What Is Love The Great Gatsby
The great depression, bootleggers, Jazz, flappers and changing lifestyles are all part of the roaring 20’s. A time when women redefined themselves and music grew to an all time high. This revolutionary and dynamic decade is the setting for The Great Gatsby and “Winter Dreams” both by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Set in New York, The Great Gatsby is the story of James Gatz, a newly rich man who tries to regain the love of his past girlfriend, Daisy, who is already married.
The story “Winter Dreams”, set in Minnesota, is the story of Dexter, a boy who falls in love with an even younger girl, Judy Jones, who falls back into love with Dexter despite the constant attention of her previous husband , who seeks her love explains their complicated love lives. In both, works The Great Gatsby and “Winter Dreams” Fitzgerald discusses the theme of unrequited love, in which two men spend their entire lives and effort to win over a woman’s heart even though their loves goes unreturned Winter Dreams” shows the theme of unrequited love. To establish this theme, the reader finds out that “his heart turned over like the fly wheel of the boat, and, for the second time, her casual whim gave a new direction to his life”(Fitzgerald). This shows us that Dexter’s heart is totally enveloped in Judy and he is madly in love with her. It also shows that, even the slightest sound sends him over the edge. A man doing anything for a girl is also clear in The Great Gatsby. Furthermore ,The theme of unrequited love is shown in The Great Gatsby.
To help demonstrate this theme, the reader finds out that “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay”(Fitzgerald, 83). This shows that Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy and will do anything to be near her. Finally, it indicates that Gatsby will do anything to keep an eye on her, even if it means moving or buying a house near her. In both the novel and the short story, men almost go crazy to possess the girl of their dreams, but both are tragically denied this opportunity only after they have spent all their time and effort pursuing unrequited love.
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is murdered for something that Daisy does, and in “Winter Dreams” Dexter must realize that he will never be able to have his love and that it is best for both of them to give up. in that day, women where considered coquette today, we call them flirts. Women should not have been taking advantage of the men by walking all over the men but men should not have fallen for their selfish ways. So much for the American dream of true love.
