the great gatsby deception essay

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The Great Gatsby Essay: Lies And Deception

• The Great Gatsby Essay: Lies…

“Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” This quotation is said by Nick Caraway, the narrator of Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald depicts Nick as or moral guide through a novel infused with lies and deception.

Fitzgerald utilizes many themes throughout the book one being, truth versus lies, within the novel virtually all main characters are dishonest to others or to themselves which exposes each character’s true self to the reader. Jay Gatsby, the protagonist fabricates a story about his life piecing together facets of information that sound intriguing and somewhat believable. As well he allows rumors to be spread regarding his occupation and his wealth and does not correct or allow much to be known about him.

Daisy Buchanan is a character that often lies to others as well as herself through statements that she makes concerning her child, her marriage, and her love affair with Jay Gatsby. The deception and dishonesty that the characters in the novel demonstrate ultimately reveals the truth about each character’s disposition.

Jay Gatsby is quite an elusive character in this novel , Fitzgerald allows the reader to speculate and to make assumptions about Gatsby only revealing the truth towards the end of the novel. Prior to even being introduced to the great Jay Gatsby it is suggested to the reader about Gatsby that, “…He’s a nephew of Kaiser Wilhelm’s. That’s where all his money comes from” (page 35).

As well, before the character appears rumors circulate about him, “He killed a man once… He was a German spy during the war… He was in the American Army.” Gatsby’s trail of deceit begins with the gossip and rumors about him, he seems very uninterested in controlling the wild rumors being spread about him.

He is aware that not many of the guests at his extravagant parties are even aware of who he is, we see this on page 49 upon the introduction of Gatsby to the narrator, Nick. As well later on again Gatsby says to Nick, “I don’t want you to get the wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear.” As a result of Gatsby’s acknowledgment and unwillingness to confirm or deny the rumors about him, he is lying by way of omission from the truth.

Aside from omitting details, Gatsby extends his deception by fabricating the stories of his life. In chapter four Gatsby has become closer to Nick and tells him of his past, “I am the son of some wealthy people in the Mid West- all dead now.” (Page 64). This small sentence alone is a blatant lie as Gatsby’s father appears at the end of the novel and is clearly not dead. As well when prompted as to where in the midwest he replies San Francisco, which is not a city of the Mid West United States.

As this speech is continued Gatsby goes on to tell Nick that he spent time in Europe, “Collecting jewels, chiefly rubies, hunting big game, painting a little” (Page 64). Gatsby continues to tell stories of the honors bestowed upon him by the country of Montenegro, as well as his days at Oxford. Gatsby merely forgets to include the details of his rise to the top through the world of bootlegging and his obsession with Daisy Buchanan.

Fitzgerald makes clear right away that Gatsby’s stories are less than credible, which all is shown in the latter part of the novel. The manufactured stories are evident to the reader but the question must be posed as to why a rich and powerful man like Jay Gatsby would veer from the path of truth. The answer is shame, although he has wealth and many things to show for it Gatsby is shamed by his methods of attaining it, and because of this he allows rumors to be spread and continues to spread them himself.

In the 1920s although bootleggers were necessary to allow people to continue their valued lifestyles and lavish parties they were not seen as captains of industry they were seen by the upper class as low-life criminals. Gatsby’s lies and deception allow for the reader to see that in reality, Gatsby is ashamed of the means by which he has attained everything he so explicitly shows off.

Daisy Buchanan is the object of Gatsby’s affection in this novel and like Gatsby, she is rather dishonest throughout the novel. Through having her affair with Gatsby she begins lying to her husband. In chapter seven, Gatsby is having drinks at Daisy and Tom’s home, as Tom leaves the room daisy kisses Gatsby and proclaims, “I don’t care!” (page 111). She is saying this of her love for Gatsby and that she does not care who knows.

This is not only a lie she tells the others but a lie she tells to herself. Later on, in chapter seven there is a confrontation involving Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby. Gatsby prompts Daisy to admit that she had never loved Tom which she had most likely lied to Gatsby about earlier. She reluctantly replies, “I never loved him.” (page 126). Rethinking that answer she soon after takes that back saying that she did love both Tom and Gatsby.

Although she has lied to them both, it is more likely that this is a lie she is telling herself. The culmination of her dishonesty to her husband and lover as well as her dishonesty towards herself reveals to the reader that as well Daisy’s deception is rooted in her shame. As a woman of the 1920s, a divorce or an affair would be quite shameful.

However differing from Gatsby it can be said of Daisy that she lied based on her own confusion as well as shame, her marriage was quite messy and as a result, she was led astray and through her affair, her mind became more clouded. She did not only lie out of shame but also because she was so unsure of herself that she was unaware of the things that she really wanted.

The Great Gatsby is a story of the 1920s, Fitzgerald wrote his characters to depict typical people at that point in time, using his characters’ deceptive natures as a literary tool. The wealthy Jay Gatsby appears to be so close to grasping everything he has always wanted but, his means of getting there is a secret he must continue to lie about forever. The true Jay Gatsby can be viewed when you delve into the root of his compulsive storytelling and lying.

He is simply ashamed of his past and to be who he wants to be that past must remain a secret. Daisy however is shamed by what she has done recently, which is committing adultery. Daisy lying is much more complex as a young woman she seems quite lost and her lying is not as deliberate as Gatsby’s. Daisy’s deception allows the reader to see the confused woman behind the enticing siren voice.

The way in which Fitzgerald writes these characters causes many things to be revealed by their actions, their dishonesty, in this case, allows the reader to explore the weaknesses of the characters.

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Most of these citations credit page 64 when my digital photo copy of the book have these quotes on page 70 and 71

This post is so good to read. Excellent!!

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The Great Gatsby: Analysis of Deception

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The Great Gatsby Theme of Lies and Deceit

Nick may say that he's one of the few honest people he knows, but we're not so sure about that . The Great Gatsby is built around lies, and why should this be any different? Human beings are inherently dishonest, whether they're male or female, born or made, poor or rich—and they're selfish, hypocritical, and destructive as well. And you may be able to fool your friends, but the eyes of God— or T. J. Eckleburg —are always watching.

Questions About Lies and Deceit

• At one point, Jordan claims that Nick deceived her. Is this true? Or was Jordan deceiving Nick? What kind of dishonesty is she talking about, anyway?
• Nick briefly mentions that Tom discovered Daisy's deception very close to the time that Wilson discovered that of his own wife. How do these men each deal with the discovery? Does it make them seem more similar, or highlight their differences? Check out what Nick says about it.
• Nick assures us he is "one of the few honest people" he knows. How does this affect the way we read his story? Do we trust his narration?
• Are Nick and Gatsby more similar than Nick would like to admit? Is it possible to see Nick and Gatsby as possessing the same fundamental characteristic of deception?
• In the showdown scene at the Plaza, Daisy Buchanan is ultimately honest with her husband and Gatsby despite what she might lose. Why does she choose honesty?

Chew on This

In The Great Gatsby , Nick Carraway presents himself as the voice of reason and reliability, yet ultimately he proves to be an unreliable narrator.

Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby are two sides of the same coin: each has built a successful façade to fool others, yet they can now no longer distinguish their true selves from the one they have created for the world.

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Most Important Themes in Great Gatsby, Analyzed

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Need to write about a theme for a Great Gatsby assignment or just curious about what exactly a theme is? Not sure where to start? Learn here what a theme is, what the main themes in The Great Gatsby are, and what the best tips for writing about themes for your English/Language Arts class essays are.

We will also link to our specific articles on each theme so you can learn even more in-depth about themes central to Gatsby .

What Is a Theme? Why Should You Care?

First things first: what exactly is a theme? In literature, a theme is a central topic a book deals with. This central topic is revealed through plot events, the actions and dialogue of the characters, and even the narrator's tone. Themes can be very broad, like love, money, or death, or more specific, like people versus technology, racial discrimination, or the American Dream.

In short, a book's theme can usually answer the question, "what's the point of this book?". They're the "so what?" of literary analysis. Also, note that books can definitely have more than one major theme —in Gatsby we identify seven!

Knowing a book's major theme(s) is crucial to writing essays, since many assignments want you to connect your argument to a book's theme. For example, you might be asked to write an essay about a prompt like this: "How does the life of Jay Gatsby exemplify (or deconstruct) the idea of the American Dream?" This prompt has you connect specific details in Jay Gatsby's life to the larger theme of the American Dream. This is why many teachers love theme essays: because they encourage you to connect small details to big ideas!

Furthermore, the AP English Literature test always has an essay question that has you analyze some aspect of a book and then "compare it to the theme of the work as a whole." (If you want specific examples you can access the last 15 years of AP English Literature free response questions here , using your College Board account.) So this skill won't just help you in your English classes, it will also help you pass the AP English Literature test if you're taking it!

So keep reading to learn about the major themes in Gatsby and how they are revealed in the book, and also to get links to our in-depth articles about each theme.

Overview of Key Themes in The Great Gatsby

Before we introduce our seven main themes, we'll briefly describe how the story and characters suggest the major Great Gatsby themes. Remember that the story is set in the 1920s, a period when America's economy was booming, and takes place in New York: specifically the wealthy Long Island towns of West Egg and East Egg, as well as Manhattan and Queens.

As you should know from the book ( check out our summary if you're still hazy on the details!), The Great Gatsby tells the story of James Gatz , a poor farm boy who manages to reinvent himself as the fabulously rich Jay Gatsby, only to be killed after an attempt to win over his old love Daisy Buchanan . Daisy is married to Tom Buchanan , and they're both from old money, causing them to look down Gatsby's newly rich crowd (and for Tom to look down at Gatsby himself).

Meanwhile, Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson , the wife of mechanic George Wilson . Through the Wilsons, we see the struggles of the working class in dismal Queens , NY. As if they didn't already have it hard enough, Myrtle is killed in a hit-and-run accident (caused by Daisy Buchanan), and George, who's manipulated by Tom to believe that Jay Gatsby was both his wife's lover and her murderer, ends up shooting Gatsby and then himself.

The whole story is told by Nick Carraway , a second cousin of Daisy's and classmate of Tom's who moves in next to Gatsby's mansion and eventually befriends Jay -- and then comes to deeply admire him, despite or perhaps because of Jay's fervent desire to repeat his past with Daisy. The tragic chain of events at the novel's climax, along with the fact that both the Buchanans can easily retreat from the damage they caused, causes Nick to become disillusioned with life in New York and retreat back to his hometown in the Midwest.

Aside from having a very unhappy ending, the novel might just ruin swimming pools for you as well.

The fact that the major characters come from three distinct class backgrounds (working class, newly rich, and old money) suggests that class is a major theme. But the rampant materialism and the sheer amount of money spent by Gatsby himself is a huge issue and its own theme. Related to money and class, the fact that both Gatsby and the Wilsons strive to improve their positions in American society, only to end up dead, also suggests that the American Dream -- and specifically its hollowness -- is a key theme in the book as well.

But there are other themes at play here, too. Every major character is involved in at least one romantic relationship , revealing that they are all driven by love, sex, and desire -- a major theme. Also, the rampant bad behavior (crime, cheating, and finally murder) and lack of real justice makes ethics and morality a key theme. Death also looms large over the novel's plot, alongside the threat of failure.

And finally, a strong undercurrent to all of these themes is identity itself: can James Gatz really become Jay Gatsby, or was he doomed from the start? Can someone who is not from old money ever blend in with that crowd? Could Gatsby really aspire to repeat his past with Daisy, or is that past self gone forever?

In short, just by looking at the novel's plot, characters, and ending, we can already get a strong sense of Gatsby's major themes. Let's now look at each of those themes one by one (and be sure to check out the links to our full theme breakdowns!).

The 7 Major Great Gatsby Themes

Money and Materialism : Everyone in the novel is money-obsessed, whether they were born with money (Tom, Daisy, Jordan, and Nick to a lesser extent), whether they made a fortune (Gatsby), or whether they're eager for more (Myrtle and George). So why are the characters so materialistic? How does their materialism affect their choices? Get a guide to each of the characters' material motivations and how they shape the novel.

Society and Class: Building on the money and materialism theme, the novel draws clear distinctions between the kind of money you have: old money (inherited) or new money (earned). And there is also a clear difference between the lifestyles of the wealthy, who live on Long Island and commute freely to Manhattan, and the working class people stuck in between, mired in Queens. By the end of the novel, our main characters who are not old money (Gatsby, Myrtle, and George) are all dead, while the inherited-money club is still alive. What does this say about class in Gatsby? Why is their society so rigidly classist? Learn more about the various social classes in Gatsby and how they affect the novel's outcome.

The American Dream : The American Dream is the idea anyone can make it in America (e.g. gain fame, fortune, and success) through enough hard work and determination. So is Jay Gatsby an example of the dream? Or does his involvement in crime suggest the Dream isn't actually real? And where does this leave the Wilsons, who are also eager to improve their lot in life but don't make it out of the novel alive? Finally, do the closing pages of the novel endorse the American Dream or write it off as a fantasy? Learn what the American Dream is and how the novel sometimes believes in it, and sometimes sees it as a reckless fantasy.

Love, Desire, and Relationships : All of the major characters are driven by love, desire, or both, but only Tom and Daisy's marriage lasts out of the novel's five major relationships and affairs. So is love an inherently unstable force? Or do the characters just experience it in the wrong way? Get an in-depth guide to each of Gatsby's major relationships.

Death and Failure: Nick narrates Gatsby two years after the events in question, and since he's obviously aware of the tragedy awaiting not only Gatsby but Myrtle and George as well, the novel has a sad, reflective, even mournful tone. Is the novel saying that ambition is inherently dangerous (especially in a classist society like 1920s America), or is it more concerned with the danger of Gatsby's intense desire to reclaim the past? Explore those questions here.

Morality and Ethics: The novel is full of bad behavior: lying, cheating, physical abuse, crime, and finally murder. Yet none of the characters ever answer to the law, and God is only mentioned as an exclamation, or briefly projected onto an advertisement . Does the novel push for the need to fix this lack of morality, or does it accept it as the normal state of affairs in the "wild, wild East"?

The Mutability of Identity: Mutability just means "subject to change," so this theme is about how changeable (or not!) personal identity is. Do people really change? Or are our past selves always with us? And how would this shape our desire to reclaim parts of our past? Gatsby wants to have it both ways: to change himself from James Gatz into the sophisticated, wealthy Jay Gatsby, but also to preserve his past with Daisy. Does he fail because it's impossible to change? Because it's impossible to repeat the past? Or both?

How to Write About The Great Gatsby Themes

So now that you know about the major themes of The Great Gatsby , how can you go about writing about them? First up: look closely at your prompt.

Sometimes an essay prompt will come right out and ask you to write about a theme , for example "is The American Dream in Gatsby alive or dead?" or "Write about the relationships in Gatsby. What is the novel saying about the nature of love and desire?" For those essays, you will obviously be writing about one of the novel's major themes. But even though those prompts have big-picture questions, make sure to find small supporting details to help make your argument.

For example, if you're discussing the American Dream and arguing it's dead in the novel, don't just make that claim and be done with it. Instead, you can explore Gatsby's past as James Gatz, George Wilson's exhausted complacency, and Myrtle's treatment at the hands of Tom as examples of how the American Dream is treated in the novel. Obviously those examples are far from exhaustive, but hopefully you get the idea: find smaller details to support the larger argument.

On the other hand, many essay prompts about Gatsby will look like a question about something specific, like a character or symbol:

• Explore Tom and Daisy as people who 'retreat into their money.'
• What does the green light at the end of Daisy's dock represent? How does its meaning change throughout the novel?
• Show how Fitzgerald uses clothing (and the changing of costumes) to tell the reader more about the characters and/or express theme(s).

These prompts are actually a chance for you to take that detailed analysis and connect it to one of the larger themes—in other words, even though the prompt doesn't state it explicitly, you should still be connecting those more focused topics to one of the big-picture themes.

For example, if you talk about Tom and Daisy Buchanan, you will definitely end up talking about society and class. If you talk about the green light, you will end up talking about dreams and goals, specifically the American Dream. And if you discuss clothing to talk about the characters, you will definitely touch on money and materialism, as well as society and class (like how Gatsby's pink suit makes him stand out as new money to Tom Buchanan, or how Myrtle adopts a different dress to play at being wealthy and sophisticated).

In short, for these more specific prompts, you start from the ground (small details and observations) and build up to discussing the larger themes, even if the prompt doesn't say to do so explicitly!

What's Next?

Now you're an expert on themes, but what about symbols? If you need to write about the important symbols in The Great Gatsby, check out our symbols overview for a complete guide.

Want a full analysis of Jay Gatsby and his backstory? Not sure how his story connects with the American Dream? Get the details here .

Want to go back to square one? Get started with Chapter 1 of our Great Gatsby plot summary.

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Examples Of Deception In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is an American novel written by Scott Fitzgerald. On the surface, the book revolves around the concept of romance, the love between two individuals. However, the novel incorporates less of a romantic scope and rather focuses on the theme of the American Dream in the 1920s. Fitzgerald depicts the 1920’s as an era of decline in moral values. The strong desire for luxurious pleasure and money ultimately corrupts the American dream which was originally about individualism. As a result, S. Fitzgerald portrays the corruption during this era by creating a novel infused with lies and deception. The author, S. Fitzgerald drives a basic storyline in which characters, in the novel, compose their identity through lies and deception. Jay …show more content…

Fitzgerald in the novel, uses careless individuals who would destroy everything and everyone and yet still manage to retreat back to their money. Daisy Buchanan, the ‘golden girl’ is rather dishonest and deceitful throughout the novel. As she starts having her affair with Gatsby, she creates unrealistic expectations in Gatsby head about their future together. As Gatsby is having drinks at the Buchanan’s, Tom leaves the room and Daisy kisses Gatsby and declares, ‘I don’t care!’ At this point, the audience realizes that Daisy is and always was in love with Gatsby and that she was prepared to leave Tom. However, in chapter 7, during the confrontation, Daisy quickly rethinks her decisions and states, ‘I did love him once – but I loved you too’. As Gatsby hopes and expectations of them being together breaks the audience starts to comprehend that Daisy contradicting statements is purely because she is afraid to leave Tom. Tom came from a wealthy family and was highly respected in society. Daisy knew that life with him would be luxiourous and entirely satisfactory in terms of respect and wealth. In addition, the author is trying to convey to the audience that Daisy is too secure in her marriage with Tom to even consider leaving it. In the 1920s, women’s role was to usually to leave off their husband’s wealth. They wanted all the materialistic comforts money can provide which lead to lies and deceit through

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby deceives everyone around him concerning the legitimacy behind his wealth, claiming that he had become affluent through respectable means. Gatsby’s deception is intended to regain Daisy Buchanan’s love, which he had long-missed ever since before he went to war. However, with this deception, Fitzgerald makes clear the hypocrisy and deceit present in the 1920’s – deceit not only within relationships and interactions but also in the very mantra of the United States, the American dream. Fitzgerald reveals his views with Gatsby’s superfluous luxury, which he prominently displays, whether in the form of lavish parties or a grandiose house. He takes every opportunity to make his wealth known; for example, he often offers a multitude (and often excessive) of favors to Nick, implicitly desperate to make his wealthy reputation spread across the city.

Examples Of Lies In The Great Gatsby

Lies and Deceit Wrapped Up With a Pretty Bow We are often infatuated with pretty things, whether we’re aware of it or not. The shiny new toy or person always manages to capture our attention. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald exposes the truth behind everything that seems to be pretty and perfect. Fitzgerald teaches us this through the protagonist of the story, Jay Gatsby.

Examples Of Deception Of Men In The Great Gatsby

The Deception of Men The way people interact with one another is driven by the perceptions they conjure. The images that are associated with people can be a determining factor in how they are treated in all aspects of life. For example, if one were to project an image of high prosperity and fortune, people would favour them due to their financial stability. Another example could involve an image of confidence and charisma, which would result in attracting others to one’s presence.

Examples Of Dishonest In The Great Gatsby

A Dream, Dishonest "Life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement". This statement, said by James Truslow Adams in 1931, is what is known as the American Dream today. This idea was especially true for those in the 1920s, the time period in which The Great Gatsby takes place. The main character, Jay Gatsby is a prime example of this, as he spends most of the novel working to achieve his American Dream of getting the girl he loves. In this novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the past events in Gatsby’s life shape him into an entirely different person than he once was, and also these events affect the relationships he has with others in his life, especially his loved ones; this

In movies, actors deceive the audience into falling in love or hating their character, and this is how they draw the audience in and invoke emotions from them. In the same way, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the theme of deception to teach the audience about the topic and the importance behind it. Within the early 1900’s many lives are falsely advertised today. Fitzgerald highlights these false claims through multiple events, characters, and settings. The Great Gatsby depicts the distortion of the American dream, fraud reality, and character relationships through the usage of deception to show the true phenomenon of the 1920 era.

Examples Of Hope In The Great Gatsby

At the suite, Fitzgerald shows us Gatsby’s desperate hope for Daisy as he states to Tom, “She never loved you, do you hear?” this dialogue shows us how desperate Gatsby is to take Daisy from Tom. Fitzgerald uses detail to contradict Gatsby’s statement, by having Tom explain intimate moments between Daisy and himself. Gatsby’s hope for Daisy is causing him to damage Daisy’s marriage with Tom, because he is so desperate to take her away, that he eagers her to make a choice. Daisy is unable to admit to Gatsby’s claim, “Oh, you want too much!”

Society is engrossed with lies. We have all been exposed to their manipulative capabilities- whether we are the ones forging the spider-webs of deception and deceit- or we fall victim to the sticky clutches of another. These webs are all spun around us and support the structure and balance of our society. The extent of these entanglements is so broad that cities, economies, and social hierarchies would crumble without them.

Examples Of Disillusionment In The Great Gatsby

Meanwhile, Gatsby is expecting Daisy to leave with him and although she wants to she knows she cannot simply leave her husband Tom. Fitzgerald is trying to show us that falling in love can lead to harsh endings as Gatsby has not gotten over the one he loves after five

The Great Gatsby Foolishness Analysis

In the book, Gatsby is very foolish, his actions are unreasonable and unrealistic. “He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: "I never loved you."” (125) Gatsby had expected Daisy to be the same girl she was five years ago, but the truth is that she isn't. Many things had happened to the both of them and he had set up a foolish expectation that Daisy was willing to leave Tom for him. Gatsby’s foolishness originated with Daisy.

The Role Of Deception In The Great Gatsby

In life, what is perceived tends to show misconception in how thoughts play out. One prime character in the novel is, Jay Gatsby, he was not capable to decide between the love he felt for Daisy and the illusion that he could recapture her love by inventing a false past. Jay believed he could repeat the past. In the novel, Jay Gatsby refuses to establish the differences in the reality of his life and his illusions for his love for Daisy. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s American classic: “The Great Gatsby,” displays how deception effects when one falls in love and when one realizes reality.

Daisy's Lies In The Great Gatsby

Throughout the story Daisy has been lying about who she loved when she knew that she was still in love with “ Great Gatsby” and that showed when daisy read that letter, she was hysterically crying, it showed that she still cared but she didn't want to put herself out there. She could've fooled everyone with her love lies but she sure couldn't fool “ Great Gatsby”. Tom fell for all these lies, makes Daisy and Gatsby deceitful. This novel is full of love, lies and deceit.

Great Gatsby Greed Quotes

The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, is a novel that is known for its focus on the idea of the American Dream. The Great Gatsby has a relatively negative viewpoint, and revolves around the idea that the American Dream is indeed dead. In the 1920s the American Dream was corrupted due to the idea of easy money, and relaxed social values. The pursuit of happiness, was quickly replaced by the desire to strike it big, and get rich. For example, in the novel we are introduced to Gatsby's dream of having Daisy, and being dissatisfied with who he is.

Flaws In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby-Nick Fawcett-Chapter 6 Questions 1. What is revealed about Jay Gatsby aka “James Gatz”? James Gatz is Jay Gatsby’s legal name, and he is originally from North Carolina. He was born to an unsuccessful farm family and didn't accept his parent’s to be family.

The Great Gatsby Compare And Contrast Essay

“And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time” (Fitzgerald 138). These words, spoken by Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel The Great Gatsby, exemplify the personality traits that are omnipresent throughout the novel. Tom is Daisy Buchanan’s husband whom she marries after her first love, Jay Gatsby, leaves for the war.

Compare And Contrast F Scott Fitzgerald And The Great Gatsby

In conclusion, The Great Gatsby is a work of fiction by F. Scott Fitzgerald which includes detailed characters, an exploration of universal themes about money and happiness, and the writings of an author with a very interesting life and influence for his writing. It is still relevant to the modern day because of its commentary on unhappiness in relationships and its powerful storyline about a man searching for joy. F. Scott Fitzgerald, in this masterpiece, successfully created a story to be read and celebrated for a long

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Examples Of Deception In The Great Gatsby Essay

This quote shows just how unhappy Daisy is with her life, and how little self-confidence she has. Daisy saw the life that she was living as a mistake, this mistake was made the day she married Tom. The day of her wedding Daisy received a letter from Jay Gatsby , the man she truly loved and ‘She began to cry- she cried and cried… She wouldn’t let go of the letter’ (Fitzgerald 76). Even before Daisy was married to Tom, she already had regrets about marrying him. She still loved Gatsby, but the pressures from her family to marry someone worthy and rich overbore the idea of her love for Gatsby.

This was exemplified by the situation at the party in New York when Tom breaks Myrtles’ nose for bringing up Daisy’s name, “I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dais-” Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand’ (Fitzgerald 37). In trying to keep his two lives separate, his life with Daisy and his life with Myrtle, Tom is losing his integrity through lies and wrongful actions. To quote The Great Gatsby: The Limits of Wonder ‘This is a world of pretense, held together by vain hopes and a sense of self-worth that depends mainly upon a bigotry that can reduce others to a realm of inferiority’ (Lehan 93).

In saying this, he means to make a point that the life Myrtle and Tom try to live in their affair is a world where people only feel good about themselves when someone else is made to feel inferior. This way of living leads people down a terrible path which causes them grief in the end. The third character seen that surrounds themselves with a great deal of lying in The Great Gatsby is Jordan Baker. When first introduced, Jordan is just a friend of Daisy’s who is a golfer, and little else is known about her. As Nick and Jordan start to form a relationship, it is apparent that Jordan has a problem with lying.

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The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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What quotes from The Great Gatsby show deception, symbolism, or social class?

themes: Social Class

themes: Deception

Symbolism: Valley of Ashes

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Deception and social class are some of the fundamental themes at the heart of what Fitzgerald explores in The Great Gatsby , while symbolism pervades the entire text and is ultimately what enables Fitzgerald to explore these themes so poignantly. One quote that explores social class and deception and is heavy with symbolism occurs in chapter 2 , when Tom and Nick go through the Valley of Ashes:

This is a valley of ashes—a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of ash-gray men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air.

This is a brilliant passage that cuts to the heart of Fitzgerald's portrayal of the working class. Our initial introduction to this new environment uses heavy agricultural imagery , with phrases like "valley," "fantastic farm," and "grow like wheat into ridges and hills and [. . .] gardens." This alludes to the historic portrayal of the working class (often by upper-class authors) as living an ideal bucolic life in touch with nature and unburdened by the frivolous concerns of the upper classes. Yet this pastoral imagery is perverted, for it is not a lush valley but a valley of ashes, and the gardens are not beautiful but "grotesque." In this valley, the "ashes grow like wheat," yet the ashes cannot sustain and nourish the workers but instead fill their lungs and slowly poison them from the inside out.

Fitzgerald takes this imagery further, switching from simile to metaphor as he describes how the buildings and men themselves appear to made out of nothing but ashes, "already crumbly through the powdery air." Here, Fitzgerald highlights how the ashes, symbolic of these people's harsh lives and poverty, color everything grey. The men are not people who have been forced to work in a valley of ashes, they are the ashes themselves and therefore can never hope to escape the cycle of poverty and the burden it presents. In this way, by juxtaposing this passage with Nick and Tom's journey into the city and the fabulously extravagant party that awaits them, Fitzgerald uses the symbolism of the ashes to illustrate how the lives of the upper-class can only be sustained by the suffering of those less fortunate. Through evoking pastoral imagery and thereby alluding to the literary tradition of "lower-class pastoral bliss," Fitzgerald further exposes the deception the upper classes often impose on themselves in order to assuage their consciences regarding this necessary suffering.

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Ullrich, Clemmie. "What quotes from The Great Gatsby show deception, symbolism, or social class?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 4 Feb. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/topics/great-gatsby/questions/what-quotes-from-chapters-great-gatsby-that-show-475761.

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The first three quotes relate to social class, while the last two quotes are about deception.

"I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parceled out unequally at birth."

"When I came back from the East last autumn I felt that I wanted the world to be in uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever; I wanted no more riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart. Only Gatsby , the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction—Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn."

"I told that boy about the ice." Myrtle raised her eyebrows in despair at the shiftlessness of the lower orders. "These people! You have to keep after them all the time." 

"You see," cried Catherine triumphantly. She lowered her voice again. "It's really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic, and they don't believe in divorce." Daisy was not a Catholic, and I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie."

"It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply – I was casually sorry, and then I forgot. It was on that same house party that we had a curious conversation about driving a car. It started because she passed so close to some workmen that our fender flicked a button on one man's coat."

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Beutlich, Jonathan. "What quotes from The Great Gatsby show deception, symbolism, or social class?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 23 Mar. 2015, https://www.enotes.com/topics/great-gatsby/questions/what-quotes-from-chapters-great-gatsby-that-show-475761.

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Examples Of Deception In The Great Gatsby

In today’s world a persons reputation in society means everything, yet at the same things it means absolutely nothing. Looking at Jay Gatsby, the main character from the great American novel The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald. It is understood that deception and the creation of illusion is part of Gatsby’s elaborate plan to return to the life he once had with his sweetheart Daisy Buchannan. Perhaps one of the messages Fitzgerald wished to convey through the literary piece of art; was that the general public oftentimes feel and have come to the conclusion that wealth and power will grant them whatever their hearts desires. Even if those desires were to go back in time to when things were simpler, yet perfect with the love of your life, in

Essay on Lies and Deciet in The Great Gatsby

Lying has deadly effects on both the individual who lies and those around them. This concept is demonstrated in The Great Gatsby. Although Gatsby, Tom and Myrtle have different motives for being deceitful, they all lie in order to fulfill their desires and personal needs. Myrtle’s desire to be wealthy is illustrated when she first meets Tom, dressed in his expensive clothing, as her attitude changes when she puts on the luxurious dress and when she encourages Tom to buy her a dog. Tom’s deception is clear when he hides his affair with Myrtle by placing Myrtle in a different train, withholding the truth from Mr. Wilson of the affair and convincing Myrtle and Catherine that he will one day marry Myrtle. Gatsby tries to convince himself and

Examples Of Illusion And Reality In The Great Gatsby

Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald the theme of The American Dream and Illusion versus Reality are interlinked and are also evident within the novel. This is seen through the protagonist Jay Gatsby, recently changed from James Gatz, who once lived with a poor lifestyle, strived for greatness and luxury in order to achieve The American dream, and is now living in West Egg. This is where people of new wealth go to live their lives. Gatsby’s tale of rags-to-riches can be seen as living The American Dream, however Gatsby always wants one thing in order to complete this desire; Daisy Buchanan. She is first introduced as an innocent and generous woman who is genuine in all the things she says and does. Gatsby was once

Examples Of Reality And Illusion In The Great Gatsby

In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald the concept of a reality is ever changing throughout the story. The ways that the characters treat and act towards each other is a cause of the inability to interpret the differences between reality and illusion. Through the lies, gossip, and empty speech of characters, F. Scott Fitzgerald highlights the way that people treat each other when they do not understand the difference between reality and illusion.

Examples Of Contradictions In The Great Gatsby

that he has achieved has been part of the plan conceived by him to try

Examples Of Hypocrisy In The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald uses The Great Gatsby to criticize society’s modern custom, hypocrisy. In the story, Fitzgerald emphasizes appearances. The Webster dictionary defines the word as, “an impression given by someone or something”. The author discusses how people love to make things appear as something different, something they dream and yearn for. Fitzgerald uses three major characters to describe the main behaviors of hypocrites in society: first we have those, such as Nick Carraway, that claim to have animosity towards the delusions of society, yet they become accomplices of what they despise. Then we have the individuals who are like Tom, who demand that others follow their virtues, even if they don’t follow them themselves. Finally we

Deception In The Great Gatsby

Deception is an act intentionally inflicted upon others in order to, satisfy one's wants and needs. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby deceives others for both his personal gain and love. While Jay Gatsby lives day by day deceiving others, he thinks not much of it. Gatsby sees himself has merely just moving on from the past and onto a new life. However, through his acts of deception he is stirring up a fatal situation. Fitzgerald portrays Jay Gatsby as a man who is wealthy and as some may say “living the life”. Jay Gatsby however, is merely a mask put on by James Gatz, the same man, to live the life he has always desired. Once settled in as Jay Gatsby, he starts to find it difficult to maintain an image expected by others. In this novel, James Gatz lives a false life as Jay Gatsby to satisfy his wants and needs, but has his act of deceiving others comes to an crumble Fitzgerald is able to showcase the struggle and cost of deception.

The Lying Jay Gatsby of The Great Gatsby Essay

     Throughout the novel, Jay Gatsby explains the type of character he is, through his lies. Gatsby acts out to be a man who has it all. The only item missing from Gatsby’s life is love. Love is the only true key to happiness with out it you are lost. Gatsby goes all out to be loved even if it means lying.

Examples Of False Reality In The Great Gatsby

This idea can be shown through two characters throughout the novel, Gatsby and Myrtle. As they are both stuck in a false reality that was created by themselves and moving up in the social classes is the only way to gain happiness. Gatsby is one of the main characters in the novel. But Gatsby has trapped himself in the past where Daisy had ones loved him. Gatsby truly believes that moving up the social classes and gaining wealth will regain Daisy interest in him and will go back to the past where they have once loved each other. “Daisy, that’s all over now,” he said earnestly. “It doesn’t matter anymore just tell him the truth--that you never loved him--and it’s wiped out forever.” she looked at him blindly. “Why--how could I love him--possibly?.” “You never loved him.” She hesitated” (Page 132 Fitzgerald). It appears to Gatsby that Daisy still truly loves him and is under his command. His attempt to get Daisy to say she doesn’t love Tom was weak, as he is stuck in the past where she had ones loved him. But that is not the reality now. Daisy has moved on from the past and does not love Gatsby as much as she use to anymore. She is hesitance to say she doesn't love Tom because they are married and live a happy life. Gatsby to appears as a man of class and wealth, in a way that he can do no harm. It appears to everyone that Gatsby is a honest man and has earned his money the right way after graduating from Oxford University. This is the false reality that Gatsby has created from everyone to see him, like an image. In reality Gatsby is a bootlegger and has done crime to earn his money. “Absolutely real--have pages and everything. I thought they’d be a nice durable cardboard. Matter of fact, they’re absolutely real. Pages and-- Here! Lemme show you.” (Page 45 Fitzgerald). This uncut books tell us what Gatsby’s presents to the world is a facade. He has got everyone believing

Dishonesty in The Great Gatsby Essay

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Lies are a treacherous thing, yet everyone tells a few lies during their lifetime. Deceit surrounds us all the time; even when one reads classic literature. For example, F. Scott Fitzgerald makes dishonesty a major theme in his novel The Great Gatsby. The falsehoods told by the characters in this novel leads to inevitable tragedy when the truth is revealed.

Examples Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby

As a society, America has created certain ideas and stereotypes of each class including the citizens within them. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald focuses around the superficial communities of West and East Egg, and their misconceptions of one another. The citizens of East Egg, such as Daisy and Tom Buchanan, frown upon the up-and-coming men of West Egg. This includes Gatsby, who dreams of the riches they take for granted. Gatsby, who obtains his money through dishonest means appears villainous, unsuccessfully attempting to join the wealthy and elite society of East egg. However, there may be more to Gatsby's story. As Nick, the narrator, says he is “worth the whole damn bunch put together”(154). Through his descriptions and comparison of Tom’s house and Gatsby’s house, Fitzgerald reveals the true nature of the two men. While Gatsby appears to be morally corrupt, in the end he actually has pure intentions, instead it is Tom who emits negativity and is ungrateful for his life.

Examples Of Betrayal In The Great Gatsby

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author uses the actions of Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby to portray that betrayal as an irreversible action one can never truly move past. The theme of betrayal is represented by a broken red heart on the poster. Hearts represent love, and betrayal is represented by the shattered heart. A broken heart is a metaphor of intense emotional pain. The characters in the novel go through a lot of events. They experience love and betrayal, which leaves them in a shocked situation. Moreover, the colour red represents passion, desire, and love, which are the main causes of betrayal. They all experience these unstable emotions. Passion causes Daisy to betray Gatsby. Desire makes Tom betray Daisy. Finally, love is what ends Gatsby’s life. For these reasons, a red broken heart is the main shape of the collage. Furthermore, other than the symbol, the theme is demonstrated through the words and actions of some characters.

Theme Of Deception In The Great Gatsby

The act of deception could be done for many reasons, whether it be for love or personal gain. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby deceives others for both his personal gain and love. While Jay Gatsby lives day by day deceiving others, he thinks not much of it. Fitzgerald portrays Jay Gatsby as a man who is wealthy and as some may say “living the life” however, Jay Gatsby is merely a mask put on by James Gatz, the same man, to live the life he has always wanted. Once known as Jay Gatsby to all, he is living a two sided life and as time goes by he finds it hard to manage. In this novel, Fitzgerald shows the struggles and consequences of deception through Jay Gatsby putting on a mask and living a false life.

Examples Of Lying In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby in my eyes is a very intricate and intriguing piece of work. Throughout the book it keeps the reader on their toes trying to figure out the theme of the book. The answer is many; however, for me it would be lies and deceit. One little lie or act of deceiving leads to another which can turn a person’s world upside down. It leads to more acts of lying and deceiving, which can ruin a person’s or peoples lives.

In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the author uses the actions of Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby to portray betrayal as an irreversible action one can never truly moe past. To represent this theme, a red broken heart is used as the main focal point of the poster. The broken heart is a metaphor that represents the feeling of intense emotional or even physical pain. This metaphor applies to the novel, as the main characters in the great gatsby experience heartbreak. Furthermore, the heart itself represents love, and the cracks in between the heart represents betrayal.

Essay On Lies In The Great Gatsby

We are all taught at a young age that lying is bad and we should always tell the truth, the truth shall set you free. Certainly characters from the movie Chicago directed by Rob Marshall and the book The Great Gatsby by: F. Scott Fitzgerald had a lot of trouble with the truth. They did not seem to stop lying in particular the female characters. They lie for their own benefit, but also lie because of their fear what society will think of them as a result of their sins.

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The Great Gatsby Deception Essay

Show More In the award winning novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald draws us to each chapter with agony and deception of achieving the American dream. While the American Dream can be achieved by anyone, that doesn 't mean that it will be free of lies, rumors, and corruption. Gatsby, who is the main character, has unknowingly achieved the American Dream. Gatsby was born into poverty which led him to this “dream”; Gatsby fell in love with Daisy Buchanan who loved him as well, but because of his social and wealth status could not be with him emotionally or physically. Gatsby went into war trusting that Daisy would be waiting for him, but soon finding out that she had moved on. Moved on to a wealthier man, a man who could buy her things, take care of her …show more content… Mr. Jay Gatsby is not even Mr. Jay Gatsby, his real name is James Gatz. In chapter seven agony begins to pour after Mrs. Wilson was struck by Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby is seen waiting by the fence of the Buchanan’s house and as Nick goes to pull out he stops and asks Gatsby what he is doing and with a simple rely Gatsby says, “ I’m just going to wait here and see if he tries to bother her about that unpleasantness this afternoon.”(pg.145.) This is a very ironic situation. If Gatsby is so worried about what could happen to Daisy then he should have thought of these possibilities before he tried to achieve this dream, before going off on Tom about Daisy being in love with him. Gatsby is quite selfish in this book, by not thinking of others and not planning out what could or couldn’t go wrong in this plan to win his love back. Gatsby also lacks common sense majorly especially in this chapter by letting Daisy drive while she was having a mental breakdown and obviously distraught. But Gatsby’s mind was elsewhere. His mind was in the long day-dreaming mode that played Daisy and him being together and she leaving Tom. Of course that is why he has been decorating his house in her favorite color, showing off his expensive items, and giving her exactly what she wants. By doing those things he strongly believes that he will gain her love back …show more content… Gatsby does not get close to people during his parties, he does not become over the top friendly toward others, and he is hiding the truth from people who he cares for; Daisy. When around certain people Gatsby puts an act on for the particular person. Like when he is with Daisy he is more caring, selfless, and is gentler. While with Tom he is less gentle and caring, he is confident and acts in an “I’m better than you” attitude, and more aggressive like in some parts. But when he is with Nick he is a mix of confident and kind, treating nick more like he would Daisy. Although he is kind to Nick and Daisy he still does not tell them the truth they rightfully deserve. Gatsby does not understand the concept of honestly in friendship. It is possible that everyone wears a mask; dark or light. But not all have to wear the mask to gain friendship and love form a significant other. “We wear the mask that grins and lies, it hides our cheeks and hides our eyes, - and with torn and bleeding hearts we smile, beneath our feet, and long the mile; but let the world dream otherwise.” (Source L). This poem is a well put demonstration of how Gatsby is acting in the book. Not only is he putting a mask on for the dream, but he is not even doing it the right way. If one shall wear a hiding mask than they must be hiding dark secrets of the past, or holding something deep inside. Not lying because of love, because of

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Guest Essay

Gettysburg’s Lost Cause Problem

By Simon Barnicle

Mr. Barnicle is a lawyer and an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. He last visited Gettysburg National Military Park in April.

Amid a sea of stone plaques and obelisks at Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania sits a modest monument to the First Minnesota Infantry Regiment. Inscribed on its side is one of the most astonishing accounts of heroism in American history.

The inscription recalls how on July 2, 1863, the badly outnumbered men of the First Minnesota charged headlong into an overwhelming Confederate advance. Most were killed or wounded in the ensuing clash, but their sacrifice bought Union troops enough time to reinforce a precarious position and ultimately secure a decisive victory. With the war hanging in the balance and Washington, Philadelphia and New York essentially undefended, it is no exaggeration to surmise that the Union itself was saved by those men in a few minutes.

For these reasons and more, Gettysburg is hallowed ground — a powerful tribute to the democratic experiment and those who died to preserve it. Yet the site and the surrounding area are littered with Confederate propaganda.

Along the same road as the monument to the First Minnesota lie similar tributes to Confederate regiments, some adorned by visitors with flowers and fresh-out-of-the-wrapper Confederate flags. Each implicitly gives permission to tourists to revere with equal measure those who fought for the United States and those who committed treason against it. Taken together, they are emblematic of the pervasive problem of both-sides-ism at the park and in Civil War education more broadly.

The National Park Service’s curatorial choices are not the root cause of America’s continued tolerance of Confederate imagery. But the sanitized version of history presented at Gettysburg contributes to it by focusing almost entirely on battlefield details while neglecting essential historical context.

It is not enough to teach visitors what happened at Gettysburg. They need to know what the battle meant — and what it still means.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Desire — Green Symbolism in The Great Gatsby: A Reflection of Desire and Deception

Green Symbolism in The Great Gatsby: a Reflection of Desire and Deception

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Published: Jun 13, 2024

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