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Examples Of Archetypes In The Great Gatsby

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Archetypes are used to represent certain people and things, symbolizing the universal patterns of human nature, and it usually recurs throughout pieces of literature. When archetypes are presented to the reader, it makes them digest the work, which makes them think outside of the box. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he utilizes situational archetypes and symbolic archetypes to portray the theme of money cannot buy happiness.
F. Scott Fitzgerald includes the series of trials of Gatsby’s journey: Searching for hope and his love for Daisy. Fitzgerald incorporates, “When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness” (Fitzgerald 26). Gatsby was always away trying to discover his love he once had for Daisy, because he had a craving for it. When people are away from the one they love, it makes them go crazy, because they are addicted to the deep compassion. Duffy includes, …“the archetypal hero’s journey— instilling hope, imparting meaning in the present pain/suffering…” (Duffy). Gatsby has loads of money, and Daisy does not seem to care. He goes through so much stress, anger, and suffering to try to win the love of Daisy he once had, and Daisy does not seem to notice. DeSalvatore notes, “There were times when we did not know which way to go and came across obstacles that would prevent us from reaching our goals, but in the end we realized that we had the power all along to get to where we wanted to go” (DeSalvatore).

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