Theme Of Responsibility In The Great Gatsby

In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, selfishness occurs throughout novel. It is seen by some characters as a way of escaping their problems and only take actions that are beneficial to themselves. Characters that are selfish will also stop at nothing to reach their goal, even if that means stepping over everyone. Tragedies that have been taking place in The Great Gatsby have been caused by self-centered people who will not take fault for their wrongdoings. Self-centered is an individual, who is concerned solely with one’s own interests. It applies to Tom, Daisy, and Jordan because of their ability to only take consideration of themselves.

Parents teach their children right from wrong at an early age. These caregivers try their best to insure that their children grow wiser, with all the tools they need, so the kids can be held accountable. Being successful in modern society, entails proper following of the societal rules, or else the consequences may include losing a job, losing a home, or losing companions and being left in a state of solitaire. However, in ‘the Great Gatsby’ by Fitzgerald, the idea of good people, who go to school, who get a job, who are kind to, and for other people— who follow the rules, actually end up suffering at the hands of the immoral people, who choose not to follow the rules of society. A person is deemed just, or iniquitous, based

Nick Carraway is the narrator of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. This novel is a story about the love triangle of Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby, told from the perspective of Nick. Nick moves to Long Island, New York, where he encounters the lives of his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom, as well as his wealthy neighbor Jay. Throughout the story, Nick shows that he is judgmental, dishonest, and passive.

Towards the end of chapter three in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway recalls his daily routine, which not only consists of going to work early in the morning and late aimless walks alone down the avenues, but also tells of Nick’s internal clash between wanting friends and the lack of effort he puts into establishing and sustaining a relationship. Fitzgerald describes Nick as a confused man, who’s delusional about how close he is to people he considers friends, which causes him to be restless and sad; often left to wander the streets for something to do Nick defaults to inaction, only observing and imagining what he desires.

In his novel, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores the reality of the American Dream. Throughout the novel, he uses Daisy to represent the American Dream. In chapter eight, after Daisy crashes the car, “she vanish[es] into her rich house… leaving Gatsby nothing” (149). Daisy is depicted as soulless; she is willing to let Gatsby take the fall for her faults. In order to remain the American Dream, Daisy must appear blameless to society; therefore, the common man must always take responsibility for her mistakes. Daisy takes from Gatsby until there is nothing left, eventually disappearing behind her wall of wealth to void tinting the perception of the American Dream.

Material objects, such as cars and money, lead to the carelessness of the main characters, eventually beckoning to their unnecessary demise and fatality. The recurring carelessness surrounding cars is adamant within the Great Gatsby, such as Tom Buchannan who not only causes a car crash, but also helps to cover up another. Even after just marrying Daisy, his carelessness is exemplified when he, “ran into a wagon, and ripped a front wheel of his car” (78). This event took place because the Tom was reckless without care and he had the money and opportunity to cover up the car crash despite the injuries and damage done. While Tom did not get hurt in any way, it was those around him that always got hurt, both the car and the girl he was with.

Nick Carraway is frequently depicted by Fitzgerald as being the centrepiece of morality in this novel. This is made all the more compelling since he is utilised as the primary narrator and speaks in first person throughout and in essence conveys the author’s views on the era. This has the effect of casting moral undertones, as quite often readers are shown contrasts of the rich, supreme and nefarious elite such as Tom Buchanan and Meyer wolfsheim, versus the more principled and righteous middle class as represented by Nick. An example of this is in chapter 2 when nick, along with most modern readers, question the affair Tom and Myrtle engage in. He questions “doesn’t her husband object?” in response to Tom ironically stating that “it does her

The 1920s is a time of technological, economical, and social exploration. Myrtle, Daisy, and Jordan display the full image of what it is like to be a women in New York during the 1920s. They each have a personal struggle with society and the fight between what they want and what is expected of them. Each of these women wants to experience the glamor of the 1920s but has to maintain some of the traditional elegance of a woman. If the neglect to do so, they are treated harshly by society. Daisy shows her struggles with the social status of women through her daughter and relationship with Tom. Jordan proves that being a “new” women of the 1920s comes with a price of judgment and accusations of dishonesty. Myrtle seeks to become a member of the

Several people may assume that selfishness is both unhealthy and wrong. A selfish person usually puts his own needs before the needs of other people. Selfish people need to be able to draw the line between when they need to worry about themselves, or when they should be concerned about other people. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, in the view of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, it is evident that the nature of man is showing selfishness through cruelty, greed, and manipulation.

Another dominant symbol within this novel is the billboard eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg which is in the middle of the valley of ashes, right next to Wilson’s garage staring at the waste that careless capitalism has

From a young age, we have been taught what behavior is acceptable and deemed good, and what is immoral or bad. In the novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many of the characters require questioning regarding if they should be classified as truly moral people who exhibit goodness or correctness in their lifestyles. In their society, the goals shared by all are becoming rich and fitting in, and often in order to meet them, actions are taken which harm others but benefit themselves. The author conveys that morality has little value to the characters in Gatsby because they take any means necessary in order to achieve their dreams and fail to think about the consequences of their impulsive actions.

The American dream as represented in America in the early 1920’s was centered around success, measured by wealth. Those who weren’t wealthy strived to be and those who were sought to maintain it. Wealth was seen as the gateway to a better life, filled with partying and irresponsibility, though the poor often only wanted a sense of financial security. Fitzgerald revealed how he felt about the class divide in The Great Gatsby. In the passage from novel, Fitzgerald uses various rhetorical devices to emphasize Tom’s self-righteous traits to support the assertion that those with higher class standing did not suffer the same consequences for their actions that those of lower economic standing did in the 1920’s, making the American Dream much more

Selfishness is described as a person being devoted to or caring only for oneself and is concerned primarily with one's own interests regardless of others emotions or well-being. Selfishness is usually performed with an initial act. For example, a selfish person deliberately focuses on their own needs or desires, rather than others. Being selfish can also be accidental. Accidental selfishness is still unjust and could potentially have the chance of being even more destructive to relationships, themselves, and the society they live in, due to its oblivious nature. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, selfishness is used to display the corruption that took place in society during the 1920’s. Fitzgerald uses the character Daisy

The way the characters act behind the wheel indicates how they feel toward life. The rich “carelessly cause injury to people and property whilst behind the wheel, they inflict similar emotional wounds on those with whom they come in contact” (Lance). For instance, one can learn that Jordan Baker is careless when Nick claims she is an appalling driver. Baker’s character can be questioned when she responds with “they’ll keep out...it takes two to make an accident” (Fitzgerald 58). Jordan’s major flaw is her inability to take responsibility for her actions. Her misuse of the automobile “anticipates the deception to cover up her carelessness” of relying on others to move out of the way rather than her take into consideration that other lives are at stake (Lance). This corrupt mindset was not a foreign during this time, many “young men and women in the 1920s had a sense of reckless confidence not only about money but about life in general” (Cowley). Additionally, the Buchanan’s exhibit carelessness in both life and behind the wheel. Early on, the reader learns that Tom is having a revolting affair and is careless enough with his marital relationship that he “ran into a wagon on the Ventura road one night and ripped a front wheel off his car and one of the chambermaids [was in his car]” (Fitzgerald 77). Tom’s irresponsible nature extends far beyond driving; he risks his

Money, power, and success have blinded people into thinking they are in love and it has led to these women being oppressed. Tom and Gatsby in this book are what is called the patriarchy. According to Revise Sociology, the patriarchy is “The systematic domination of women by men in some or all of society’s spheres and institutions.” In Tom and Daisy’s marriage; they are both having an affair, Tom wasn’t at his child’s birth, and he oppresses Daisy physically, maybe by accident, and socially, by not allowing her to go wherever she wants to go. In Tom and Myrtle’s affair; they are both married, yet they have this affair, she is dependent on him because he oppresses her economically and psychologically, and he also oppresses her physically when he broke her nose. In Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship; she is having an affair with him and he psychologically oppressed her with his money and wealth only to get the idea he has of her as his “Golden Girl.” Fitzgerald’s argument is, when love is not the main reason for a relationship it will lead into oppression of women. All of these relationships prove how oppression is caused when love is not the main focus of a