The Great Gatsby: Unrequited Love, Appearance vs. Reality, and Death

This essay delves into the themes of unrequited love, appearance versus reality, and the meaning of Gatsby's death in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby.' The essay analyzes Gatsby's obsession with Daisy, exploring whether his love was genuine or based on an idealized image. It examines the unfulfilled love of characters like Tom and Myrtle, and how the narrative illustrates love's destructive potential. The essay also discusses the theme of appearance versus reality, particularly in how Daisy's character embodies this concept. Through examples from the novel and references to Zhavia Ward's 'Candlelight,' the essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the complexities of love and its consequences in the novel. The essay concludes by examining the significance of Gatsby's death within the context of the themes explored.

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Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
English Culminating
For this discussion, I chose the lyrics to Candle Light by Zhavia Ward. In this particular
song, Zhavia languishes in despair while holding on a long-gone love. Zhavia still holds on lost
love. She still lets his/ her memories light deep within her like a candle and does not want to lose
them. I chose this lyric since it is relative to many of the people across the world who are
suffering in despair for the lost love. Besides, the lyrics related to the theme of love portrayed in
the novel the “Great Gatsby.” In these particular reading, the main character, Gatsby, suffers the
entire of his life fighting for the love of a girl. Furthermore, the feeling of Gatsby towards Daisy
is unhealthy since it is a clear case of unrequited love. More so, the idea of winning her back was
the obsession that dominated his entire life but did not offer enough satisfaction when he finally
gets her.
Questions
1. Was Gatsby in love with Daisy or obsessed with the idea of who he thought she was?
2. From the concept of Love, Does Tom have an unrequited love for Daisy? Is there a
chance that he will leave her for Myrtle? Please explain basing your reference on the
book.
3. The theme of thwarted love is clearly explained in the narrative. Please elaborate on how
Daisy brings out the theme of appearance versus reality?

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4. The narrative has emphasized on the theme of love. Why Myrtle married George without
having a love for him?
5. Using examples from the novel “The Great Gatsby” show that love can be both beautiful
and destructive. What is the meaning of Gatsby death?

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Works Cited
Ward, Zhavia. “Zhavia Ward – Candlelight.” Genius, 27 July 2018, genius.com/Zhavia-ward-
candlelight-lyrics.