Examples Of Power In The Great Gatsby

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In the novels “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “A Game of Thrones” by George R.R Martin, characters pursue, grow, and maintain power with the ultimate goal of protecting their family name. Both stories share an arc on how power is defined, achieved and its purpose, how it shapes the story, the characters, and the culture within it, all with the purpose of the protection of loved ones.

In both “A Game of Thrones” and “The Great Gatsby” characters show a bias towards family and power when it comes justice or judgment. In “A Game of Thrones” the north shares the philosophy “the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword” (Martin 22), but the younger son of a high lord wonders “what lord Eddard might have done if the
In both stories, the culminating reason for characters pursuing power, is family. In both tales, power means nothing without family, "What is honor compared to a woman's love? What is duty against the feel of a newborn son in your arms . . . or the memory of a brother's smile? Wind and words. Wind and words. We are only human, and the gods have fashioned us for love. That is our great glory, and our great tragedy.” (Martin 606). Power does not equate to happiness, but family does, and everyone wants to protect what they hold dear. In “A Game of Thrones” the Lannisters, the richest family is quoted multiple times saying “Whatever you may think of me [...] I promise you this - I never bet against my family” (Martin 32). Whilst characters may betray others for power, family never abandons family. In “The Great Gatsby” This is mirrored by the Buchanans, an incredibly rich and influential family; Tom, who often conducts affairs claims “Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always comeback, and in my heart I love her all the time” (Fitzgerald 251), family is everything, no matter what stupidity Tom gets himself into, his alliance is always with the Buchanans. “A Game of Thrones” and “The Great Gatsby” are both novels about the human heart, and the conflict of the protection of family & loved
Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, on the surface appear to be centered around the struggle for political power, and selfish goals; however under analysis show a deeper meaning of family and love. Money means nothing without the family to share and benefit from it, the Buchanans use their wealth or protect their young daughter, the Lannisters use their wealth to protect their sons and daughter. Family means everything in these novels, and the family name and dynasty means more than anything to them. Both Fitzgerald and Martin have created scenarios of betrayal, deception and lust for power, but these seemingly dark themes are for a more personally just goal, protecting the family

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