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Love In The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby: Invalid Love In All of Us There is a certain confounding bias or misconception in relationships as they, with closer analysis, usually lead to the idea that even honest characters act disingenuously towards their partners. But before one delves deep into philosophical thought on such vast topics of love and genuineness, it must first be defined. Genuine is defined from a simpld dictionary search as “truly what something is said to be; authentic” or “sincere” in emotions, while love is defined as a person’s “feel [for] a deep romantic or sexual attachment.” Additionally, from a religious standpoint, “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not …show more content…

Specifically, Gatsby, a generally loving character, would appear to be embody genuine love through his persistent efforts to win Daisy back. For example, Gatsby had bought a huge house in West Egg just to be closer to Daisy and also threw parties every weekend, inviting everyone, in hopes that Daisy would come and notice him. However, Gatsby’s fixation on him and Daisy’s past is what drives him to love. Gatsby’s lack to accept Daisy for what she is in the present is what deviates his commonly perceived efforts as disingenuous. For example, in efforts of taking Daisy away from Tom, Gatsby insists that Daisy “tell[s] him the truth- that [she] never loved [Tom].” (132) Gatsby, disillusioned by the fact that his past lover has vanished, wants to rewind time and reverse the love she has been through. Consequently, Gatsby fails to see that even now when Daisy has admitted that she loves him more, he is bothered and obsessed by the fact that she has loved someone else. In a religious perspective, these feelings of envy oppose the standard for what qualities true love should uphold. Furthermore, Gatsby’s obsession of the past is made more prevalent when Nick states to Gatsby that “[he] can’t repeat the past” (110) and Gatsby rebuts with, “‘Can’t repeat the past?...‘Why of course you can!’”(110). Gatsby’s powerful response reinforces his mania of turning back time living a manipulated reality. His love for what is real is evidently not present as he attempts to change Daisy into someone whom he might have genuinely loved. Moreover, Gatsby fashions an unrealistic image for Daisy as he assumes most of Daisy’s other loves were “trouble,” regarding them as “get[ting] foolish ideas” (131). With this in mind, it is implied that Gatsby views all of her valid actions as foolish because of his entitled past superiority over all other loves.

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