F. Scott Firzgerald's The Great Gatsby

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald introduces his readers to very unique and dramatic characters that capture the audience's attention right from the start. The three main characters; Tom, Daisy, and Jay Gatsby are the main focus of this novel. Gatsby wants to reconcile his desire for Daisy, but it is possible that it cannot be done because she remains the object of competing visions. Fitzgerald uses the motif of visions throughout his novel, using the vision of the American Dream, the vision of class, and the vision of the past and the future.
Throughout the novel Fitzgerald presents three main motif of visions; the American Dream, class, and past and future. The vision of the American Dream that is presented by Fitzgerald is represented by the lavish lifestyle Jay Gatsby lives. Gatsby throws a party every Saturday night, and this reflects the glamour aspect of the American Dream. Fitzgerald does not represent the original idea of the American Dream, because he is trying to convey to the audience that the idea is no longer viewed the same. The original American Dream consisted of the idea of being able to improve your life, and living your life doing things that make you happy and content. Instead he contorts the idea of the American Dream, by using Gatsby’s character, and makes it into something wholly new.
During the Gold Rush, the American Dream represented hope, and opportunity to improve your life and the lives of your family members, but now The American Dream no longer represents what it did during the Gold Rush era, it is now simply viewed as “making it big”, in other words, being rich. Gatsby's character is shown as living the American Dream, because he is rich, throws lavish parties, and is just...

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... focused on the past because he wants Daisy, and is constantly living in the past finding ways to reconcile with Daisy and his past relationship with her. Nick is focused on the present because he is scared of what the future might bring, regarding to economic troubles.
In conclusion, Scott Fitzgerald uses the vision of the American Dream, class, and the vision of the past and future as motifs of visions throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's’ wealth, and his lavish lifestyle to represent the motif of the American Dream, and class. He also uses the different lifestyles the characters live to further enhance the motif of class that is presented in the novel. Fitzgerald also uses the conflicts that Tom and Gatsby are faced with regarding time to represent the motif of past and future, because they are constantly stuck in that time period.

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