Wiechmann 1

Abstract

TheGreatGatsbyandIcarus:ExplainingtheParallelsandProblemsofanEntropicUniverse ThisthesisexaminestheuniquerelationshipbetweenF.ScottFitzgerald’s

twentieth-centuryTheGreatGatsbywiththepoetOvid’sfirst-century“TheStoryofIcarus

andDaedalus.”Thetwoaccountsparalleleachotherintheirplots,characters,and,most

significantly,themes.Isolation,adramaticrise,illegitimatemeansofascension,anda

drasticfallareallfoundinbothstories,asistheideaofentropy.Entropyistheprinciple

thateverythinghasatendencytowarddecay,somethingthatisstillevidenteventoday.

ThisthesisthenexaminesbothaccountsinlightofAristotle’smodelfortragedyandthe

tragicheroasfoundinThePoetics.Thisstudythenservestoteachallreadersaboutthe

literarymeritofGatsbyasatragedy,andultimately,theintendedmessageofbothOvid’s

mythandFitzgerald’snovelaboutsurvivinginaworldcharacterizedbyentropy,messages

thatareequallyrelevanttoourworldtoday.

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TableofContents

Chapter PageI.LiteratureReview.............................................................3II.TheGreatGatsbyandIcarus:ExplainingtheParallelsandProblemsofanEntropicUniverse.................................................................................22WorksCited....................................................................41

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LiteratureReview

In“TheEyesofDr.Eckleburg:ARe-examinationof‘TheGreatGatsby’”,authorTom

BurnamdiscusseswhatpotentiallyislackingfromF.ScottFitzgerald’sgreatestwork.Both

literarycriticsandFitzgeraldhimselfadmittedtomisgivingsaboutthisnovel,feelingthatit

waslackinginsomeway,althoughnodefiniteconclusionwaseverreachedaboutwhat

exactlywasmissingfromthisnarrative.Burnamexploresandaddressesthesuggested

deficienciesofthiswork,butintheend,refutesthesenotionsandclaimsthatthegreatest

faultoftheworkisinitsmultiplicityofmeanings,thatthereis,infact,toomuch.

Atthebeginningofhisarticle,Burnamassertsthatthereismuch“moreinTheGreat

Gatsbythanaprotagonist,aplot,andagreenlight”(7).Hefocusesonthesymbolism

outsideoftheovertthemeofthenovel.Inparticular,heexaminesthepotentialoftheever-

staringeyesofDr.T.J.Eckleburg(asseenintheoptometrist’sadvertisement)andthe

strangenessoftheconversationbetweenNickCarrawayandJordanBakerabouther

inabilitytodriveanautomobile,whenultimatelyitisDaisy,accompaniedbyGatsby,who

runsdownMyrtleWilson.Burnamgoesasfarasstatingthatthe“overtthemeofTheGreat

Gatsbyhaslittletodo…withthenovel’suseofsymbol”(8)andthatthesubdominantmotif,

inmanywaysoverpowerstheintendedthemeofthework.Withthisbeingthecase,

BurnamstatesthatitisthenimpliedthatFitzgeraldcouldnothavebeenentirelyawareof

whathewasdoingashecraftedthenovel.

AccordingtoBurnam,thisimplicationcriticizingFitzgeraldisalsosupportedbythe

voiceofthenarrator.Itisnearlyimpossibleforareadertobelievethatoneassimpleas

NickCarraway,ayoungbondsalesman,couldhavearticulatedthemagnificentprosethat

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characterizesthework.Instead,thereaderseesFitzgeraldclearlyseepingthroughvarious

passages,particularlythoseinthethirdchapter,describingGatsby’sparty.

ThusthenovelmayverywellinvolvenotmerelythethemewhichNickpresents

inhisowncharacter,butalsoanotherwhichmaybecalled,forlackofabetter

name,the‘Fitzgeraldtheme.’Anditistowardthelatter,Ibelieve,thatalmostall

thesymbolisminTheGreatGatsbyisdirected.(Burnam8)

Itisthisdualityofthemes,accordingtoBurnam,thatisthegreatestshortcomingofthe

novel,althoughFitzgeraldhimselfneverrecognizedthisparticularfault.

However,Fitzgeralddidfindseveralotherweaknessesinhisgreatestwork.Burnam

citesseveralofFitzgerald’sletters,whereheadmitsthatitlackedsomething,although

Fitzgeraldcouldnotconsistentlydefinewhatitwas.Inalettertofellowwriter,JohnPeale

Bishop,FitzgeralddescribedTheGreatGatsbyas“blurredandpatchy”andsaid“Ineverat

anyonetimesawhimclearmyself—forhestartedoutasonemanIknewandthen

changedintomyself”(qtd.inBurnam9).Inadifferentletter,thatsameyear,Fitzgerald

admittedtoEdmundWilsonthathisworstfaultwasthathe“gavenoaccount(andhadno

feelingaboutorknowledgeof)theemotionalrelationsbetweenGatsbyandDaisyfromthe

timeoftheirreuniontothecatastrophe”(qtd.inBurnam9).

Burnamdismissesthelattermisgivingcompletely,withthebeliefthatifthose

emotionalrelationshadbeenincluded,thenovelwouldhavebeenworseoff.The

sentimentalitywouldhavecheapenedthenovelasawholeandalsowouldhave

contradictedthepointoftheCarrawaythemeregardingtheattitudesandbehaviorsfound

intheEast.Atthesametime,Burnamdoesnotgivefullcredittothenotionthatthefaultof

thenovelisalackofconsistencyinGatsby’scharacter(asGatsbybecomesFitzgerald).

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However,Burnamdoesadmitthatthisideaisclosertotherootoftheproblem.Intheend,

heclaimsthatitisnotthatsomethingismissingatall.Burnamattributesthefeelingthat

somethingismissingtotheperpetualconfusionofthemesandalso“thedualityofthe

symbol-structure”(10).Theshortcomingisthattheworkisbeingpulledintwodifferent

directions.IfTheGreatGatsbyhadsimplyfocusedoneitherCarraway’sthemeoron

Fitzgerald’stheme,itwouldhavebeen“incomparable”,butby“revealingperhapsalittle

toomuchofthepersonwhocreatedit,itbecomessomewhatlesssharp,lesspointed,more

diffusedinit’seffect”(10).

Fitzgerald’sidentificationwithGatsbywasamajorpointofinterestinthisarticle,as

wellasthosebyseveralothercritics.Theneedfororderamongstthechaosandtheviewof

moneyasameanstohappinesswereprevalentideologiestobothFitzgeraldandGatsby.In

theend,bothmendiedyoungandfullofpotential,butthey“hadlosttheoldwarmworld,

andpaidahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingledream”(qtd.inBurnam12).Lionell

TrillingthoughtthatJayGatsby,notonlyrepresentedFitzgerald,butalso“istobethought

ofasstandingforAmericaitself”(qtd.inBurnam12).Thatistosaythatthepursuitof

orderand,mostimportantly,ofhappinessarecharacteristicofnotonlyJayandFitzgerald,

butalsoofournationandperhapsourhumannature.

Inhisarticle“TheStructureofTheGreatGatsby”,KennethEblerevealsacomplete

disagreementwiththeideasthatBurnamsuggestsabouttheshortcomingsofthenovel.

BurnamsuggestedthatTheGreatGatsbyhadmorecontentandcomplexitythanmost

criticswouldgiveitcreditforandalsoclaimedthatthiscomplicationwastheresultofat

besthaphazard,andatworstlazywritingwhichthencausedalossofsharpnessorefficacy.

Ebleassertsjusttheopposite.Accordingtohim,“directnessandsimplicityarefundamental

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characteristicsofthenovel”(5).Eblealsoviewstimeandthedeliberateplacementof

eventswithinthetextasoneofFitzgerald’smostessentialtoolsingivingtheworkboth

shapeandmeaning,thoughtswhicharealsoechoedbyJefferySteinbrink.

Ebleanalyzedthestructureofthenovelbyviewingitparticularlythroughthelens

oftime.Hepresentsadetailedoutlineofhowthenovelisoriented,whichisnotnecessarily

chronological.Ebleclaimsthatthereisevidenceofapattern“ofmovementand

withdrawal,andatthecenter,amomentofdeadcalm,possession”(7).Infact,hegoesonto

arguethattheentiretyofthenovelisamirrorofthelastsentenceofthework:“Andso,we

beaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”(qtd.inEble7),

thatistosaythatthetextsurgesforwardintothefuture,butatthesametime,revisitsand

dwellsinthecharacters’pasts.Thosepastsareinescapablytiedtothepresentand

ultimatelytothefutureordestinyofeachofthecharactersaswell.

Eblespendsafairportionofhisargumentfocusedontheliteralandfigurative

centerofthenovel:thesceneinwhichDaisyandGatsbymeetagaininchapterfive.This

scenehasasenseofutterstillness.Thehesitancyandtheawkwardnessarepractically

tangible.ThisisthefirsttimethatreadersgettoseebothGatsbyashecreatedhimselftobe

contrastedwiththerealGatsbyofthepast,andalsothisisthefirsttimethatGatsbyhimself

mustfacehistwoidentitiesbeingbroughttogether.Intheaftermathofthisscene,Gatsby

broadlygiveshiscentralspeechtoNickCarraway:“‘Can’trepeatthepast?’hecried

incredulously.‘Whyofcourseyoucan!’”Itisamomentofbothpotentialandrisk.

ThewayEbledescribesitparallelstheflipofacoin.Withtheflickofafinger,the

coinissentintotheair,butitslowstoastopasitreachesthehighestpointofarch,Daisy

andGatsby’sreunion,andbeginsitsdescent.Itthengainsmomentumupuntilitcrashesto

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theground,soaccordingly,afterthispointinchapterfive,theworkonlygainsmomentum

upuntilthecaraccidentandthemomentinwhichGeorgeWilsonmurdersGatsby.Thenin

chapternine,“theforwardmovementofthenovelstops…andistoldasitlivesinNick

Carraway’smemorytwoyearslater.”Thereaderarrivesyetagaininthepastasheorsheis

exposedtothecopybookmaximsofayoungJamesGats,longbeforehewasthegreatJay

Gatsby.

EbleciteshisowndetailedexaminationofthestructureofTheGreatGatsbyas

evidenceofwhathecallsthegreatestvirtueofthenovel:“thetightinvariabilityofits

construction”(7).Thedeliberateandconsistentmannerinwhichthebookwasorganized

createstheuniquesenseoftimelessthathasledittobecanonized.Despitesomany

aspectsbeingtiedtotheeraoftheJazzAge,orevenspecificdates,thenovelissuccessfulin

creatingasenseoftimelessnessasaresultof“matchingtheswiftlyon-goingnarrativewith

alessswiftbutpowerfulmovementintothepast”(7).

Eblepraisesthenovel’sstructurenotonlyforthefinalresultthatweseeinthe

publishededitions,butalsoforthepainstakingcareanddiligencethatcharacterizedits

construction.ManyofthedetailsofthelayoutthatEblepraisesdidnotcometobeuntil

afterthebookwasingalleyproof.ThemostcrucialchangethatFitzgeraldmade,according

toEblewasintakingthetruestoryofJamesGatsfromchaptereight,tothebeginningof

chaptersix,justafterthestaticcenterofthework(8).Thisallowedthatmomentof

stillnesstolastjustabitlongerinthemindofthereader.Fitzgeraldwasalsothenplacingit

justbeforethepartyscene,whereGatsbybeginstorealizethevanityofhisdreams,causing

thisparticularflashbacktohavethegreatestpossibleamountofimpact.

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Whilethemajorityofthechangesmadeinthegalleyproofsarethetransposingof

materialsandtherewritingofscenesinvolvedthosetranspositionsparticularlyinthe

centralchaptersofthenovel,EblealsocommendsthesmallchangesthatFitzgeraldmade

throughouttheentiretythenoveltoachievehishighlypolishedstyle.Thechangesthat

Eblereferencesinparticularare“‘Silhouette’for‘shadow,’‘vanished’for‘gone,’‘soiled’for

‘spotted’”andotherphrasessuchas“‘corkybutratherimpressiveclaret’for‘wine’”along

withmanyothers.Eblegivessuchextensiveexamplesbecause“suchsmallchangesaddup

tothatFitzgeraldstylistictouchwhichcanonlybedefinedsatisfactorilybycitingpassages”

(8).

JefferySteinbrinkwrote“BoatsAgainsttheCurrent:MortalityandtheMythof

RenewalinTheGreatGatsby”,focusingontheriseandfallofJayGatsbyinlightofhis

uniquelyoptimisticattitudeandvisionforthefutureinanobviouslyentropicuniverse.

Steinbrink,likeBurnam,declaresthatthereisamultiplicityofmeaningsinthisnoveland

thatthereaderisinevitablypulledintwodifferentdirections:“towardthenaïvehopethat

thebestoflifeisyettocome,andtowardtherealizationthatsuchcircumstancesasgive

lifemeaninglieburiedinanirrecoverablepast”(157),ajuxtaposingofthedesiresofthe

heartandtheknowledgeofthehead.

AccordingtoSteinbrink(andechoingtheideasofLionellTrilling),entropy

characterizednotonlytheworldofthenovel,butratherallofAmerica,andtheuniverseas

awhole.WiththelossoftheJeffersoniandreamandtheinnocenceoftheworldbeforethe

GreatWar,itbecameevidenttowriters,philosophers,andscientistsalike,thattherewasa

trendtowarddisorder,thattheworldwaslikeaclockwithaneverlooseningmainspring,

thatchaoswasunavoidable(Steinbrink158).ThepossibilitiesandpotentialoftheNew

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Worldhadbeencompletelydiminishedandeventhe“dreamthattechnologywould

provideameanstohappiness”(158)dwindledandwasreplacedbyanightmarethat

technologywouldbringaboutourdemiseevenmorequickly.Thisdoctrineofinevitable

socialdeclineanddegenerationhadanobviousimpactonFitzgerald’swork.Steinbrink

statesthatthisisanobviousreminderthat“thecourseofhumanexperience…isbest

describedasadownwardglide…thatregenerationandrenewalaremyths,atbest

metaphors,ratherthanrealpossibilitiesofactuallife”(158).Asaresult,thecharactersof

TheGreatGatsbywhoopposeorignorethisaspectofrealityareincrediblyyoung,

incrediblyfoolish,orboth.

ThemostobviouscharacterthatresistedthisideologywasJayGatsbyhimself.

Gatsbyrepresentedapre-waridealismthatwaswhollyinsupportable,buthe“adoptsthe

mythofregenerationasthesinglesustainingprincipleofhisexistence”(Steinbrink161).

Hefoughttirelesslyandsolelytoregainthepast;hedreamtofregainingatimewhenhe

andDaisycouldhaveandwouldhavebeen.Everythinghedidwasinanefforttorealize

thisimpossibledream.Thisidealismwasbothablessingandacurse.(162)Gatsby’shopes

andexpectationsforhislifeweregoinginadirectionperpendiculartotheentropicdecline,

whichcausedhisfalltobethatmuchmorepoignant.

Nick,Jordan,andDaisyalsoadoptedsuchanideology,evenifonlytemporarily.Nick

movedEastwiththehopeofanewcareerandnewsocialcirclesandclaimed“lifewas

beginningoveragainwiththesummer”(qtd.inSteinbrink160).Despitebeingthemost

cynicalofFitzgerald’scharacters,JordanalsoechoedthatsamenotionwhenDaisyasked

whattheywoulddowiththemselvesforthenextdayorforthenextthirtyyearsandJordan

toldhernottobemorbid,butthat“Lifestartsalloveragainwhenitgetscrispinthefall”

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(qtd.inSteinbrink161).Daisybelievesthatlittleembellishmentstoherlifeand

surroundingsshouldbeenoughtorevivethemeaningoflife.SheandTommovedabout

often,alwaysinsearchofthenextgreatthingwithacertaintythatitdidexistandthey

wouldfindit.Witheachofthesemoments,Fitzgeraldallowsthereaderto“entertainthe

hopethatitispossibletomakea‘freshstart’—toundothecalamitiesofthepastorto

reliveitsquintessentialmoments”(Steinbrink159).

However,immediatelyinthenovel,FitzgeraldusesTomtoserveasaclassic

manifestationandproofofentropictheoryinhumanform.Onpagesixofthenovel,heis

describedas“oneofthosemenwhoreachsuchanacutelimitedexcellenceattwenty-one

thateverythingafterwardsavorsofanticlimax”(qtd.inSteinbrink161).Heisthefirst

exampleoftheperpetualdeclineandinevitablefall.Thefarmoresignificantfallisthatof

Gatsby.SteinbrinkspecificallyreferencedGatsby’slineinchaptersixaboutthecertaintyof

beingabletorepeatthepastconnectingitwiththesceneinthehotelinNewYorkwhen

Daisycriesthatshe“can’thelpwhatispast”(qtd.inSteinbrink165)Thisendsallof

Gatsby’shopesforthefuture;heneededDaisytoignorethelimitationsoftimewithhim,

buthercommentsoiledhisdream.Gatsbycannotmanipulatetime;hecannot“fix”things

asWolfsheimfixedtheWorldSeries.

Afterthisscene,thedeathofGatsbyfollowsquickly,almostmercifully.“Heisnot

giventimetocontemplatehisfallortolearnverymuchfromit”(Steinbrink166).Thereis

scarcelyeventimefordespairtogetitsgripsonhim.Sothen,itbecomestheresponsibility

ofNicktoapplythelessonmeantforandcreatedbyGatsby’sfall.ReinforcingEble’sclaims

aboutthestructureofthenovel,SteinbrinkassertsthatNickis“driventowardthis

integrativeviewofpastandpresentbothbyhispenchantforhonestyandbyasenseofthe

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connectednessoftime”(167).NickadmiresthescopeofGatsby’svisionandallthe

sinceritywithwhichhedevoteshimselftowardsitsrealization,butNickalsoacknowledges

thatGatsbywasignorantofboththeenormityofthetaskbeforehimandthathisefforts

weredestinedtofail.

Thereaderthenfindsthattheillusionspresentedbythismythofrenewaldogivea

momentarycomfort,but“tosurrendertothemythofrejuvenationistodenyboththe

natureofrealityandthechanceforamodicumofcontentment”(Steinbrink161).Wesee

bothGatsby’sgreatnessaswellashismonumentalfoolishnessandNick’sdetermination

“toexaminetheinterplayofvisionandrestraint,oftimelessimaginationandhistorical

reality,inthehopeofstrikingaproperbalancebetweenthetwo”(Steinbrink168).

Steinbrinkconcludeshisessaybybringingtheseideastogether:tolivesuccessfully,one

mustbeinastateof“equilibriumbetweenresistancetothecurrentandsurrendertoits

flow…and[accommodating]thelessonsofhispasttohisvisionsofthefuture,givinginto

neither”(168).

In“TheThemeandtheNarratorofTheGreatGatsby”,ThomasHanzoasksthe

readertocriticallycomparetheexperiencesandattitudesofJayGatsbywiththatofNick

Carraway.AlthoughHanzodoesnotpresumethathisviewofNickwillrevolutionizethe

interpretationofthisnovel,hedoesgosofarastosaythat“Fitzgerald’sintentioncannotbe

clarifiednorthesignificanceofhisachievementgrasped,withoutoursharingwithNickthe

trialofhisselfandtheactivityofhisconscienceinthatsocietyofwhichGatsbyisonlythe

mostnotablepart”(61).

FitzgeraldgivingNick’scharacterfreereigntorevealhimselfandhishistoryashe

opensandconcludesthenovel,ratherthangoingimmediatelytoGatsbysupportsthis

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assertion.Nickgiveshimselfasenseofauthorityasanarratorasheexplainswhyhehas

beeninclinedtoreservejudgmentandbyfurtheradmittingthattherewaseventuallya

limittohistoleranceallinthefirstchapter(Hanzo62).Nick’scandorismoreevidentinhis

revealingandpointingthereadertoatimeofhislifewhenhewasnotwithoutfault,in

ordertogiveGatsbythecreditheisdue.

ThesetwomenwerewhollydifferentpeoplewhichiswhatHanzowouldargue

givesadditionalvalueandweighttothestorythatNickisobligedtotell.Specifically,

readerscanlookatthewayinwhichNickdescribesGatsby.

‘Gatsby…representedeverythingforwhichIhaveunaffectedscorn’but‘Therewas

somethinggorgeousabouthim,someheightenedsensitivitytothepromisesof

life…’Gatsbyhad‘anextraordinarygiftforhope,aromanticreadiness.’Gatsby,Nick

says,‘turnedoutallrightintheend.’(qtd.inHanzo66)

Nickfeltthatheandotherslackedthis“romanticreadiness”andthattheywereincapable

ofseeingtheworldastheyoncehadbeforetheWar.Asaresult,itwasn’tGatsbythatNick

regardedasfoolish,butratherthecorruptionthatsurroundedthedreamwhichGatsbyhad

sotirelesslyadheredto(Hanzo66).

HanzotakescaretodrawupafullcomparisonofbothJayGatsbyandNickCarraway

astheywereatthebeginningofthesummerof1922andalsointheaftermath.Inthe

beginning,GatsbyhaswealthandNickhaslittletohisnamebutadecentreputationback

homeintheMid-West.Gatsbyiscompletelyaloneevenwhilehishousehisfilledwith

people;Nickmakesevenunwantedfriendseasily.Gatsbyismysteriousandobsessive,but

Nickisquitesaneandhislifeisutterlyordinary.ThereaderseesthatGatsbyhasadopted

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thesophisticationandthecorruptionoftheEastwhileNickstrivestoholdontothesimple

virtueofhisMid-Westernideals(Hanzo62).

GatsbyandCarrawaydonotmaintaintheirinitialcharacteristicsthroughthe

entiretyofthenovel.Nickrecognizeshowhehasbeentakeninbytheidealsandglamour

oftheEast.ThisisshownintheirresponsibilityofhisloveaffairwithJordanBakerand

alsoinwillinglyallowinghimselftobeusedbyGatsbyinthepursuitofDaisy.Nickis

hesitanttoendhisrelationshipwithJordanandrefusestoconfrontGatsbyaboutthisfault,

buthedoesrecognizethathecannotignoreorescapethenegativeandviolent

consequencesofthecynicismandselfishnessofJordanandGatsby,aswellasTomand

Daisy(Hanzo64).NickrightfullyfearsthedestructivenessofthehedonismoftheEast.By

theend,weseeNickrevertingtohisoriginalmorality.Herecognizeshisownguilt,moves

backtohissecureMid-Westroots,andagainwishestheworldto“standatasortofmoral

attentionforever”(qtd.inHanzo68)andhave“asenseoffundamentaldecencies”(qtd.in

Hanzo65)ingrainedinitsnature.Essentially,bytheendofthestory,Nickhadlearnedthat

intruthmoralityhasalwaysbeenridgedandthatthepastalwayswasandwould

permanentlybebehindhim.

OnecannotsayasmuchforGatsby,helearnsnothinginthecourseofthesummer,

orifhedoes,itisnotuntilafterhisdoomisclearlyinevitable.Gatsbyisdeterminedthathe

canremakethepast,thathecanbringbackfullywhatmighthavebeen.Bytheendofthe

novel,itisclearthatthisisnotthecase.However,HanzowouldarguethatNick’scharacter

doesnotconsiderthisafaultinGatsby,onlyinthedreamthathededicatedhimselfto(65).

NickactuallyidolizesGatsby’scapacityofwill:“atremendousenergytoaccomplishcertain

purposes,andaself-imposeddelusionwhichmakesthosepurposesmeaningful”(Hanzo

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66).Thepastsimultaneouslypusheshimintothefutureandholdshimbackfromthe

present.SowemustconcludethatFitzgeralddidnotisolatedasinglefunctionofthepast,

butratherheusesthepastasbothalossandalsoasasourceofstrength.

Intheend,accordingtoHanzo,Nickdiscoveredthattruthfully,andespeciallyinthe

caseofGatsby,“thepowerofwillwithoutthedirectionofintelligenceisadestructive

power,thattheremustbesomerealendbeyondthesatisfactionofprivatedesire…to

justifytheexpenditureoflife”(67).Tolivewell,onemustwantsomethingbetterthanorat

leastotherthan“theoldwarmworld”whichislostpermanentlyinthepast;heorshemust

allowforthelimitationsofthepastandalsounderstandtheimportanceofhavinga

moralitythatgoesbeyondpersonalinterests.

LikeKennethEble,RogerLewisin“Money,Love,andAspirationinTheGreat

Gatsby”focusesonthecomplexityanddualityoftheidealsandidentitiesofeachmajor

characterandalsothethemes.Lewisalsopaysspecialattentiontotheuniquerelationship

ofloveandmoneyincontrastwiththemorecommonseparationofthetwoconceptsinthe

majorityofAmericanfiction.Thisseparationofloveandmoneywasespeciallyprevalent

beforeWorldWarI(Lewis41).ItroseoutofAmericanidealsthatdeclaredthatindividual

effortcountedandthatamancouldrisebyhisownefforts.Moreover,thevisionof

perpetualrisingwasbothachievableandunabletobetainted.

WorldWarIdestroyedthisdream,buttheidealsfadedmoreslowly.Asaresultthe

1920sweretheidealtimeforwritinglegendaryworks(Lewis42).Sandwichedbetweenan

optimisticAmericandreamandajarringreality,the“doubleness”ofFitzgerald’snovelwas

notonlyexpected,butitwaseffectiveinchroniclingthechangesofboththecharactersand

Americansocietyatthistime.

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LewiscitesNick’sopeninginthenovelasthefirstexampleof“doubleness”.He

sensesbecauseofhisfather’sadvice,thatheistooquicktocondemnandoughttoinstead

reservehisjudgment,butinthenextparagraphhetieshis“cynical,guiltydisapproval[to]

theNewYorkthatthebookisabouttoportray”(Lewis42).Hekeepsafootinthepastto

honorthetraditionsofhisfamily,butalsoliveshisownlife,keepingafootfirmlyinthe

present.Inhiscandidjudgments,NickdoesmakeanexceptionforGatsbydespitehis

obviousinterestinvanity,wealth,andallthattheEasthastooffer;toNick,Gatsbyisthe

pureembodimentoftheolder,morehumaneAmerica,althoughironicallyso(Lewis43).

Nick’sinconsistencyinattitudecanalsobeseeninhisportrayalsoftheothercharactersin

thestory.

LewisthinksthatDaisy,asperfectassheseemstoGatsby,isenvelopedby

doublenessaswell,specificallybecauseofhowNickchoosestoportrayher.Whenthe

readerfirstmeetsDaisy,itisimmediatelyafterbeingconfrontedwithTom’scrueltyand

thecontrastcauseshertoappearallthemoreenchanting.Thereaderisinstantlydrawn

intothe“excitementinhervoicethat…wasdifficulttoforget:asingingcompulsion,a

whispered‘Listen,’apromise…ofexcitingthings”(qtd.inLewis44).WeseeDaisyasGatsby

sawher.Butassoonaswearefullysubmergedinthemagicandromanceofherdemeanor,

Nick“pullsusback.‘Theinstanthervoicebrokeoff…Ifeltthebasicinsincerityofwhatshe

hadsaid’”(qtd.inLewis44)WithoutNick’ssensibility,readercouldeasilymissthe

insinceritythatcheapensandcomplicateshercharacter.

Finally,LewisbringsourattentiontothedoublenessofthegreatGatsbyhimself.It

ispreviewedbytheironyofNick’sconsideringhimtoberepresentativeoftheold

AmericanidealdespitethefactthatGatsbyisaperfectexampleofthelifestyleoftheEast.

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AsaresultofJayGatsby’splatonicconceptionofhimself,heisbothamoneymakeranda

hopelessromantic(Lewis44).Thelackofanexternalforceinhisplatonicconceptionor

self-creationdeniesthepotentialofagreatermeaningorpurpose,theonlycontextthathe

hasishispast.Gatsbyseeshismoneyasthewaytoregaintheromanceofthispast;itis

bothabsurdandtouching(Lewis43).AlthoughhisromanticexpressionstowardDaisyare

sincere,heuseshiswealthtoshowhisfeelings,throwinggloriouspartiesandshowing

Daisyhisbeautifulshirts,assumingthatthiswouldbeenough.Hisignoranceofthe

limitationsofmoneyisfascinating.AccordingtoLewis,Gatsbyseesthatthepursuitof

moneyisasubstituteforlove(51),whichresonatesinhiscommenttoNickthat“’[Daisy’s]

voiceisfullofmoney,’”(qtd.inLewis50).

Hisdoublenessisfurtherexposedinhisshiftingidentities,whichareunsettling.

Lewisdrawsparticularattentiontothereputationsthatsupersedethemanathisown

party.Hisidentityshifts“accordingtowhichpartyguestonelistensto,butmostofthe

identities,eventheonethatturnsouttobe‘true,’havesomethingoftheunrealorfantastic

aboutthem”(Lewis46).Evenindeath,hedidnothaveatruthfulorsingularidentity.He

exemplifiestherootlessnessthatmanyfacedinthepostwarworld.

TherearealsocontradictionsinthethemesandmoralsofthenovelthatLewis

drawsthereader’sattentionto.ThereisasenseofmoralityevengreaterthanNick’s

commentaryonthevaluesoftheEastversustheWest;Fitzgerald’suseoftheword“non-

olfactory”tellsthereaderclearlythatGatsby’smoneysmells.Itistheresultofbootlegging

andotherillegalactivities;itreeksofcorruption(Lewis52).Gatsbyfailstorealizethatthe

illegitimacyofhismeansonlyservestocompromiseevenfurtherthepotentialendhe

mighthavewithDaisy,buttothereaderitbecomesveryclearthat“youcannotwinthe

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idealwiththecorrupt,andyoucannotbuyintegrityortastewithdollars”(Lewis52).When

DaisyexperiencesoneofGatsby’sparties,sheisrepulsedratherthanattracted.However,

thereader’sonlywindowtothismoralityisNick,whoattimesisoverwhelmedbythe

glamourofitall.HeexcusesthefoolishnessofGatsby’sdreamforitsromanticismandlets

thereaderseehowthisEasternworldtrulyglitters.Nicksomehowmakeshisopinionsand

judgmentsclearwithoutbeingdidactic,perhapsbecauseofhisownfailuretoavoidthe

temptations,heencouragesthereadertotaketimetoexaminetheworldthatheendsup

condemning.

Lewisusesallofthistohelpusapproachtheproblematicfunctionofmoney,

particularlyoldmoneyandnewmoney.Gatsby’sreverentcommentaboutDaisy’svoice

beinglikemoneyissomethingthatwecouldneverhearfromTom.MoneyisafactofTom’s

life.Itisnotasourceofallurement.Heknowsthatwithhisconsiderablefortunehecanbuy

anymaterialthing,butthatitwillbejustthat:material.Thereisnogreatermeaningor

purpose,butitisaverystablesubstituteforlove.ToGatsby,itisjusttheopposite.Itis

powerfulandattractive.IncreasinghiswealthisthefoundationofhisplantogetDaisy

back.Heseesmoneyasameanstoaperfectvisionoftheworldwithendlesspossibilities.

Gatsbysawthemoneyheprocuredasapromiseofhisillusionsbeingrealized.

Inhisessay“Fitzgerald’sTriumph,”GaleH.Carrithers,Jr.examineshowgesturesin

TheGreatGatsbyandtheintentionsbehindthemanswerthetwomostpertinentquestions

inlife:“WhoamI?”and“Whatisthenatureoftheworld?”HeclaimsthatFitzgeraldmakes

aclearcommentaryontheimplicationsoftheanswersbasedonconcreteandparticular

thingsinthenovel(303).Alongwiththeoldadagethatactionsspeaklouderthanwords,

thereaderseeseachcharacterestablishthemostgenuineaspectsofhisorheridentityby

Wiechmann 18

beingtruly“present”inthetextandbymakingthesedramaticgestures,whetherphysical

orvocal.“Gesturesareobjective,precise,public,arguable—theexactoppositeasNicksays,

ofemotions,whicharesubjective,vague,personal,inarguable”(Carrithers304).

Fitzgerald,throughthewordsofNickCarraway,allowsfortheassumptionthat

“’personalityisanunbrokenseriesofsuccessfulgestures’”(qtd.inCarrithers304).Forthis

reason,CarrithersspendsconsiderabletimeexpoundingonthegesturesofGatsby,Tom,

andNick.Gatsby’sfirstsignificantgestureishissmile(Carrithers305).Itcreatedan

undeniablesenseofhopeforthefutureandafeelingthathehadagreatdealofcharity

towardswhoeverobservedthesmile,eventhedrunkpartyguestswhowereunawarethat

thissmilinggentlemanwastheirhost.AsecondgestureofGatsby’sthatCarrithersrefersto

isGatsby’splacinghimself“betweenNickandWolfsheimandtheworldstheyrepresent”

(305).Thethird,andperhapsmostsignificantofGatsby’sgesturesisaverbalone.OfTom

andDaisy,“hesays,‘Ofcourseshemighthavelovedhimjustforaminute…Inanycase,it

wasjustpersonal’(p.152).Thissuccessfullyimplies,asNickironicallyhints,awillfuland

colossalconceptionoftheselfandone’sdestiny”(Carrithers305).

Asa“bigrich,high-ivy,footballandpolobum,a‘nationalfigure,’apackofmuscle,”

(Carrithers305)Tom’smoststereotypicalgestureisinhispushingpeoplewherehewants

the“play”togo:Nickintothehouse,offofthetrain,ortotheapartment,allofwhichhe

doeswithsuccess,butthereaderalsoseeshisgesturesfunctioningunsuccessfully,

particularlyinregardstowhathewantsfromDaisy.Unfortunately,Tom’sultimateand

perhapsonlyredeeminggestureisnotonethatthereadergetstowitness,butthe

recollectionofhimcarryingDaisydownfromthePunchBowlwasenoughtopullherback

fromGatsby’spursuit(Carrithers306).

Wiechmann 19

Nick’sgreatgesturesareallprimarilyvocal.Evenfromthebeginningofthenovel,

thereisacertaindualityfoundinhisdescriptions.Heissimultaneouslyinsideofanevent,

partakingintheenjoymentorbeingvictimizedbytheoccurrence,andalsoremovedfrom

theevent,viewingitanalyticallyandoften,critically.Hiscontradictorystyleismeaningful

andarguablyhisgestureseventhoughvocalarethemostsuccessfulofthethreemen.So,

accordingtoCarrithers,“incharacterizationbygesture,thereadermaybegintosee

somethingofthevarietyofFitzgerald’sindividuals.”

Incontrast,thereader’sattentionisalsosimultaneouslydrawntotheidentities(or

lackthereof)ofthepartygoers.Inaswirlofnamesandrelationsandtrivialdetails,the

readerfindsthemselvesmoreconfusedaboutthegueststhanbeforeheorshewas

introducedtoanyofthem.Theidentificationsthatreadersreceivethroughnewsand

societyfailtogivealegitimateidentitytoanyone,orifitdoes,itdoessodamningly.The

truenatureofthepeopleatthepartyisbarelyvisible,butyetweknow.Theindefiniteness

isbestsummedupinthispassage:“Sometimesashadowmovedagainstadressingroom

blindabove,gavewaytoanothershadow,anindefiniteprocessionofshadows,thatrouged

andpowderedaninvisibleglass”(qtd.inCarrithers309).Despitetheflurryofmovement,

therewerenorealgestures,becausetherewasnotaclearintentioninanyofthe

movements.

Carrithersdoesadmitthatevenpurposefulgesturesarenotenoughtotrulycapture

andexplainone’scharacter.InFitzgerald’sconstantreferralstotheEastandtheWestand

theEastEggandtheWestEgg,thereaderseesthatsettingandcontextbothshapeand

exposeaperson’sidentityaswell.Allfiveofthemaincharactersofthisnovelare,attheir

roots,MidwesternersandaccordingtoNick,“possessedsomedeficiencyincommonwhich

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madeussubtlyinadaptabletoEasternlife”(qtd.inCarrithers314).Theirbackground

shapedthemandasaresult,noneofthemfoundwhattheywerelookingforintheEast;

theycouldnotescapetherootlessnessoflifeaftertheWar.TheywanderedintoNewYork

tofindtheideallessthantheyhadhopedandthattheirdreamshadbeensoiledbythe

passingoftime(Carrithers314).Thecharactersthatweknowbestaretheoneswhowe

seeinbothinthepastandpresentandinprivateandpublicsettings,intimate

conversationsandparties.

Carritherssumsitupperfectlywhenhesaysthatthisnovel’sexplorationbothof

“thenatureofaction,andofthedegreeofmeaningfulnessthatactioncanhave,comesout

offourinterlockingstructures:imagery,action,time,andanironicrelationbetween

narratorandmaterial”(316).ThesefourstructuresarewhatallowNick,andreaders

throughhim,tolearnfromhisadventuresofthesummerof1922.Herealizedthata

meaninglessdeathandevenmeaninglessactionswereamongthegreatestthingstobe

feared.Nickalsolearnedthatlove,commitment,andresponsibilitywerecrucialaspectsof

avoidingmeaninglessnessinlife(Carrithers317-8).Gatsbyistheprimaryexampleofthis:

heprovedhisloveandcommitmenttoDaisy,asheacceptedresponsibilityforbothhisand

heractions,anddiedtopayherpriceforMyrtle’sdeath.

Nick’sexhibitionofthesevaluesismuchmoremoderate,butinthelongrun,itis

moreeffective.Headhereshimselftotheloves,commitments,andresponsibilitiesthatare

foundinhishomeintheWestandalsotoGatsby’sstory,notinamorbidsense,butina

recognitionofitspotential.Carrithers,likeEbleandHanzo,focusesinontheimportanceof

whatNickwasabletolearn.Hecloseshisessaywiththepowerfulideathat“thestructure

ofthewholebookisfocusednotonGatsby’stragicworld,butonNick’sworldandours…

Wiechmann 21

Weremainalive,tryinglikeNicktomakesenseoutofthesomber,ElGrecoishdistortions

andproportionsofourworld”(320).

Wiechmann 22

Thesis

WhenTheGreatGatsbywasinitiallypublishedin1925,itreceivedsomeexcellent

reviews,butlackedthecommercialsuccessthatF.ScottFitzgeraldhadhopedfor.Whilehe

didreceivelettersofcommendationfromcontemporaryauthors,includingT.S.Elliotand

WillaCather,literarycriticsweredividedonwhetherornotthenovelhadanymerit.Some

critics,suchasHarveyEagleton,wentasfarassayingthatitsignaledtheendofFitzgerald’s

success(Lucey).Fitzgeraldadmittedtomisgivingsaboutthenovel,butevenhecouldnot

consistentlydefinewhatitwasthatthenovellacked.FitzgeralddescribesTheGreatGatsby,

inalettertofellowwriter,JohnPealeBishop,as“blurredandpatchy,”andnotesthat“I

neveratanyonetimesaw[Gatsby]clearmyself—forhestartedoutasonemanIknewand

thenchangedintomyself”(qtd.inBurnam9).Inadifferentletter,thatsameyear,Fitzgerald

admittedtoEdmundWilsonthathisworstfaultwasthathe“gavenoaccount(andhadno

feelingaboutorknowledgeof)theemotionalrelationsbetweenGatsbyandDaisyfromthe

timeoftheirreuniontothecatastrophe”(qtd.inBurnam9).Healsothoughtthatthelack

ofanadmirablefemalecharacterwasanaestheticflawthatresultedinthebook’slow

readership.

Despitetheminimalsuccessafteritsinitialpublication,thebookthatF.Scott

Fitzgeraldhimselfhaddeemedafailure,TheGreatGatsby,experiencedarevivalatthetime

ofWorldWarII,whentheCouncilonBooksinWartimeprovided155,000copiesofthe

noveltosoldiers.Thebookwas“aspopularaspin-upgirls,”accordingtooneG.I.,andthe

positivereceptionacrossseaspropelledtothebooktopostwarrecognitionasthegreat

Americannovel(Beckwith).Asaresultofthisrevival,notonlyweretheremultiplefilm

adaptationsproducedinthefollowingdecades,butthenovelfoundahomeinclassrooms

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acrossAmerica.Today,itisconsideredaniconicliteraryclassicandwasvotedthebest

twentieth-centuryAmericannovelin1998bytheModernLibraryeditorialboard

(RadcliffePublishingHouse).Ithasreceivedcopiousamountsofattentionfromteachers,

students,andliterarycriticsalike.Itisconsideredaglitteringtimecapsulethatcontains

themagicandtheglamoroftheJazzAge.Itisanexemplarypieceofwritingthatcanbe

consideredamodelforallwriting,bothinitsstructureandinitsstyle.Arguablytherevival

ofTheGreatGatsbyinthemid-twentiethcenturyanditscurrentstatusasanAmerican

classicarelinkedtoitsexplorationoftheproblemoftheAmericanDream,thethemesof

lossandlonging,andtheroletheyplayinthehumanexperience.

WhilemostcriticswouldlikelyagreethatTheGreatGatsbyaddressesissuesthatare

universaltohumanity,thereisstilldisputeonthestrengthsandweaknessesofthenovel.

In“TheStructureofTheGreatGatsby,”KennethEblepraisesthedirectnessandsimplicity

oftheshortnovel.Hemarvelsathowtheplacementofeventsmirrorsthelastlineofthe

novel:“webeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”

(Fitzgerald115).Thereaderseestheswift,on-goingnarrative,butalsonoticeshowthe

presentismanipulatedandultimatelydeterminedbythepowerofthepast;Gatsby’s

undistinguishedbackgroundandpoverty,nottomentiontheillegitimatewaythathe

escapespoverty,keepshimfromDaisyandalso,Daisy’spersonalhistorywithTom

preventsherfromleavinghim.Becauseofthisdistinctstructurerelatingthepastandthe

present,Eblefinallystatesthatthe“tightinvariabilityofitsconstruction”(7)isthereason

thatGatsbyhasstayedwithus.Ontheotherhand,TomBurnam,in"TheEyesofDr.

Eckleburg:ARe-ExaminationofTheGreatGatsby,"criticizesthe“dualityofsymbol

structure”(10),claimingthatbypullingthereaderintwodirectionssimultaneously,it

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becomes“somewhatlesssharp,lesspointed,morediffusedinitseffect”(10).While

acknowledgingthattheovertthemeisthatofthefutilityofanattempttorecapturethe

past,Burnamistroubledbythesymbols,suchasthegreenlightandtheeyesofDr.

Eckleburg,whichsupporttheironicsubthemeofGatsby’sdeterminedattempttobeat

againstthecurrent(8).

In“BoatsAgainsttheCurrent:MortalityandtheMythofRenewalinTheGreat

Gatsby,”JefferySteinbrinkfocusesonadifferenttypeofduality.Steinbrinkconsidersthe

juxtapositionofGatsby’spre-WWIAmericanDreamidealismandtheentropythat

characterizedthecountryaftertheWar.Heexplorestherelationshipbetweenthetwo

ideasanddeclaresthat“thecourseofhumanexperience…isbestdescribedasadownward

glide…thatregenerationandrenewalaremyths,atbestmetaphors,ratherthanreal

possibilitiesofactuallife”(158).HethenconcludesthatthecharactersofTheGreatGatsby

whoopposeorignorethisaspectofrealityareincrediblyyoung,incrediblyfoolish,orboth.

InRogerLewis’sessay"Money,Love,andAspirationinTheGreatGatsby,"hefocuseson

theissueofdoubleness,examiningtheinconsistenciesandinsinceritiesofeachofthe

principlecharactersandthecomplicated,absurdrelationshipbetweenthethemesof

moneyandlove.In“Fitzgerald’sTriumph,”GaleH.Carrithers,Jr.examineshowconcrete

gesturesinTheGreatGatsbyandtheintentionsbehindthemanswerthetwomost

pertinentquestionsinlife:“WhoamI?”and“Whatisthenatureoftheworld?”LikeLewis,

heexamineseachcharacter’sconcrete“gestures,”bothphysicalandverbal,toanswer

thesequestions.ManycriticsfocusontherelationshipbetweenFitzgeraldandNick,the

narrator,andalsobetweenFitzgeraldandGatsby.ThomasHanzoexploresthisissuein

“TheThemeandNarratorofTheGreatGatsby”andalsoexploreshowNick’scharacteracts

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asafoilforGatsby’scharacter,dictatingthemajorthemeofthenovel.Ultimately,wesee

eachofthesecriticscommentingonFitzgerald’sstyle,structure,orthewaythathewrote

eachofhischaractersandtheirinteractions.Morethanthat,eachofthesecriticsusesthose

analysestoaddtotheconversationaboutthethemesofthebook.TheGreatGatsbyisabout

theAmericanDream,orrather,thecorruptionofit,theideasoflove,longing,andloss,the

powerandimmovabilityoftime,andfinally,itisaboutlivinginaworldwhereafallis

inevitable;allofwhichareperennialissuesofthehumanexperience.

Inthisthesis,IwillexamineTheGreatGatsbyinlightofancientliterarytraditions,

includingacomparisonofFitzgerald’stwentieth-centurynovelto“TheStoryofDaedalus

andIcarus”,asrecordedinOvid’sfirstcenturyMetamorphoses,andalsoinrelationto

Aristotle’sdescriptionandexplanationofGreektragedyasrecordedinThePoetics,c.335

BCE.IwillexplorehowTheGreatGatsbyisinformedbyorparallelsandcomplicatesthe

Icarusmyth,consideringboththestructureandmajorthemesofGatsbyandoftheIcarus

myth.Iwillthenusethisstudyofthetwoworksasabasistodeterminewhatmessage

Fitzgeraldwouldwanthisreaderstotakeawayfromhisnovelanditsprotagonist,the

greatJayGatsby,inrelationtotheconceptofhavinghopeinanentropicworld.InThe

Poetics,Aristotlefocusesonplotstructureanddescriptionofthetragichero.Iwillalso

basemyanalysisonhowTheGreatGatsbyfollowsthismodel.Thiswilldemonstratethat

notonlyisTheGreatGatsbycriticallytiedtoancientandacclaimedliterarytraditions,but

informsandexemplifiesthemeritsofthosetraditionsandaddressestheuniversalthemes

ofbothhopeandofentropyamongothers,andasaresult,hasapresenceandpurposein

today’sliterarycanonandintoday’sclassroom.Thispurposeisnotsolelytiedtothe

stylisticorstructuralmeritswhichsomanycriticshavecommentedon,butinsteadthe

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purposeisthatallreadersalikemightuseittoteachabouthumannature,ourworld,and

ultimately,aboutourselves.

InboththestoryofIcarusandTheGreatGatsby,readersseeatendencytoward

decay.Theworldsofbothofthesestoriesarecharacterizedbyentropy:aprocessof

runningdownordegradation,oratrendtodisorder.Entropyisthereasonwhypaintpeels,

whyhotcoffeeturnscold.Entropyisexpressedinthesecondlawofthermodynamicsasan

immutablelawofnaturewhichonemustbeawareofandconscientiouslyworkagainstin

ordertoachievehisorhergoals(Requadt).Sowhenliterarycritic,JefferySteinbrink

focusesontheissueofentropyinhisanalysisofTheGreatGatsby,assertingthatentropy

doesnotmerelyencompasstheworldofthenovel,butalsoallofAmerica(particularlyin

Fitzgerald’sera)andtheuniverseasawhole(158),thisisasignaltoreadersthatboth

Ovid’searlyfirst-centurypoemandFitzgerald’smorecontemporarynovelcanbeviewed

throughthesamelenswithwhichweviewourownlives.

TheactionofTheGreatGatsbytakesplaceduringthesummerof1922inLong

Island.NickCarrawayrelatestheeventsofthatsummertothereader,focusingattention

onJayGatsbyandhisaspirations.NickisaMidwesternerwhomovedeasttogetintothe

bondbusinessandendsuprentingthehousenexttoGatsby’smansionandacrossthebay

fromhiscousin,Daisyandherhusband,TomBuchanan.NickfindsoutthatTomhasa

mistressandthatDaisyisunhappy.BackonWestEgg,NickisinvitedtooneofGatsby’s

extravagantpartiesandeventuallymeetsthemanthathehasheardsomuchabout.Nick

discoversthatDaisyandGatsbyhadbeeninloveonlyfiveyearsearlierandthatGatsby’s

partiesandextravagantlifestylewereallanefforttoimpressDaisy.GatsbythenasksNick

toarrangeameetingforhimandDaisy,whichNickdoesgladly.Afteraninitiallyawkward

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reunion,GatsbyandDaisybeginanaffair.DespiteTom’sowninvolvementinan

extramaritalaffair,hebecomesincreasinglyjealousofGatsbyandDaisy’srelationship.This

conflictculminateswhenthefivetakeadaytriptoNewYork.Afteragiganticargument,

DaisyrealizesthatherallegianceistoTomandthatshecan’tchangewhatispast,

destroyingGatsby’sdream.GatsbyandDaisythenheadbacktoLongIslandandDaisy

strikesMyrtleWilson,Tom’slover,withthecar.Gatsbyiswillingtotaketheblamefor

Daisy,andTomtellsMyrtle’shusbandthatitwasGatsbywhokilledMyrtle.Myrtle’s

husbandarrivesatGatsby’smansion,shootsGatsbyandthenhimself.Nickholdsafuneral

forGatsby,whichasidefromGatsby’sfather,nooneattendsandthenNickmovesbackto

theMidwest,disgustedbywhathehasencounteredintheEast.

Ovid’smythopensonDaedalusandIcarustrappedontheislandofCretebyKing

Minos.Daedalusrealizesthathecannotescapebytheseaanddecidestofashionwingsfor

himselfandhisson,imitatingthewingsofabird.Daedalusinstructshissontofollowhim

andflyamiddlecourse,explainingtherisksofflyingtoohighandtoolow.Duringtheflight,

DaedaluslooksbehindhimandseesIcarusflyingtooclosetothesun.Thewaxthatbound

Icarus’swingsmeltsandhefallstohisdeath.

Thesetwostoriesappearwhollyunrelated,particularlyinregardstotheirsetting,

historicalcontext,complexity,andformat.However,withinthecontextofaclosereading,

theparallelsbetweenTheGreatGatsbyand“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”become

moreevidentandarguablygivegreaterweighttothemeaningandsignificanceofboth

stories.JayGatsby’srootswereinitiallyMidwestern.Hewasbornandraisedinthemiddle-

of-nowhereNorthDakota,asachildofinconsequentialparents.Becauseoftheactionsand

identitiesofhisparents,JamesGatsfoundhimselfessentiallytrappedbyanimpoverished

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family,aworthlessname,andalackofopportunitiesforachievinggreatness.Similarly,

Icaruswastrappedandpunishedbecauseofhisfather.KingMinoshadimprisoned

DaedalusontheislandofCretefortworeasons:topunishhimforhelpingPasiphaëtomate

withabullandtopreventhimfromspreadingknowledgeabouttheLabyrinththathehad

created.ForbothJamesandIcarus,leavingtheonlyhomethattheyknewwastheonlyway

totrulylive;forthisreason,bothcharactershaveasenseofrootlessnessaboutthem.

JamesandIcarusbothhadaspirationsfargreaterthantheirinitialcircumstances.

AsJamesGatsbecameJayGatsby,itwasclearthathishopesandexpectationsweregoing

inadirectionperpendiculartothatofentropicdecline(Steinbrink164).Herefusedtobe

diminishedbyapost-Warworldofentropyandremainedfocusedonthegreenlight,

symbolizingtheDaisyandhispotentialforreachinghisdream,attheendofthedock

acrossthewater.Jay’sfinancialandsocialascensionisdrasticandmysterioustotheother

charactersinthenovelandreadersalike,givingthosearoundhimasenseofwonder.

Icarus,too,refusedtobecontentwithmoderationinhisascent.Hedidnotfollowthe

conservativecoursethathisfatherdemonstrated,butratherallowedhimselftobeswept

upintothegloryofflight.Icarus’sliteralascensioninflightis,likeGatsby’s,equally

shocking,withDaedalus“changingthelawsofnature”(Ovid187).Bothcharactersstrove

toimitatethegreatnessthattheyobservedintheworldaroundthem.JayGatsby

establishedhimselfinWestEgg,identicalinshapeandcontourtoEastEgg,butnotablyless

fashionableandaristocratic.Hismansion“wasafactualimitationofsomeHôteldeVillein

Normandy,withatowerononeside,spankingnewunderabeardofrawivy,witha

swimmingpool,andmorethanfortyacresoflawnandgarden”(Fitzgerald5),butwas

strangelyoutofplacenexttoNick’scheapbungalow.Likewise,Daedalus’invention

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mirroredtheimageofabird’swings,andIcaruswasabletosoarhigherandhigher,

believingthatwithhiswings,hewasaslimitlessasthebirdsheimitated.Herefusedto

acknowledgethepowerofgravityandthedangerofthesun;heflewboldly,opposingboth.

BothGatsbyandIcarusrosebyillegitimateorunearnedmeans.WhileJaywasstill

James,heworkeddiligently,andaccordingtohisfather,“Jimmywasboundtogetahead”

(Fitzgerald110).However,throughanunfortunateturnofeventsandthelossofDan

Cody’sinheritance,herealizedthattheAmericanDreamwasjustthat,adream.Hardwork

wasnotapromiseofsuccess.Despitehisbestefforts,GatsbyhadlostDaisy,whomhehad

lovedforherauraofcharm,elegance,andluxuryandforthepromiseofapastthathe

couldnotforget.GatsbywaswillingtodowhateverittooktogetDaisybackandbecause

“hervoicewasfullofmoney”(Fitzgerald76),hethoughtthatmoneyandaluxurious

lifestylewerethekeystoheraffection.Gatsbythenresortedtobootleggingandorganized

crimetomakehismoney.InordertowinDaisyback,heillegitimatelyacquiredmillionsof

dollars,boughtagaudymansioninWestEgg,andthrewlavishpartieseveryweekend.He

livedonanotionthathecouldfacilitatehisownhappiness;thathecouldbuyandforce

everyoneofhisdreamsintoreality.BecauseJayGatsbyessentiallycreatedhimselffrom

nothing,heisaparadox;heissimultaneouslyamoneymakerandahopelessromantic

(Lewis44).

ForIcarus,flightwaswonderful,buthedidnothingtobringabouthiscapacityfor

flight.Heflewbecauseofthework,brilliance,andinventivenessofhisfather.Icarus,if

anything,wasahindrancetohisfather’swork.He“Stoodbyandwatched,andraisedhis

shinyface/Toletafeather,lightasdown,fallonit,/Orstuckhisthumbintotheyellow

wax,/Foolingaround,thewayaboywill,always,/Wheneverafathertriestogetsomework

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done”(Ovid187-88).Becausehedidnotworkorstrivetounderstandthepowerand

limitationsofthewings,Icarusobliviouslybroughtabouthisowndownfall.

JayGatsbydidnotunderstandtherisksofhisill-gottengains.Hemighthavebeen

awareofthelegalrisksofbootleggingandworkingwithcharacterslikeMeyerWolfsheim,

butheneverthoughtofthepolarizingeffectthathisolfactorymoneywouldhaveonDaisy.

Shewantedtobelievethathehadmadehisfortuneonachainofdrugstores,buteventhe

revealinggaudinessofhispartywasrepugnantandoffensivetoher.Inhisdesperate

attempttoimitateherlifestyle,heneglectedtorealizethatevenamongtheextraordinarily

rich,therewereclassdivisions.Shewouldalwayshaveoldmoneyandshewouldalwaysbe

accustomedtoit.Hisnewmoneywouldneverstopsmellinganditwouldneverbeenough.

Likewise,Icarusdidnotorcouldnotgraspthefatalrisksinvolvedwithflight.Despite

havingDaedalustoinstructandleadhim,Icarusignoredthewisdomofferedtohimand

followedhisowninclinations.WhenJefferySteinbrinksaysreferringtothecharactersin

TheGreatGatsby,“theveryyoungandtheveryfoolisheitherrefusetoacceptorareunable

tounderstandthepersonalconsequencesoflivinginanentropicsystemandarecrushed-

sometragically,someonlypitifully-bytheburdenoftruththeyareeventuallymadeto

bear”(158-159)weseethatthisconclusioncanalsobeappliedoutsideofthenovel,

particularlytoIcarus.

ForbothJayandIcarus,thefallwassuddenanddevastating.Gatsby’sfallcomesin

twoparts.First,itisinthemomentthatDaisysays“Oh,youwanttoomuch…Iloveyounow

—isn’tthatenough?Ican’thelpwhat’spast”(Fitzgerald84);withthoselastfivewords,

DaisydestroysGatsby’sdreamofrecreatingthepasttowhichhehadclungsodesperately

forfiveyears.ThesecondpartofGatsby’sfalliswhenGeorgeWilsonwrongfullymurders

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him,becauseofwhatTomsaidregardingMyrtle’sdeath.Icaruswascaughtupinthe

miracleofflight;he“soaredhigher,higher,drawntothevastheaven/Nearerthesun,and

thewaxthatheldthewings/Meltedinthatfierceheat,andthebarearms/beatupand

downintheair,andlackingoarageTookholdofnothing,”(Ovid123-128).WhileIcarus

findshimselftooclosetothesun,JayGatsbyfindshimselftooclosetoupper-class

characters,DaisyandTom,andevenMeyerWolfsheim,who“werecarelesspeople…they

smashedupthingsandcreaturesandthenretreatedbackintotheirmoneyortheirvast

carelessness…andletotherpeoplecleanupthemesstheyhadmade”(Fitzgerald114).

NickandDaedalusarebothcharacterswhoseactionsandattitudesservetostress

andhighlightthedistinctivetemperamentoftheirrespectivecounterparts,makingthem

clearfoilcharacters(Abrams225).ToNick,Gatsbyrepresentseverythingforwhichhehas

“unaffectedscorn”(Fitzgerald3),and,whileGatsbyisutterlyconvincedthathewillbeable

toshapehisownfutureatwill,Nickismorerealisticandrecognizesthelimitationsofthe

humanwillandtime.DaedalusandIcarusrepresentopposingidealsaswell.Where

Daedalusstandsforbalanceandmoderation,Icarusrepresentstheimpulsiveand

passionate.Daedaluscautiouslyfliesamiddlecourse,butweseeIcarusfollowinghisown

imprudentinclinations.ThefoilcharactersincorporatedinTheGreatGatsbyandtheIcarus

mythstrengthentheimpactofbothstoriesbyhighlightingthedifferencesinideals,

attitudes,andbehaviors.

ForbothJayGatsbyandyoungIcarus,theirproblemsbeganwhentheyleftwhat

theyknewandunderstood.GatsbyabandonedhisMidwestrootsandvaluesystems,and

whenhewenttotheEast,thesimplicityofhisbackgroundpreventedhimfromrealizing

thedangerthatcorruptionrepresented.Heriskedhismorality,hisdream,andfinally,his

Wiechmann 32

lifeashethrusthimselfintotheworldoftheEast.Byleavingthegroundinflight,Icarus

literallyputhimselfinapositiontofall.Helefteverything,eventhelawsofnaturebehind

him.Bothcharacterscouldhavesurvivedorperhapsevenavoidedafalliftheyhad

selectedmoremoderatepathsanddreams.IfJayhadfoundabalancebetweenhisdream

andrealityorevensimplyrecognizedthatthelastfiveyearsofhislifecouldnotbeerased,

hemighthavebeenabletoacceptthatDaisycouldnotcompletelyremoveTomfromher

life.Likewise,ifIcarushadbeencontentwithamodestpath,hecouldhavemadeittoo

freedom.

Theparallelsinaction,characters,andmessageinTheGreatGatsbyandtheIcarus

mythareundeniable.Whyshouldthismatter?Ourworldisfullofspin-offs,fan-fiction,

allusions,references,andre-workingsofthetextsthatcamebefore.Wefindintertextuality

ineverythingfromtelevisionaddstonewspaperarticlestoscholarlyjournalsandwe

openlyusepopularworksasmodelsfornewtexts.Sowhatisitthatsetsthesetwo

particularaccountsandtheconnectionthattheyhavetoeachotherapartfromtherest?

FitzgeraldstructuresTheGreatGatsbyusingtheexamples,strategies,andrhetoricof

classicauthors:IwouldarguethatTheGreatGatsbywasinformedbyOvid’s

Metamorphosesandalsothatbothofthesenarrativesfollowthemodelfortragedyas

determinedbyAristotleinThePoetics.Aristotle’streatisehasgreatlyinfluencedthe

developmentofliteraryandtheatricalcriticism.AccordingtoacclaimedCornellUniversity

professor,LaneCooper,“ThePoeticsofAristotleisbrief…yetoneofthemostilluminating

andinfluentialbookseverproducedbythesoberhumanmind.After22centuries,it

remainsthemoststimulatingandhelpfulofallanalyticalworks”(3).Becauseitseemsto

Wiechmann 33

followtheAristotelianmodelfortragedy,Fitzgeraldcreatedamemorableandmeaningful

workthathasbeencanonizedinAmericanliterature.

Aristotledefinedtragedyasthe“mimesisofactionwhichiscomplete,whole,andof

acertainmagnitude;inlanguageembellishedbydistinctformsinitssections;employinga

modeofenactment,notnarrative;andthroughpityandfearaccomplishingcatharsisof

suchemotions”(49).Aristotlealsostatedthatthemeritofatragedy,referringspecifically

totheatricaltragedy,couldbedeterminedbyconsideringsixkeycharacteristicsinthe

followingorder:plot,characters,diction,thought,spectacle,andmelody.Forthisanalysis,

thefocuswillbeonplotandcharacter,becausetheotherfourpertainspecificallyto

theatricalproductions.

Aristotleprioritizesplotthemost,goingasfarassayingthat“tragedy’scapacityis

independentofperformanceandactors”(55).Aristotleascribedthreecharacteristicstoa

commendableplot:itmustbewhole,complete,andofmagnitude.Tobewhole,aplaymust

haveabeginning,middle,andend.Thebeginningoughtnottobe“followingnecessarily

fromsomethingelse,butafterwhichafurthereventorprocessnaturallyoccurs”(55).The

middleshouldfollowaprecedingeventandbringaboutfurtherconsequences.Theendis

thatwhichnaturallyoccursandneednotbefollowedbyanythingelse.Essentiallytheplot

isaseriesofcauseandeffectevents.Inthebeginning,onefocusesontheeffect;inthe

middle,onefocusesonboththecauseandeffect;andintheend,onefocusesonlyonthe

cause,notontheeffect.TheGreatGatsbyfollowsthischainofevents.Whilethereaderis

giveninformationaboutwhatbroughtNickCarrawaytotheEast,withinapageof

beginningthebook,thereaderisalreadyintheEast,andwithinthreepages,thedinnerat

theBuchanansstartstheactionofthenovelandinitiatesthechainofeventsthatleadto

Wiechmann 34

Gatsby’sdownfall.Likewise“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”beginsinthemidstofexile.

WithoutfamiliaritywithrestofOvid’sMetamorphoses,thereaderiscompletelylostasto

theantecedentactionthatbroughtaboutIcarus’sandDaedalus’exile.ThemiddleofThe

GreatGatsbyisanaturalandseamlesschainofevents,whereinboththecausesandeffects

arecritical.Fitzgeralddoesnotwastethereader’stimeorattentionwithdescriptionsthat

arenotdirectlyrelatedtothesocialgatheringsorinteractionsandcriticaldialoguesthat

shapethisnovel.“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”alsorelatestheeventsofthestoryina

veryfocusedmanner;Ovidspendsonlysixty-onelinesofpoetryontheentiretyofthe

myth.Theendsofbothstoriesarealmostexclusivelyfocusedonthe“causes.”InGatsby,all

focusisonGatsby’smurderandtheminimalattendanceathisfuneral.Thesetwoevents

triggerthefinalactioninthestory:NickmovesbacktotheMidwest.Allthatweknow

abouthisreturnisthatheponderedtheeventsthathadledhimbacktohisroots.After

Icarus’sfallandDaedalus’cries,weknowonlythatthebodywaslaidinatombandthatthe

landwasnamedforhim.

ThesecondcharacteristicthatAristotleascribedtotheplotisthatitmustbe

“complete,”havinga“unityofaction”(57).Bythis,Aristotlemeansthattheplotmustbe

structurallyself-contained,withtheincidentsbroughttogetherbyinternalnecessity,with

eachactionleaningintothenextwithnooutsideintervention.Asmentionedinthe

precedingparagraph,theevents,socialgatherings,characterinteractions,andcritical

dialoguethatshapethisnovelfollowoneaftertheother.WhileFitzgeraldincorporates

beautiful,almostpoeticdescriptions,thesepassagesdonottakethefocusawayfromthe

actionofthenovel,butratheretchthescenesmorefirmlyinthereader’smind.Likewise,

Wiechmann 35

“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”issoshortthatalltheeventsthatareincluded,are

includedoutofnecessity,makingtheactionisunified.

ThethirdcharacteristicthatAristotleascribestoplotisthatitmustbe“ofacertain

magnitude,”bothquantitatively(complexityandlength)andqualitatively(seriousnessand

universalsignificance)(57).MaurinneCorrigan,NPRbookcritic,arguesthatTheGreat

Gatsbyisindeedofacertainmagnitude,inbothregards,inherbookSoWeReadOn.Inan

interviewshedescribesGatsbyasthe“onegreatAmericannovelwethinkwe’vereadbut

probablyhaven’t.”Sheclaimsthatwhenitisreadinhighschool,anditusuallyis,the

readersaretooyoungtounderstandthecomplexityandweightofthenovel.Manyother

literarycritics,includingTomBurnam,JefferySteinbrink,ThomasHanzo,andRogerLewis

havecommentedonthecomplexdualitiesanddoublenesspresentedinthesymbols,

charactersandoverarchingthemes.Thethemesofthenovelarecertainlysignificant.

Fitzgeraldaddressesissuesincludinglove,longing,loss,theAmericanDream,havinghope

inanentropicuniverse,andthefutilityofactionsagainsttime.WhiletheIcarusand

DaedalusmythdoesnothavethesamequantitativecomplexityasTheGreatGatsby,it

undoubtedlyaddressestheuniversalissueofhavinghopeinaworlddestinedtowards

decayandteachesaninvaluablelessonontheimportanceofmoderation.

Aristotlewouldcharacterize“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”asasimpleplot.

Simplereferstowhentheactioniscontinuousandunitary,butthetransformationlacks

reversalandrecognition.Instead,thesimpleplotfeaturesonlythecatastrophe,orthe

changeoffortune.WhileAristotleconsiderssimpleplotsacceptable,acomplexplotis

preferred.

Wiechmann 36

TheGreatGatsbyfurtherfitsAristotle’sdescriptionofgreattragedybecauseitis

complexandincludesperipetia,areversal,andanagnorisis,arecognition.Aperipetiaisthe

momentofchangeinthetragichero’sfortune,irrecoverablyfortheworse;itisbrought

aboutbythehero’sactionsorcharacter.Oftenthetraitthatbringsaboutthehero’s

downfallisthetraitthattheaudiencealsoadmires.ThisiscertainlythecasewithGatsby.

Weadmirehisdreamandtherelentlesswaythathepursuesit,hisgrandgestures,

glamorousparties,anddynamicspeechesthatultimatelypushDaisyawayfromGatsby.

DuringthebattleforDaisy,Gatsby’sactionsanddemandsconsolidateTom’sgriponDaisy.

Asthoughthiswerenotenough,TomthenfeelscomfortableenoughwithhisgriponDaisy

thathesendsherhomewithGatsby.

Theanagnorisisisconsiderablylessclear.ItbeginsafterDaisyhasstruckandkilled

MyrtleWilson.ShestayswithTomanddoesnotcontactJayGatsby,fullyindicatingthatshe

intendstoallowGatsbytotakethefallforher.Thisrecognitioncontinuesinthe

conversationbetweenNickandGatsby.Gatsbyfinallyadmits“Ofcourseshemighthave

lovedhim,forjustaminute-whentheywerefirstmarriedandlovedmeevenmorethen,do

yousee?”(Fitzgerald97).WeseeGatsbybeginningtorecognizethathisandDaisy’slove

wasnotasperfectorenduringashemighthavehoped,butatthispoint,hehasnotfully

givenuphisdelusionabouttheirlove,thatitsupersedeseverythingelse.Afterthisscene,

thedeathofGatsbyfollowsquickly,almostmercifully.“Heisnotgiventimetocontemplate

hisfallortolearnverymuchfromit”(Steinbrink166),preventinghimfromfulfillingthe

processofanagnorisis.

AccordingtoAristotle,characterhasthesecondplaceinimportanceinatragedy.

WhilesomemightsuggestthatJayGatsbyisavillainorsimplytheprinciplecharacterinan

Wiechmann 37

unsuccessfulromance,inactualityheisabletofilltheshoesthatAristotledesignedforthe

tragichero.Inacommendabletragedy,thecharacterssupporttheplot.Theirpersonal

motivationsareintricatelyconnectedtopartsofthecauseandeffectchainofaction.The

readerseesJayGatsby’spursuitofDaisyliterallyshapingandstructuringtheentiretyof

thenovel.Aristotlestatedthatfirstthecharactermustberenownedorprosperous,sothat

hischangeoffortunecangofromgoodtobad.Thischangeshouldcomeaboutasaresult,

notofvice,butofsomegreaterrororfrailtyincharacter.Suchaplotismostlikelyto

generatepityorfear,for“pityisarousedbyunmeritedmisfortune,fearbythemisfortune

ofamanlikeourselves”(Aristotle69-71).JayGatsbymadehimselfrenowned.Hebuilta

fortuneupforhimself,boughtabeautifulmansion,andplayedthegracioushostwho

constantlythrewlavishparties.Secondly,thecharacteroughttobegoodorfineinrelation

tomoralpurpose,relativetosocialclass.JayGatsby’smoralityisquestionablebecauseof

themeansbywhichheacquiredhisfortune,butarguably,hehadmoralityonahigher

plane.Hispursuitofwealthandreputation,whileillegitimate,wasallforlove,themost

nobleanddefininghumanemotion.Aristotlestatesthatthirdly,thetragicheromusthave

“fitnessofcharacter”andbe“truetolife”(79).Thecharactershouldbetruetohisorher

typeandalsorealistic.WhileJayGatsbydoesrepresentanextremeandirrationalhope,he

isstillacredibleorbelievablecharacter.Thefinal,andperhapsmostimportant

characteristicforthecharacteristhatheorshehasconsistency.Thecharactersmustbe

truetothemselvesintheiractionsandbehaviors.Oncetheirpersonalityandmotivations

arerevealed,thosesameelementsshouldcontinuethroughoutthedurationofthework.

Thetragicheromustbetruetolifeinthatheorsheisbelievableorrealistic,andyetthey

Wiechmann 38

mustbemorebeautiful.Theymustbeidealizedandennobled.Theymustbesomeonethat

thecommonmancanlearnfrom.

LetussaythenthatthereareundeniableparallelsbetweenFitzgerald’sTheGreat

GatsbyandOvid’s“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”andthatbothoftheseworksdo

followthemodelsetforthbyAristotle’sPoetics.Wemustthenaskourselveswhythis

matters.Thismattersbecauseofthepurposeoffiction.Thismattersbecauseofthe

purposeofmyth.Thismattersbecauseofthepurposeofallliterature.Wordsaremeantto

communicateandtoteach.AccordingtoE.O.James,“theessentialfunctionofmythisto

validateandjustify,conserveandsafeguardthefundamentalrealitiesandvalues,customs

andbeliefsonwhichdependthestabilityandcontinuanceofagivenwayoflife”(482).G.S.

Kirkstatesthatmythhasathreefoldpurpose.“Thefirsttypeisprimarilynarrativeand

entertaining;thesecondoperative,iterative,andvalidatory;andthethirdspeculativeand

explanatory”(253-254).Ifitwasuncertainbefore,thesedefinitionsofmythmakeitvery

clearthattheIcarusandDaedalusmythhasamuchhighercallingthanmerelyentertaining

andpreservingtheGreekliterarytradition.

ThenwemustconsidertheindividualmeritsoftheTheGreatGatsby,specificallyin

theclassroomwhereitseesthemostuse.Itisateachingtool“becauseitisaccessible,

becauseofitsliterarydevices,includingsymbolism,motifs,andthemes;becauseitaffords

anextensivestudyonpointofview;andbecauseFitzgerald’sstyleandproseisvividand

hauntinglybeautiful”(Prosser).Highschoolteacher,EmiliaProsseralsoobservesthat

EnglishLanguageLearnersarelesslikelytogiveuponGatsbythanonothertextsbecause

oftheaccessibilityofthelanguageincomparisontootherclassicaltexts.Veteranteacher,

ColeenRuggierialsosuggests“Gatsby’stimelessquestfortheAmericanDreamstill

Wiechmann 39

resonateswithmodernreaders”(109).PerhapsthemostpowerfultestamentastowhyThe

GreatGatsbyfulfillsitinstructionalpurposeiscapturedinanarticlebySaraRimer.Rimer

writesontheinspirationalimpactthatthenovelishavingonthestudentsatBostonLatin

School.ForastudentwhorecentlyemigratedfromChinaandhasneverseenanythinglike

theglamorofGatsby’slife,hergreenlightisHarvard.Forastudentwhoisarefugeefrom

Vietnam,hisversionofGatsby’sdreamistomakehisparentsproudofhimandtobeable

tosupportthem.Gatsbyismakingadifferenceinthelivesofstudents.Notbecauseitisa

glitteringtimecapsulethatcontainsthemagicandtheglamoroftheJazzAge.Notbecause

itisanexemplarypieceofwritingthatdemonstratescontrolofstyle,structure,andliterary

devices.Gatsbyismakingadifferenceinthelivesofstudentsbecauseithasapowerful

message.

Ovid’smessagein“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”isverystraightforward.It

givesaclearwarningagainstfollowingextremepathsandadvocatesmoderationinstead.It

teachesasimplelessonabouthowriskrelatestosurvival.Thisshortaccounteven

advocatesobeyingparentalorauthoritativefiguresandrecommendsseriouslyregarding

others’wisdomandexperience.TheGreatGatsbyisalittlelessstraightforward.Thereader

ispresentedwithtwopossiblemodels.WebeginandendtheworkwithNick.Like

Daedalus,hefliesamodestcourse.Attimeshesuccumbstotheglamourandimmoralityof

theEast,butoverall,hischaracterremainsconsistentwiththewell-to-doconservativeman

hewaswhenhefirstlefttheMidwest.Whilebynomeansperfect,hismoralityfarexceeds

thatoftheothercharacters.Arguablythough,helearnsnothingthroughouthistimewith

Gatsby.HereturnshometothesafetyandeaseofMinnesota,closingoffthelessonsthat

thoseintheEastcouldhavelearnedfromGatsby’sfall.Hewishestheworldto“standata

Wiechmann 40

sortofmoralattentionforever”(Fitzgerald3)buthedoesnothingtobringthisabout.

Finally,inthelastmomentsofthenovelNickadvocatesGatsby’sdreaminsteadofhisown

courseofaction.HeimpliesthatitwasworthitforGatsbytobelieveinthegreenlighton

theendofDaisy’sdock.Heimpliesthatitisbettertohopethatonefinemorningwemight

reachtheimaginedfuturethatliesbeforeus.Yet,wecannotforgettheconsequencesof

Gatsby’sactions.Wecannotforgetthegravityofhisrisks.WecannotforgetthatDaisy

rejectedhim,thathelosthisdream,andthathisdeathwasmeaningless.

LikeIcarus,likeJayGatsby,weliveinaworldwherethereisatendencytowards

decay,whereweknowthatthefallisinevitable.Ultimately,itiseachindividual’schoiceof

howtheyactandreacttoaworldthatisindeedcharacterizedbyentropy.Whilenoone

wantstofalllikeGatsbyorIcarus,thereisanundeniablepoeticbeautytobothoftheir

ascentsandtotheliterarymeritintheirstories.Thefearlessleapthatbothtakeinthe

directionoftheirdreamsiscourageousandadmirableandmeaningful,butnotwithout

risk.Bothofthesecharacterscertainly“paidahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingle

dream”(Fitzgerald103),asweseeintheirsuddenanddevastatingdescents.However,itis

notenoughtosimplyseetheriseandfallofthesetwocharactersoracknowledgethe

writingprowessofFitzgeraldandOvid;ifwedonotlearnfromGatsbyandIcarus,the

storiesareuseless.Wemustconsidernotonlytheirplights,butalsotheworldinwhich

theylived.Weneedtolearntorecognizethelimitationsoftheworldweliveinandalsoto

strikeabalancebetweenhopeandrealism.Oncewehaveachievedthis,weneedtoteach

others.WeneedtokeepbothGatsbyandtheseancienttextsinourclassroomstoday.We

shouldnotmerelyutilizeTheGreatGatsbyasastructuralmodelforcreativewriting,asan

exampleoflanguagemanipulationandstyle,orasatimecapsulefromtheRoaring

Wiechmann 41

Twenties;norshouldweusetheIcarusmythaswayofexplainingFreytag’sPyramidor

simplycommenditsblendofhistoryandmyth.Insteadweneedtotakeahardlookatthe

themesandmessagesofbothaccounts.Weneedtotalkabouthope,loss,longing,dreams,

andfailure.WeneedtouseeverythingfromGreekmythtoTheGreatGatsbytoteach

literariness,andmoreimportantly,toteachlife.Sothatultimately,wemight“beaton,boats

againstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”(Fitzgerald115).

Wiechmann 42

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