Trapped in a Dream in The Great GatsbyF. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, is unique in that Fitzgerald does not describe events in chronological order. Instead, a first-person narrator, Nick Carraway, presents the story as a series of flashbacks. The novel centers on the title character, Jay Gatsby, a wealthy citizen of West Egg known for his exuberant parties. Before leaving to fight in World War I, the Great Gatsby fell in love with Daisy Fay. She eagerly awaited her return to the United States, but when she arrived, Daisy had already married Tom Buchanan. As a result, Gatsby entered a dream world, in which he was convinced that he would win Daisy back. This dream soon became the center of his life and he did everything he could to make it a reality. This transition did not go as smoothly as Gatsby had hoped. The main conflict in The Great Gatsby arises from the struggle between Gatsby's dream of changing the past and the reality that hinders this desire. (Fitzgerald) Most of Gatsby's actions in the novel are aimed at regaining a romantic relationship with Daisy. If Gatsby had not maintained his love for Daisy, many of the events in the novel would not have happened. When Gatsby gives Daisy a tour of his mansion, he says, "If it weren't for the fog we could see your house across the bay. You always have a green light burning all night at the end of your dock." . (Fitzgerald, 94) This green light means a lot to Gatsby, because it represents Daisy to him. The green light is the most visible part of the Buchanan house from West Egg. Jordan Baker confirms that "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be right across the bay." (Fitzgerald, 79) The fact that Gatsb...... middle of paper...... Fiztgerald: Crisis in American Identity. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1979. Outline I. IntroductionII. ThesisA. Context and summary of the conflictB. Thesis statement III. Gatsby's dream of winning back Daisy and the pastA. Gatsby's mansion is directly across from DaisyB's green light. Trying to prove that he is financially worthy of herC. Organizing a meeting with DaisyIV. The connection to the present and to realityA. Nick1. "You can't repeat the past"2. Honesty and stability in the novelB. Tom1. Daisy is married to Tom2. He won't give Daisy upC. Once Gatsby loses Daisy, he loses his dream, so he is essentially deadV. ConclusionA. SummarizesB. Other issues in the novel relating to the past1. The degeneration of society2. The closing of the novel