Another Disney Comparison

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

In the middle of chapter 7, the Buchanans, Nick, Jordan, and Gatsby all traveled to the city in an attempt to escape the heat. The group rented a room in the Plaza Hotel, and here Tom decided to confront Gatsby about his relationship with Daisy. Gatsby claimed that Daisy never loved Tom."She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me" (Fitzgerald, 130).  As I read this quote, I thought of Beauty and the Beast. In this beloved Disney movie, the Beast began as a handsome young man who was turned into a beast because of his own selfish actions. I would compare the Beast to Daisy and Gatsby. 

Daisy is not a mean or vicious person, and she certainly was not as rude as the Beast. However, by leaving Gatsby because he was not wealthy enough, she created this sort of lovesick, money-hungry monster. In the confrontation at the Plaza, Tom attacked Gatsby's morals and methods of making money. By being vague, Tom allowed fear to grow in Daisy. Through Tom and Gatsby's argument, Daisy saw that Gatsby had changed and that she feared his changes. Daisy did not choose Gatsby five years ago because he was poor, now she might not choose him because he is a different person. I think that in order for Gatsby to win Daisy's heart he must find a different/legal source of income, and, like the Beast, Gatsby must be honest in his relationship with his princess.

Time Difference

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

" 'I read somewhere that the sun's getting hotter every year,' said Tom genially. 'It seems that pretty soon the earth's going to fall into the sun- or wait a minute- it's just the opposite- the sun's getting colder every year' " (Fitzgerald, 118).

As I read this quote, I smiled at the thought that people who lived almost ninety years ago were concerned with the same environmental issue that exists today. The quote above refers to what we know as global warming. Tom may have made this statement simply to complain about the heat, or perhaps this statement was made so he could assert his knowledge of science topics. Either way, this quote shows that people share similarities even when separated decades. Reading this quote today, people might smile hearing Tom's theory that the sun is getting colder, or that the earth is going to fall into the sun. This just shows that as time continues, people learn more and more. Hypotheses from previous years may seem primitive because of the new-found knowledge that we possess. With this in mind, ideas that seem new and innovative now will seem foolish and obsolete in the future. Not all problems can be solved in a short period of time, and some problems will be left for future generations. Our job is to fix what we can and help prevent future problems.

Rivalry

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

In chapter six, Nick Carraway stops by Gatsby's house to visit and he finds Tom Buchanan and Mr. and Mrs. Sloane there. Just as Nick was surprised to see Tom, so was I. When I read this, the saying 'Keep your friends close and enemies closer' came to my mind. To me, Gatsby and Tom seem to be Foil characters to one another. Tom is very rude, arrogant, and just simply a bully. Gatsby on the other hand is very kind, accepting, and polite. Gatsby does things to please others, and even when he asked for Nicks help with arranging a meeting with Daisy, Gatsby told Nick to invite Daisy when it was convenient.

Because Tom and Gatsby's personalities clash, I think that conflict will arise between the two. Because Gatsby loves Tom's wife, I think that the conflict will escalate to a monumental proportion.  Tom suspicions that Gatsby's wealth is the result of bootlegging, and I think that Tom will look into Gatsby's life in an attempt to prove his theory. I am afraid that if Tom investigates Gatsby, he will find that Gatsby and Daisy love each other. " 'I'd like to know who he is and what he does,' insisted Tom 'And I think I'll make a point of finding out'"(Fitzgerald, 108). I can only hope that the results of Tom's search will benefit Gatsby.

Dreams

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

In chapter 5, Gatsby finally reunited with Daisy. As I was reading this chapter, I kept thinking of how excited Gatsby must have felt that his dream of speaking with Daisy again was finally coming true. For the past five years in his life, Gatsby dreamt and hoped that he could visit with Daisy again. When the time came for tea, he was frightened and wanted to leave. I can't imagine that he was afraid of seeing Daisy, but I think that he was frightened that his visit with her would not live up to his hopes for that moment. I think that he feared being rejected and losing Daisy again. This certainly was not the outcome. "I think that voice held him most, with its fluctuation, feverish warmth, because it couldn't be over-dreamed" (Fitzgerald, 96). His visit with Daisy was everything for which he had hoped. He had regained a lost friend. 

I think that Gatsby's hope to meet with Daisy can teach a lesson. Dreams are necessary to accomplish that which is important in life. Each person's dreams are different, but all are necessary. As the Olympics continue, they display the hopes and desires of so many athletes culminated into one moment of glorious competition. Commercials tell stories of struggles that athletes overcame and how athletes started for the Olympics at the age of seven because they watched their idol compete for gold. Not all hopes and dreams will lead to the Olympics. Some will lead to college graduation, and others to earning an A on a test. No matter what a person's dream is, it should be pursued and held close to one's heart. In time and with work, one's dream will be met.

Plotting and Scheming

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

Jordan and Gatsby were plotting and scheming.

As chapter 4 comes to a close, Nick Carraway finally learns from Jordan what Gatsby meant by "this matter". At their afternoon tea, Jordan told Nick a story about Daisy dating young soldiers, one of which being Gatsby, and how Daisy eventually married Tom Buchanan. When Daisy heard the name Gatsby, she asked Jordan if he was the same man she had known long ago. Indeed, Nick's next door neighbor is the one and only Gatsby. Gatsby purposely bought the house directly across the bay from Daisy and hoped that he could meet her again. With the help of Jordan, Gatsby planned for Nick to invite Daisy to his home for tea, where Gatsby would then come over and visit. This entire plan was set into motion because of Jordan. 

When Jordan was first introduced, she seemed like she would be a minor character. Yet, she has taken an important role in this story. Had Jordan and Gatsby not met, Gatsby would not have known that Nick was friends with Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Without this friendship, Gatsby's plan to meet with Daisy would be much more difficult to facilitate. Although Jordan could have arranged a meeting between Daisy and Gatsby, she needed Nick's help to bring Daisy near Gatsby's home, which Gatsby wanted Daisy to see. Gatsby waited five years to arrange a causal meeting with Daisy, and he could have waited even longer if he had not met Jordan. " 'I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night, ' went on Jordan, 'but she never did' "(Fitzgerald, 79). Jordan set Gatsby's plans into motion, and whether or not she plays any important roles later on in the story, she started what I think is going to be an interesting reunion.

Trapped in a Car

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

In chapter 4, Gatsby met with Carraway to drive him to lunch. During the car ride, Gatsby began to tell Nick a little about himself. As the conversation developed, Nick appeared to feel uncomfortable. Gatsby could have told Nick about himself any time prior to that, but he chose to wait until Nick was confined in a moving vehicle. I can relate to how Nick felt because sometimes my mom has waited until I was trapped in a car ride to talk to me about important things. When in a car, there is no place to escape from an uncomfortable situation. The only relief is arriving at one's destination. 

Also in this section, I felt that some of Gatsby's experiences related to Lily's from The House of Mirth. When Gatsby was young, his family died, and he inherited money. Because of his sadness, he traveled to Europe. "I usually find myself among strangers because I drift here and there trying to forget the sad thing that happened to me" (Fitzgerald, 67).  I think that his time in Europe resembles Lily's vacation with the Dorsets. Lily left New York to escape from her troubles with her debt to Trenor. Gatsby went to Europe to escape the sadness of the loss of his family. Both characters tried to physically distance themselves from their problems, but I do not feel like this worked for either.

Meeting Gatsby

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

"He's just a man named Gatsby" (Fitzgerald, 48). 

The quote above seems to describe simply who Gatsby is. However, this overly simplistic description maintains Gatsby's mysterious persona and therefore allows much room for a complicated personality. Gatsby stands apart from the people with whom he surrounds himself.  Most of his companions are rich people who thoroughly enjoy drinking and partaking in wild events. Unlike his party guests, Gatsby does not drink alcohol. This sets him apart from them, because when his guests became intoxicated and somewhat wild, Gatsby remained refined and polite. Gatsby avoided the consumption of alcohol, so I do not understand why he hosted parties where alcohol was available. Gatsby doesn't quite seem at home during his parties and perhaps that is because he might not have been raised in wealthy surroundings where grand parties were normal events. Jordan Baker told Carraway that Gatsby claimed to be an Oxford man, but that she did not believe he was. Carraway's thoughts in response to this were, "But young men didn't - at least in my provincial inexperience I believed they didn't- drift coolly out of nowhere and buy a palace on Long Island Sound" (Fitzgerald, 49). Herein lies the mystery of Gatsby's past. Where is Gatsby from? How did he gain his wealth? And why does he live in Long Island Sound? I am curious to see if Fitzgerald will answer my questions in the coming chapters.