A Jealous Mr. Gatsby
If we look back into Gatsby's life and all the chooses he has made we can see that they are all bases on jealousy and envy. Parul Sehgal explains that jealousy in its most basic form is a hunt for knowledge. Gatsby is so jealous, so in need of the knowledge of what being rich is like that he forms this character, this Great Gatsby. Parul Sehgal explains that when we are jealous we form story about our self's and about other people's lives. Gatsby whole life in West Egg is based on the person he was jealous of when he was poor. Even when he has reached this rich status he still wants more the envy of Tom is eating him away. He desperately wants Daisy and to be a part of old money. Tom Buchanan is in possession of all the things he wants the things he think he needs. His jealous fuels him and in a way it fuels us all jealousy pushes us to be better than the other guy, better than Tom Buchanan. Gatsby throws these parties and buy these expensive cars to prove to himself and daisy (unsuccessfully) that he is better than Tom and that he deserves daisy more.
Sehgal further explains that jealousy is the only emotion that cracks us open and shows us our true colors and no where is that more evident than in Gatsby's case. The reader never really gets to see the full uncover Gatsby until he reveals his jealousy. When Gatsby explodes in chapter seven, demanding daisy proclaim her love for him and only him the reader is shown just how angry Gatsby is. His jealousy shows us who he really is. His jealousy in the end could be cause of his death. In his quest to be better than Tom he takes the blame for the murder of Myrtle by Daisy in hope he can win Daisy. His green envy kills his green light, his dream. |
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