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The Theme Of Love In The Great Gatsby

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Love is the most powerful and mysterious force in the universe and a vital part of love is one’s sexuality, because it decides who you love. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a tragic novel set in the roaring twenties. The central theme in the story is love, and what it means in this time period of extravagance and lavish lifestyles. Questions arise about power and wealth, and what this signifies in a romantic relationship. The reality is that this is a loveless tale, because there is no love between the characters. On the other hand, sexuality is an underlying theme, vital to numerous characters. There are scenes that have a deeper level of meaning, suggesting events that only Fitzgerald knows the correct meaning of. At the end …show more content…

If one falls in love for wealth, it is not sincere and genuine love. The most prominent example is Myrtle Wilson and Tom Buchanan. They may have loved each other, although it seemed like Myrtle was manipulating Tom for his money. “...[Myrtle] bought a copy of Town Tattle and a moving picture magazine.. ‘I want to get one of those dogs,’ she said earnestly.” suggests Myrtle enjoys spending money (Fitzgerald 27). When she snuck off with Tom, she lived a lavish lifestyle because he has the money to support it. Could this be the reason why she was in a relationship with him? She was married to George, who was a deranged and penniless soul who owned a garage in the Valley of Ashes, “a certain desolate area of land… where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens”. (Fitzgerald 23). Tom lived in the East Egg, with a house described as, “a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay.” (Fitzgerald 6). The two men were complete opposites of each other, especially in terms of wealth and strength. In this particular relationship, money cannot buy love, because they never honestly loved each other. Tom physically abused Myrtle when she refused to listen to him. In fact, The Great Gatsby, whilst having several diverse and complicated relationships, does not possess one exemplification of

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