Examples Of Envy In The Great Gatsby

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When one sees others with more, they feel an inner twinge of envy. Some are unhappy with their achievements because of forces that they could not control, or because they set their goal too high. Often times, people are disappointed by the result of a situation, because it did not become their expectations. It is through these events that cause one to act upon what they feel. For those feeling envy, one aims to climb higher than that other with more, to surpass them so that they do not feel this sense of dismay. At a young age, Gatsby hated the life he lived. Seeing the wealth that others held, Gatsby made sure that he would never have to continue living his modest life. For others with high expectations, when one sees an opportunity to get …show more content…

At seventeen, James Gatz already hated the life he was leading. When he saw the riches of the east, he despised that he had to live in rags while others went to parties each night. And so he changed his identity, to break the bond he had with his past life, and created a new life for himself, with a new name and a new sense of hope. The boy that he was before was gone replaced by the confident and charismatic Jay Gatsby. This man was the one who won over the beautiful Daisy. When she ran away to Tom for he did not have the money she desired to live a lavish and comfortable lifestyle, he made it his aim to win Daisy back. With this determination, Gatsby made it his only goal to climb up the social ladder. He even stooped down to the level of organized crime, but it was so that he could achieve his dream of climbing his way to the top of the social ladder. For people with inherited money, they have no true dedication to any work he or she did. For a man like Gatsby, unhappy with his situation, and who started out at the bottom, it took full determination for him to achieve his goal. " 'He bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.' (Fitzgerald 78)" To Gatsby, the money would buy back the love that Daisy once had for him. Although his pursuit of Daisy is blind, everything he does, from all the books he buys to every party he throws shows his resolve to win Daisy back …show more content…

She was materialistic and only saw the lavish lifestyle, and lived void of a good conscience. She ran off with Tom because she saw his wealth. Even with endless dresses, and polo horses, Daisy still wanted more. Reunited with Gatsby after meeting in Nick's house, she walked with Gatsby to his house. It was only when she realized the huge mansion across her own house belonged to Gatsby, that she truly wanted to be back with him. Walking in the house, hand in hand, ignoring Nick who follows behind, it seemed the two were reunited by love. In his bedroom, "he took out a pile of shirts and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel. (Fitzgerald 92)" Gatsby is clearly extremely wealthy, able to afford whatever suits his interest, and he was in the mindset that he would buy anything for Daisy. Daisy seeing this, "suddenly, with a strained stained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. 'They're such beautiful shirts,' she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds (Fitzgerald 92)." She doesn't cry because she has been reunited with Gatsby, she cries because of the pure satisfaction all his material wealth brings her. When Tom's wealth was not enough, she ran off to something more

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