The quote "material without being
real" shows the
emptiness of an
existence with the realization of a
tainted
ideal. Fittingly, this quote from Nick
is placed
after Daisy
leaves Gatsby. Nick is imagining what
Gatsby
would be thinking
if he had understood that the goal,
winning Daisy and
her materialistic insubstantiality, was
unworthy of his
effort. Fitzgerald does not specifically
state if Gatsby
is or is not waiting for the phone call
from Daisy. If Gatsby has realized that Daisy will not
call, then he has
undergone the self-recognition of the
tragic hero. If he is waiting for the phone call, then he
is still holding
on to his idealized goal. While this
shows that he is
holding onto the part of his life:
that which marked
his personality as more substantial
Daisy's
personality, it also illustrates the futility of
reaching for a
corrupted goal.
Many Americans today may lack the
motivation of Jay
Gatsby in the
quest for his "pure" dream.
Their existence
is strictly
materialistic. Such individuals view the
purpose of
education not as serving to perfect of one's
intellect, but to
secure a job. Every day they perform
the same dull and
tedious routine, their only goal being
the receipt of a
paycheck which they will redeem
ultimately for
social status. Some do have dreams, and
to
their life is
added new meaning through the reaching for a
goal. It is this reaching, the gaining of enjoyable
and
constructive
experience, which gives purpose to their work
that diminishes
the monotony of their daily existence.
Whereas the
straight materialists will eventually spend
their
"dream," the experience that a "reacher" gains
cannot be taken
away.
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