Examples Of Madness In The Great Gatsby

“No excellent soul is exempt from a mixture of madness” (Aristotle). The general definition of madness is “mental delusion or the eccentric behavior arising from it,” but many writers see it differently; many writers like Emily Dickinson believe madness to be the “divinest sense” and that it should be viewed with a “discerning eye.” Madness is a part of life, and although difficult for a time, it enriches the understanding each person shares with another about the world: whether or not this understanding is in fact positive or negative knowledge. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald examines the corrupt madness induced by the consumption of and seemingly reasonable desire for wealth.

Fitzgerald displays the reasonable appearance of the

Nick’s original purpose of traveling East to become a hopefully successful bondsmen, seems quite reasonable; his friends have been moderately successful, so why not. The desire for wealth through the improvement of one’s occupational position is completely justifiable, as is George Wilson’s desire to improve his social status. George is desperate for money, although he claims he “can’t complain,” he states it quite “unconvincingly” (29). Wilson scrambles at the “damp gleam of hope” Tom presents in offering to sell him a car. This demonstrates his want and need for wealth, as it is reasonable to want for more, especially when living in the fantastic Valley of Ashes. Wilson just desires to move up in life; he wants to stop struggling as vastly as he currently does. This sentiment is quite similar to Nick’s, in that all he craves is improvement in life; he wants to rise economically in order to ensure a better life. Finally, Jay Gatsby’s long held desire for wealth is, originally, quite reasonable; he wants to make something of himself, something better than his “shiftless and unsuccessful” upbringing. Gatsby’s parents were “farm people” and he wants more: he

Fitzgerald creates the madness due to the corruption of the desire for wealth in the form of Jay Gatsby, who possesses “an extraordinary gift for hope”, is the “son of God”, and is also a man consumed by his desire for wealth (6, 104). This desire comes full force with the introduction of Daisy into Gatsby’s life. Daisy is representative of Gatsby’s true desires: wealth and love. Gatsby and Daisy meet and fall immediately for one another; Daisy “blossomed for him like a flower” and Gatsby became “forever wed” (117). Fitzgerald is specific in his diction when saying that Gatsby is “forever wed”, because the phrase explains to the reader that Gatsby is bound to Daisy for the eternity, whether she continues to blossom or not. Gatsby and Daisy are separated, but upon their reunion he recounts their departure from one another as exactly “five years next November,” whereas Daisy describes it much more unattentive way, saying that it has been “many years” since they last met (92). “The automatic quality of Gatsby’s answer” demonstrates to the reader that Gatsby engrosses himself in loving Daisy (92). This causes the reader to begin questioning the reasonable qualities of Gatsby’s desire for wealth as it uncovers itself as a madness. This continues as Gatsby begins to integrate Daisy back into his reality. For example, as Gatsby shows Daisy his