The Great Gatsby Reality Essay

Words: 786
Pages: 4

“I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it.” Garrison Keillor, the American author, storyteller, humorist, radio actor, voice actor, and radio personality, who Fitzgerald heavily agreed with throughout the novel, expressing that reality is not something that he would not pursue. Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby, two characters in denial of reality, manifest this truth. Throughout the novel, these characters make choices that prove this quote to be true and ultimately show their true feelings. Through Myrtle Wilson’s and Jay Gatsby's actions, Fitzgerald agrees that these characters deny reality.
Despite characteristics that would make Myrtle seem normal, she has no sense of reality because she goes out of her way to get what
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Through all these years, Gatsby has dreamed about Daisy eventually being his wife, but in time, we see that this will most likely never happen. Gatsby’s thoughts were so concerned about Daisy to the point where, “he would never so much as look at a friend’s wife”, for her (Fitzgerald 120). Gatsby was so dedicated to Daisy that talk, or even looking, at another girl was considered “cheating” in his mind. He continued to think this for 5 whole years straight, forcing his mind to think solely on Daisy. Although Gatsby made it seem like he very much knew Daisy, Nick explains, “He had waited five years [...] so that he could ‘come over’ some afternoon to a stranger’s garden” (Fitzgerald 78). In reality, Gatsby was just dreaming about a stranger. Yes, he briefly knew Daisy, but he spent all of 5 years to simply have tea with an acquaintance in hopes of rekindling feelings and getting married. Gatsby started to realize that Daisy would no longer be an option when “the long secret extravaganza was played out” (Fitzgerald 148). After five long years of putting this amazing fairytale story together, Gatsby starts to see the dream shatter before his eyes. He finally sees that he over dreamt his dream, to the point where he expected much more from Daisy. He finally saw the lingering saga play