LUKE+reading+journal(new+york)

Gatsby achieved the American dream but failed his own dream
== There are many epithets called for American in nineteen twenty, like the “roaring age” or the “jazz age”. In that time, young boys and girls were full of confidence to pursuing their 'American dream'. The Great Gatsby by F.Scoos is an elegy of this famous time. It reveals American upper class luxury and corrupt life specifically it shows people’s selfish, money worshiping. In the novel, the protagonist, Gatsby dreams of becoming as great as God. Unfortunately, people prefer to worship money rather than believe God in that society, so he died on the cross alone. His dream was destroyed by these three things: Gatsby 'sublime dream is too illusory to achieve, and his Platonic conception mind is destined to lead him to death, people were degenerate in that time. This novel also has described a Bible world to relect that evil time. Gatsby is Jesus who pursues a holy kind of dream, Daisy is Judas who betrays Gatsby for money, and Tom is Satan who instigates Wilson to kill Gatsby. It replect what cause Gatsby’s tragedy. Gatsby's holy spirit against that tme, because he has paid his wealth and life to pursue his dream, and most people sell their soul and moral to get money. == == Gatsby has ever gotten very close to his 'American dream’, but his own dream is too illusory to achieve. First of all, Gatsby has almost achieved his American dream. He was born in an American low class family which was poor and had no social position. When he was just seventeen years old, he dreamed of becoming an extraordinary person. To reach his target, he was very strict with himself.” // GENERAL RESOLVES No wasting time at Shifters” ( Fitzgerald, p164). His work schedule // shows he was a ambitious boy who was also good at organization and independent work. He arranges his time as well as he could learn as much as possible. Meanwhile, he does not even leave sometime to play or relax. Especially, he was not only hardworking and study some skills, but also tried to improve his mind by learnt many excellent moral quality, like plain and filial piety. Such a little boy has a clear goal; it is easy to find he has a big ambition. Secondly, he started without absolutely anything, but after he has paid a lot of efforts, he enters the upper class from the low class successfully. " with a tower on one side, spank-ing new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden” （ P.11 ） . He becomes a real rich gentleman from a country boy. Now, he lives in a big elite housing which made by superior quality marble. He has a huge beautiful lawn, and there is a special worker trims his lawn everyday. He also has many courtesy servants. But, his should not . Daisy is not worth for Gatsby to pursued, because she is not lovely and innocent girl as he imagine. Daisy has become a money worshiping women. "They are such beautiful shirts, she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds"(89). This shows Daisy just focused on luxurious and rare things. She does not care what kind of people Gatsby are, she just care if Gatsby has become rich. As proof, when she first enters Gatsby's house, she keeps her eyes on his beautiful house and beautiful clothes. She does not want to konw about how he was living these years. Even, she does not get konw how he makes money. But Gatsby's thinking is too idealized, he believes he could make Daisy come back five years ago, but obviously it is impossible. To conclude, he can change his life by hardworking, but he can not change others mind. Accordingly, his platonic dream destined broken, Daisy will betray him for money. == == Gatsby could never achieve his dream, because his platonic conception mind is destined to lead him to death. Gatsby is a crazy platonic person because he firmly believes he can be the son of God when he was just seventeen years old. "He was a son of god....he must be about His father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious"(95). This clearly shows he would contribute everything to pursue a kind of true beauty like his father Jesus. When he falls in love with daisy, he put this beauty together with Daisy. Meanwhile, Daisy becomes a faith in his heart. He has tried his best to earn money even through illegal way. And, he holds happy party, but he just stand lonely and apathy watch if Daisy comes. And he does not mention Daisy is not present the beauty what he pursue. Secondly, Gatsby ignore Daisy has changed as time pass by and he magnify his ability. He is a romanticist who thinks love is the only meaning of life, thus time is not a problem for him.”Can’t repeat the past? ......why of course you can!" This shows Gatsby hold on to their love as a forever goal which has already surpassed time borderline. Hence, He managed to earn money, buy the elite housing, and hold party..... He sank into walk forward to his dream step by step. He thinks he is god, it makes them must be loyalty, and eternity. But this just exist in his mind, once he wakes up, he will find there is one man pursue ‘love dream’, Daisy has quit five years ago. Thirdly, Gatsby’s dream is based on that Daisy only love him, but Daisy leave Gatsby’s love at five years ago. There are two important time word, the one is simultaneity, and the other one is meanwhile. When this two time crashed, it makes ‘five years’ up. For Gatsby, the time words are simultaneity, because he keep pursuing dream in theses five years. It is a hardworking process for Gatsby. He becomes rich from poor and his life sense is connecting with five years ago. On the contrary, the time is meanwhile. I did love him once- but I loved you too” (126). It means she loved him five years ago, but she loved other man in these five years. This shows her life is a different part with five years ago. She has ever cut Gatsby’s love; this is the most things that Gatsby cannot stand. It shows his ‘hard five years’ is one self’s love, all of his dream lose foundation. To conclude, he sank into in his platonic mind, once he realize it is not true, his life will collapse. == == The writer through compare charactor with Bible to show rich people's selfishness and evil. Daisy and Tom play a evil role in the bible who is the real murderer to Gatsby the son of god. The lunch they eat together before the car accident is the last dinner. Daisy plays the role of Judas who betrays Gatsby for money and destroyed Gatsby in metal way. During the lunch, she shows she has a affair with Gatsby deliberately which light Tom's angry. In the hotel, when a serious agreement burst out between Tom and Gatsby, Daisy first helps Gatsby argue with Tom to makes Gatsby still trust her. But when their fighting rose into climax, she said "Even alone I can't say I never loved Tom. Her words instantly destroyed all of Gatsby's dream and belief. She is a normal upper class lord lady who regards enjoyment as the main part in the life; she could not love one poor man for long time. Specifically, she did not keep the word for Gatsby, because she surrenders to money. She cannot sacrifice her benefit to help Gatsby achieved his illusory dream. Thus, after the accident, she gives crime to Gatsby and run away with Tom. Even she does not have a little guilty for his death. Tom is Satan who destroyed Gatsby in physical way. Tom looks like a devil who is a hulking and rude athletic man. He first enticed Daisy marry him by use money. During the honeymoon, he knocks about with other girl. Moreover, he promises Wilson a business, but he just wants play with her wife. After the car accident, he instigate Wilson killed Gatsby. For one thing, he interested on the book which talk about white people should resist colour people. "I've made a small investigation of this fellow"(116) shows He regard Gatsby as a stranger. He can feel menaced from Gatsby, and he know Gatsby will do something effect his autocratic. Hence, He does his utmost to keep Gatsby away. For example he investigates Gatsby and always accused him have done many illegal business or jeers Gatsby is a bumpkin. It is same as Jewish sacrifice accused Jesus for absurd reason. To conclude, Daisy and Tom are exactly 'jackals of the same lair', they represent American decadent upper class that has no moral and irresponsibility. They join hands to sent god Gatsby to the guillotine. == == The "Jazz age" is corrupt time, Daisy and Tom and Mrwilson can represent the most of American people who abandoned their religon and spirit and dream. Some of them born in rich family, they spent money like water, especially they indulged in sexuality and alcohol. They are skilled in dally with people and walked away left a mess. Some of them born in poor family, they sell body or do illegal business. After they become rich, they would do same thing as rich people. But, Gatsby is absolutely different because he had used money to achieve his great dream. Even though he had done some illegal business or lies people, but he has a clean and honest heart. He is a Everyone must have done some illegal things or lie to people. But if you do sunch things for a right goal, you can do it. Some times we must give up some thing to gain other things. It is important that you should think about if it is not worth to do it. ==