The Great Gatsby : The American Dream Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perception and reality do not always align. Is true love really true love, or is it a farce, a self-created mythical re-interpretation of the thing we hold so dear? In The Great Gatsby, is Gatsby really in love with Daisy, or his vision of her? Does she feel the same way for him, or does she truly love him? And what does the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock mean to Gatsby?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Gatsby falls in love with Daisy, Nick is slightly intrigued by this almost improbable match. How can a determined, wealthy man fall in love with a woman so shallow that she wishes her daughter to â€Å"be a fool †¦ a beautiful little fool.† (p. 17)? To everyone else, it’s obvious that Daisy is extremely shallow, but to Gatsby, she’s the most beautiful woman with the perfect personality: the American Dream, so to speak. So what is he in love with? The Dream, or ‘the Daisy?’ The Dream, of course. The ‘Daisy’ he sees is a complete figment of his imagination, a part of his own personal American Dream, one that he’s striving to have a little piece of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of chapter one, we are shown a Gatsby in the middle of one of his weakest moments, when his guard is completely let down and his game face is off. He is looking out across the sea, and had â€Å"stretched his arms toward the †¦ water †¦ I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light †¦ far away †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 21) Obviously, the green light is Dai... The Great Gatsby : The American Dream Essay -- essays research papers   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Perception and reality do not always align. Is true love really true love, or is it a farce, a self-created mythical re-interpretation of the thing we hold so dear? In The Great Gatsby, is Gatsby really in love with Daisy, or his vision of her? Does she feel the same way for him, or does she truly love him? And what does the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock mean to Gatsby?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As Gatsby falls in love with Daisy, Nick is slightly intrigued by this almost improbable match. How can a determined, wealthy man fall in love with a woman so shallow that she wishes her daughter to â€Å"be a fool †¦ a beautiful little fool.† (p. 17)? To everyone else, it’s obvious that Daisy is extremely shallow, but to Gatsby, she’s the most beautiful woman with the perfect personality: the American Dream, so to speak. So what is he in love with? The Dream, or ‘the Daisy?’ The Dream, of course. The ‘Daisy’ he sees is a complete figment of his imagination, a part of his own personal American Dream, one that he’s striving to have a little piece of.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the beginning of chapter one, we are shown a Gatsby in the middle of one of his weakest moments, when his guard is completely let down and his game face is off. He is looking out across the sea, and had â€Å"stretched his arms toward the †¦ water †¦ I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light †¦ far away †¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 21) Obviously, the green light is Dai...