While this statement is a cliche that I'm sure everyone has been exposed to at some point in their lives, it really does hold truth in it- a truth that I find to be especially powerful after reflecting on the events of The Great Gatsby. Wealth is such a prevalent theme throughout the novel and the plot is frequently occupied by different characters' quests for it, but seeing the turnout of Gatsby's funeral at the end of the book definitely raises some questions about how much power we should really allow wealth to hold. Gatsby sprung from modest roots and so his journey into affluence, despite his questionable means of getting there, is viewed somewhat as the ideal image of the American Dream. Upon achieving his goal though, how much did he really gain? His desire to win Daisy over was to little avail and any popularity that his frequent parties granted him was fleeting; with only Nick, his father, and the man with the owl eyes present at Gatsby's funeral, it is obvious that his guests saw him as more of a novelty than a real human being. Money can be great,but at what cost? If so much is sacrificed in one's quest for wealth that they lack valuable relationships, then do they really have a higher quality of life?
The Great Gatsby is set in the Roaring Twenties, but that doesn't mean it's message rings any less true today. There's so much pressure to have the best grades, go to the best college, and have the best job, all because our society views wealth as the ultimate success. And yeah, all that is pretty important, but shouldn't happiness be made a priority too?
I really like your post. I also talked about the theme of the American Dream in the book, but I talked about how he never actually achieved his goal in the first place. Your connection with today's world is really important! THIS is why we read classics. We can always still relate past events to the present. Even if they were written so long ago, we can still relate, which in my opinion, is really useful in engaging the reader.
ReplyDeleteHi Katie,
ReplyDeleteI loved your post! Money definitely tends to put us in a sort of trance, where we do things for money unconsciously without realizing how much we lose because of it. I really liked the connection you made to Gatsby's funeral because as I read that part of your post, I realized the only person who actually planned on attending the funeral was Gatsby's father, who knew him for his modest origins rather than his wealth.