Unraveling the Roots of Gatsby's Tragedy
The Great Gatsby, a masterpiece by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, tells the tragic tale of its protagonist, Gatsby, who, despite humble beginnings, strives diligently to acquire wealth in order to rekindle his obsession with Daisy, ultimately ending in failure and his untimely death. Our group delved into the reasons behind Gatsby's tragic fate, examining it from three perspectives: human fatalism, alienated social environment, and Gatsby's personal choice.
Philosopher Schelling once pointed out that any tragic art possesses a concealed necessity that exerts a certain intervention on human freedom, which also constitutes the foundation of tragic art. This concealed necessity essentially embodies the viewpoint of fatalism, a fate perspective that refers to an inevitable supernatural force. In turbulent social life, confronted with harsh external environments, humans may experience a sense of helplessness in controlling their destiny. This is akin to the protagonist Gatsby in "The Great Gatsby," whose tragic life can be traced back to a love rooted in the vast disparity of wealth. Gatsby's humble origins prevented him from retaining his love for Daisy.
If Gatsby had been a wealthy man at that time, his relationship with Daisy would not have ended prematurely, and Tom's emergence would not have posed an obstacle to their affection. Ultimately, Gatsby would not have fallen victim to the struggle between good and evil. Gatsby's impoverished background served as the inception of his tragic life, and his inability to choose or alter his origins was a matter of fate.
In the jazz era, hedonism was prevalent. At this time, the United States was very noisy and restless, and the bourgeoisie no longer held onto their ideals and beliefs. The ideas and concepts of the American Dream were all alienated and distorted. In this social environment, Gatsby's values and the American Dream were shattered as a result. Gatsby, who was originally kind, upright, and diligent, firmly believed that as long as he worked tirelessly, he could have an ideal life. However, in the face of reality, Daisy mercilessly hurt Gatsby. In order to pursue his true love, he participated in World War I and accumulated a large amount of wealth through illegal means to attract Daisy's attention, ultimately getting lost in the world of debauchery. Gatsby's originally positive image was gradually changed by the social environment in the United States, exacerbating his tragedy.
“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.”
—Joanne Kathleen Rowling
Though tragedies are profoundly affected by fatalism, it is indispensable to one’s choices. Therefore, in The Great Gatsby, the tragedy of Gatsby was both the result of his destiny and the outcome of his choice. Born poor, in that deteriorated society, different choices were bound to various endings.
Gatsby’s worst choice was Daisy. He wouldn’t give her up even if she had chosen Tom—a dissipated rich man. Gatsby’s blind pursuit came from his unreasonable choice. In his heart, his longest distance to Daisy was wealth. It was ridiculous that Gatsby didn’t even recognize that the biggest difference between them was the gap over classes, instead of wealth. Daisy would never betray her class for money. Gatsby thinks that his discrepancy to the upper class could be compensated through his effort. Therefore, it was his own choice that contributed to his tragedy.
The tragedy of Gatsby is undoubtedly the result of a combination of multiple factors. Regardless of the reasons, their lives have reached their conclusion, and the outcome of death cannot be altered. This does not signify the end of tragedy; rather, it calls for us to face it squarely and delve into its root causes.
In today's society, the worship of money is still popular , and some people have done a lot of things contrary to morality and laws in order to pursue fame and gain. However, people ought to remain kind, free and true self-esteem, and not stubbornly pursue unrealistic dreams, taking Gatsby's tragedy as a warning！
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