The Idea in F. Scott Fitzgerald`s “The Great Gatsby” that Illusion Leads Inevitably to Disaster. In the novel “The Great Gatsby” Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates a few ideas of false reality. They include an illusion of love and the American Dream. These two illusions contributed to the tragic final of one of the main characters. Perhaps the idea that illusion leads inevitably to disaster is the essential one and reflects the main idea of the whole novel. The author develops this idea through the main character Jay Gatsby and partly through the setting and time.
The novel takes place in the 1920s. During this period the idea of the American Dream was introduced. The concept of which was “from rugs to riches”. Though “The American Dream” can be thought of as a positive motivation, it often causes people to strive for material perfection, rather than a spiritual one. So this materialistic attitude leads many to hopeless depression and never constitutes happiness. Jay Gatsby is a great example of this great illusion. His aim is to reach a high position in the society.
Moreover he made his best to do it, he is a rich man, he has got a luxury mansion, cars. But whether he is happy? All his activity is dedicated to Daisy, his old flame. He wants to get her attention. He works his entire life to win this woman, to achieve this unrealistic dream of his. But Gatsby is much more in love with the idea of Daisy, not the reality of who she is. “Afterwards he kept looking at the child with surprise. I don`t think he had ever really believed in its existence before”. So Daisy`s daughter wasn`t a part of this bright picture of ideal Daisy.
This fact brings him forward to reality. But Gatsby isn`t ready to face it. He lives in the world of his dreams and illusions. Eventually Jay Gatsby ends up with the early death. In the scene of his funerals we can see clearly the real disaster of his life, when no one came to his grave. “Why, my God! They used to go there by the hundreds. The poor son-of-a-bitch. ” Thus all his illusions led to a great disaster, as his life ended up so suddenly and stupid. He didn`t reach any happiness in his life and all his actions seems to be useless.
