A Free Example Essay On The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is a brilliant book and the subject of many essays. However, a Great Gatsby essay is more than a synopsis of the book, but it should dive into intricate details or hidden messages that are present in the text. This means that there are a lot of The Great Gatsby topics to write about. Below you will find an example.

The Spirituality In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby is irrefutably one of the greatest books ever written. F. Scott Fitzgerald tackled several themes in the book, including that of spirituality. Although the attack is a subtle one, the message is heard loud and clear simply by reading between the lines. The storyline is one of pleasure, riches, parties, and fun intertwined with murder, law breaking, and a broken heart. It is about someone pretending to be something on the outside that they aren’t on the inside, and how suffering from a broken heart in near silence can influence every aspect of a life.

There are several elements throughout the book that challenge the morality of the characters. In the beginning, Nick makes it obvious he is setting himself up to be an honorable man. Those he interacts with throughout the book offer up an explanation as to why this is important to him. You have Tom Buchanan’s affair, his wife’s acceptance of it, his wife’s affection for Gatsby because of their past, Gatsby’s indulgence in his lifestyle, Gatsby’s intentions behind becoming who he has become, and the seven deadly sins.

Every single one of the seven deadly sins are present throughout the book. You have sloth, wrath, pride, envy, lust, and gluttony. This is where the spirituality comes into play because of the struggles that surround these sins. Not a single character, including Nick, is free from these vices. While these sins are present, there is one cardinal virtue that rears its head again and again and that’s Gatsby’s hope. Gatsby has more hope than all the characters in the book put together. He hopes through his heartbreak, but it can’t save him in the end.

It is in the end when the most questionable act of integrity occurs, which is when Daisy runs down the object of her husband’s affections without stopping the car. This is what leads to Gatsby’s demise because it was his car, but the deed was Daisy’s sin and he paid for it at the hands of the victim’s husband. Next to this is the lack of mourners at Gatsby’s funeral. The only one there was Nick. It showed that all the people at Gatsby’s parties were only there because of the music, wine, and the good time. They didn’t care about him at all despite what he gave them. From a religious standpoint, this goes hand in hand with how man sometimes regards God.

In conclusion, Fitzgerald presents a controversial world in which values have gone out the door. He isn’t relaying a Christian message, but instead encourages the reader to look at their own lives. This simple assessment leads to a more spiritual personal experience, and a desire to see exactly where society stands and where it is headed.