this difference Gatsby had to not let anyone know of his years prior and used his new start to rewrite his childhood. When he One thing he isn’t afraid to tell was his new upbringing. “I’ll tell you God’s truth…I am the son of some wealthy people in the middle-west.” (Fitzgerald 86). Not only did Gatsby change this fact about himself, he also lied about his education. He would claim he was an Oxford man and showed great pride. The reason that Oxford is such an important thing for Gatsby is because that that school with the cost and level of education defines the rich from the poor. So by being able to say he has gone there polishes his appearance of himself to the world. Gatsby however doesn’t care that just everyone can see this illusion of himself. The most important person that he wants to see his change is Daisy. This sparks a determined to get Daisy back after she left him for money when he was poor. This determination becomes an obsession with Daisy and everything she does. So he turns into this rich and powerful man that he knew she wants. “You can 't repeat the past," Gatsby replies, "Why of course you can." (Fitzgerald 126). This is Gatsby trying to hold on to the past and freeze time, with the ability to go back as his new self. When Nick talks about Gatsby 's past as James Gatz it reveals a side that Jay Gatsby has become himself and his identity is not just a mask. As Gatsby is the kind of man that goes for his dreams, he
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