Blindness is Not Greatness

Blindness is Not Greatness
    The 20th century was the “Golden Age” and the “Jazz Age” in America. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is considered as the most beautiful and sad in the Jazz age, but it reflects the true society in that age. The tragic plot and beautiful language make this mysterious and fascinating novel to be one of the best creations in the 20th century. However, the title itself is already controversial, is Gatsby great? The argument has never stopped. In Nick Carraway’s opinion as the narrator, he absolutely has fantastic personality. “Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name to this book, was exempt from my reaction---Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (Fitzgerald 2). He changes his name, goes to big city to find his dream. Five years after, he even gives up his life for his lost love. Is this dream worthy enough for Gatsby to give up everything? As a matter of fact, it is just a dream. He does not want to believe that it is just a dream. I would say that is his blindness rather than greatness.
    Five year ago, he had a brief but unforgettable love with Daisy. After him coming back, he still thinks that he can complete the incomplete love with Daisy even though she is already married. “‘I wouldn’t ask too much of her,’ I ventured. ‘You can’t repeat the past’ ‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can’ ” (Fitzgerald 110). He wants to repeat the past, in order to fill the blankness of past five years. “He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his head” (Fitzgerald 110). All he hopes is looking for the time, going back to five years ago, skipping the affliction of yearning. In other word, he is too obsessed with the past memory.
    According to some criticism, Gatsby chases too much, money, love, and the past time. However, he is just a man who immerses in his past memory. “He wanted nothing less...