Edenic Myth In The Great Gatsb Essay

, Research Paper

STARTING OVER AND HAVING IT ALL

The Edenic Myth in The Great Gatsby

Picture this: You are the director of a high budget feature film. You are in the process of filming a brilliant scene in which a man and a woman have just escaped from a near-death situation and have found themselves atop a mountain in the pouring rain, but alas, safe and out of harm’s way. In the midst of all the insanity, they realize that their attraction for each other is love at its finest, and as they prepare for a beautiful, passionate, Hollywood-style kiss, the treacherous storm clouds above them dissipate into a clear, star-filled sky strategically designed to intensify this glorious moment. They embrace, and they kiss. It is a long, fabulous kiss. Or, so they thought. When the kiss is complete, they stare into each other’s eyes, and from the sidelines we hear, “Cut!”

“What was wrong with that.” demands the leading man. “That was perfect!”

“Oh, no it wasn’t.” you reply. “There was nothing perfect about it. The rain stopped too early, the wind was blowing too hard, and the two of you just kissed like you’ve never met!”

“So, what do you want to do.” snaps the leading lady. “You want to do it again.”

“Yes, I do.” You answer. “And again, and again, and again. Until we get it right. I want this scene to be perfect!”

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if we could do things repeatedly until we were delighted with the results. Wouldn’t it be grand to stop at a certain point, evaluate what we have done thus far, decide what was not perfect, and subsequently perfect it. In reality, most of us are aware that this is simply not an option. Knowing that we cannot change what has already happened is perhaps a large reason why many of us feel regret as we get older. When reflecting on our lives, we tend to use phrases like, “If I could do it all over again, I would never ” or “If I knew then what I know now ” It is our own way of expressing the real truth: what’s done is done. One of the main characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby did not seem to have the capacity to make this realization. In fact, as we explore the Edenic Myth in this story, we will see that Jay Gatsby’s illusion of what should be was shattered once he tried to turn the fantasy into reality.

The Great Gatsby takes place during The Roaring Twenties, or the Jazz Age as Fitzgerald named it. It was a period when the most enjoyed pastimes were drinking (which was illegal at the time), dancing, promiscuity, and all around partying. It was a fabulous time. America was a rich country; there was plenty of everything to go around, including money. It was a romantic time; people were expressing themselves and experimenting sexually more than ever before. Social status was important to all. Parties with important, influential, rich people, and celebrities, were popular in many circles. For some, it was a time of deception.

The Edenic Myth is the notion that one could create the perfect place forever by starting over again. It is the idea that one could change history by negating the past. It would be much like creating a new Eden, a paradise where Adam and Eve lived before they ate the forbidden fruit. Jay Gatsby thought he could erase certain events in his past – the negative elements – allowing him to start over with only those things that would make him virtuous and give him ultimate happiness. In Jay Gatsby’s case, ultimate happiness would be the reunion between him and Daisy Buchanan.

Jay and Daisy met five years prior while he was a soldier in the army, and enjoyed a short-lived fiery romance. They fell in love almost immediately, but he knew that there would never be a place for him in her life. He did not share the economic or family background with Daisy that would enable him to be an appropriate suitor. Daisy’s family had enjoyed the richness of wealth for many generations, but Jay Gatsby’s family were poor farmers who could barely earn a living. However, this did not stop Jay from vowing to himself that he would change the course of his life, become rich, and somehow win Daisy’s love. Jay was also leaving to go overseas shortly after they met, so their interlude would be brief anyway. Daisy did not want him to go, but knew she had no other options. Nevertheless, they never forgot each other. In fact, Jay Gatsby’s love for Daisy Buchanan was so strong that he would spend the next five years of his life planning their reunion; planning for the day when the two of them would meet again. This time, however, he would be welcomed into her family with open arms. So, the process of re-creating himself began.

It is never quite clear how Jay earned all of his money. We do know that he became a millionaire, but we are strongly led to believe that his earnings were obtained by illegal means. Sadly enough, Daisy Buchanan and her social class were so important to Jay that he forfeited his pride and his morals in order to be rich. It did not seem to affect him as it would a more respectable person because he was blinded by his love for Daisy. Now that he was rich, he certainly couldn’t tell anyone where the money came from, so he would have to create a story that would explain this wealth. The story Jay told was that he was the son of some wealthy people in the middle-west who were all dead. He therefore inherited their millions. The lie