Saturday, April 5, 2014

In The Great Gatsby, in what ways is Jay Gatsby an idealist?

In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is the epitome of idealism.  He believes that he can create life into his version of perfection.  One moment in the novel that highlights this statement is after a party when Nick reminds Gatsby that he cannot relive the past.  Gatsby turns to Nick and tells him that it is entirely possible to relive the past.  Such a statement shows that Gatsby is a true idealist--he is not grounded in reality and only wishes to create life in his image of perfection.  Largely, Gatsby's notions of idealism revolve around his desire to be in a relationship with Daisy--because she is from a wealthy family, Gatsby believes that he needs to "stack up" against potential suitors so that he seems worthy of her.  So, Gatsby is an idealist in the novel.

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