Journal Entry #4: Notes on Resilience

When I think of resilience in "The Great Gatsby", the character who immediately comes to mind is Gatsby himself. He worked tirelessly to rise from humble beginnings to become one of the wealthiest individuals on Long Island. When Gatsby finally opens up to Nick about his life five years earlier, Nick recalls his story: “However glorious might be his future as Jay Gatsby, he was at present a penniless young man without a past” (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, pg156). Five years ago, James Gatz literally had nothing but the clothes on his back. Yet, after returning from the war, he remained determined to succeed and reclaim Daisy, showcasing his remarkable resilience.

Another character who embodies resilience in "The Great Gatsby" is Nick Carraway. Despite many people’s reluctance to attend, Nick is committed to ensuring Gatsby gets the funeral he deserves. His perseverance is evident when he makes numerous phone calls trying to reach Meyer Wolfshiem, a longtime friend of Gatsby, in an attempt to get him to the funeral. Nick describes his feelings about the situation, saying, “I began to have a feeling of defiance, of scornful solidarity between Gatsby and me against them all."(Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby. pg176). This demonstrates Nick's resilience and his determination to honor his friend to the best of his ability.

"The Great Gatsby" revolves around the pursuit of the American Dream; a dream that Gatsby himself spent his entire life chasing, but never fully attained, despite his immense wealth. Achieving the American Dream requires resilience, as it is much harder to attain the same status and wealth if you are not born into an elite family. However, Fitzgerald also portrays resilience in a negative light, particularly when it is tied to money and privilege.

In a sense, Daisy and Tom Buchanan could be seen as resilient, as their lives remain largely unaffected by Gatsby’s affair with Daisy or by the fact that Daisy was responsible for Myrtle’s death. Despite Gatsby’s death and the secrets hanging over them, they simply move away without hesitation, continuing their lives as if nothing had happened. If resilience is defined as continuing to live despite challenges and adversity, then Daisy and Tom could be considered resilient in their own way.

I believe that Fitzgerald uses "The Great Gatsby" to illustrate how the opportunities and options available to individuals influence their resilience and how easily they display it. For Daisy and Tom, resilience seems almost effortless; they face difficulties but swiftly move on, not even bothering to say goodbye.

On the other hand, George Wilson, a poor man from the Valley of Ashes, is unable to cope when his wife Myrtle is killed in a car accident. With limited opportunities and little hope for a better future, George finds it nearly impossible to be resilient. After struggling for so long without success, the overwhelming despair leads him to take his own life after killing Gatsby. His inability to find resilience reflects his lack of options and hope for a brighter future.
\




Sources:
The Book: https://www.planetebook.com/free-ebooks/the-great-gatsby.pdf
Images: Google.ca (Searched each of the character(S) individually)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Journal Entry #2: Character Development in Three Parts

Image
Character Development: Chapters 1-3: In Chapter 1, I’m introduced to Nick Carraway, a 30-year-old man who moves east to start a career in the bond business. We learn that he comes from a wealthy family that made their fortune by sending substitutes to fight in the Civil War, allowing them to start a successful wholesale hardware business that has flourished for years. We’re also introduced to Daisy and Tom Buchanan. Daisy, Nick’s second cousin, and Tom, her husband, were both familiar to Nick from his time in college. Tom was a standout football player at New Haven and is known as one of the best athletes of his time. As a result, he’s become a wealthy man, and he and Daisy live in a beautiful mansion in East Egg overlooking the lake. When we first meet Tom, he’s described as “a sturdy straw-haired man of thirty, with a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner” (Fitzgerald, pg11). His sense of superiority is evident when he takes Nick on a tour of his house, almost pushing him from ...
Read more

Journal Entry #3: Biographical and Historical Context

Image
The Author's Life: F. Scott Fitzgerald, was born in September of 1896, in S aint Paul, Minnesota , and was a distinguished American novelist best known for his vivid portrayal of the Jazz Age and his examination of the American Dream. His life was shaped by both personal and professional struggles. Coming from a humble background, Fitzgerald attended Princeton University and rose to fame with his debut novel, "This Side of Paradise". However, it was "The Great Gatsby" that firmly established him as a key figure in American literature. Fitzgerald’s personal experiences, especially his turbulent marriage to Zelda Sayre, who faced mental health challenges, deeply influenced his writing. Their relationship was marked by instability, emotional struggles, and alcoholism. These personal hardships shaped Fitzgerald’s interpretation of the American Dream, a theme central to *The Great Gatsby*. His characters, particularly Gatsby and Nick Carraway, reflect his own struggl...
Read more

Journal Entry #1: A Reflection on Why I Chose My Novel

I picked "The Great Gatsby" for a few key reasons that really spoke to me. One of the biggest draws was my ongoing curiosity about the American Dream, especially how it's tackled in literature. Fitzgerald’s take on this idea stands out because he doesn't just glorify it; he pulls back the curtain to show its glittering allure and the emptiness that often follows the relentless chase for wealth and status. The novel captures the Jazz Age with its extravagance and excess, but at the same time, it lays bare the hollowness that can come with the pursuit of material success. While I’d heard that "The Great Gatsby" critiques the American Dream, I wanted to experience this commentary and see how it played out in the narrative. Another reason I was drawn to the book is the complexity of its characters. Each one represents different aspects of human nature, which piqued my interest. Gatsby’s obsessive ambition, Daisy’s longing for a time that’s gone, and Nick’s shift...
Read more