The Great Gatsby
Choose a novel which explores, in an effective way, a theme which is important to you.Explain how the novelist introduces and develops the theme and show to what extent he or she has effectively engaged your interest in it. In your answer you must refer closely to the text and to at least two of: theme, structure, setting, symbolism or any other appropriate feature.--------------------------------------------------In F. Scott Fitzgerald's engaging novel "The Great Gatsby", the author effectively uses imagery and symbolism to portray his main theme of dreams, and the positive and negative effects the can have. Fitzgerald uses the narrator, Nick Carraway, to introduce the main character, the very wealthy Jay Gatsby, and it is Nick's perceptive ability as well as his non-judgemental outlook that allows the reader to fully understand Gatsby. It is Gatsby's dream of winning back a previous lover, Nick's cousin Daisy, that Fitzgerald develops throughout the novel and cleverly engages the reader's interest to show how the power of Gatsby's dream can not only give the reader reason to admire Gatsby but also brings out undesirable aspects to his personality and his life.
Gatsby has created a completely false smile for himself that genuinely made other people feel good, but soon the mask drops and the real Gatsby is seen, which would cause hurt to anyone who believed it. Gatsby's will to succeed and astonishing self-discipline is evident from an early age as in a diary of his is a schedule that included an hour to "practice elocution, poise and how to attain it. His sense of purpose sets him apart form the other wealthy people on West Egg as he does not rest on his laurels and continually motivates himself to realise his dream. This emphasises the lengths Gatsby went to to create the persona he wanted people to see, one which is in fact, far removed from his real personality. It understood you just so far as you wanted. This indicates how important it was to Gatsby to make himself seem perfect to Daisy when they finally met again, as he has to compete with the wealth of her husband, Tom. This comment engages the reader's interest because Nick only says Gatsby was alright "in the end", suggesting that Gatsby had many flaws which Nick became aware of throughout the novel. Ironically, it was his undeniable belief in his dream - a quality that could easily be admired - that led to Gatsby's death following a jealous attack. The falseness of Gatsby's persona is highlighted further through Nick's perceptive remarks in reference to Gatsby's over-use of phrases such as "old sport", a strange expression which engages the reader's interest, particularly following Nick's observations. and assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you had hoped to convey. Later during the conversation Nick witnesses, first hand, the smile that had attracted Daisy many years before. " In the end, Gatsby became so entangled in his dream that he not only made it impossible for it to be fulfilled but also caused his whole life to be wasted. However, the extent to which Gatsby allowed his dream to control his life created the "foul dust" which Nick had hinted at, and brought out many undesirable aspects in Gatsby's personality. It could also be said that he was so concerned with realising his dream that he missed living his real life.
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