The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay Example for Free

The Great Gatsby and the American Dream Essay As Lenny Wilkens explains, the American Dream is not an inevitable realization. There is no certainty that one can obtain their American Dream. One must work hard and be dedicated in order to achieve it. However, this dream is sometimes out of reach and impossible to obtain. For example, during the 1920’s many individuals pursued the dream of becoming rich and prosperous. Then, in the early 1930’s the Great Depression hit America and their hopes were destroyed by a dwindling economy. F. Scott Fitzgerald presents the same idea of an unattainable dream in the novel, The Great Gatsby. One of the main characters, Jay Gatsby, falls in love with Daisy, but he is unable to stay with her because he is poor. He devotes his life to fulfilling his American Dream of marrying her and living the rest of his life with her. However, he cannot see that Daisy has moved on with her life without him. Through the use of episode, character and symbol in the novel, we can see that Gatsby pursues his American Dream, determined that he will achieve it, however, oblivious to the fact that it is unattainable. During the episode when Nick explains Gatsby’s early encounters with Daisy, we can see that Gatsby is lured into the illusion that he can be with Daisy, but he doesn’t see that his dream is not possible. When Gatsby first meets Daisy, he puts on a persona that allows him to temporarily be with her: â€Å"However glorious might be his future as Jay Gatsby, he was at present a penniless young man without a past, and at any moment the invisible cloak of his uniform might slip from his shoulders†¦ eventually he took Daisy one still October night, took her because he had no real right to touch her hand† (156). Because of Gatsby’s social status, he does not belong with Daisy. However, he is so obsessed with the idea of being with her that he lies to her and shows that he is a wealthy person. He thinks that he can become wealthy enough in the future and earn the right to marry her. However, this accomplishment would take far too long for Daisy to wait for him. When Gatsby is a young man, he realizes that he cannot be with Daisy at the moment because of his social status: â€Å"He found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail†¦ She vanished into her rich house, into herrich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing. He felt married to her, that was all† (156-157). Gatsby realizes that it is impossible to be with Daisy while he is poor, so he commits himself to obtaining material possessions to impress her and get her to love him again. What he cannot understand is that Daisy does not feel the same way about him as he does about her. Gatsby creates an illusion that she will wait for him until he is worthy of her social status, but his illusion is misleading. Daisy cannot wait for Gatsby because she wants to move on with her life: â€Å"She wanted her life shaped now, immediately—and the decision must be made by some force—of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality—that was close at hand† (159). After Gatsby left for the war and did not see Daisy for a long time, his love for her was still strong. However, her ephemeral love for him could not last. Daisy believed that she should find someone who could love and support her. She did not wait for Gatsby because she needed to find someone and move on with her life. Gatsby cannot come to the realization that he had lost her in the gap of their social statuses. Therefore, he dedicates himself to an unattainable American dream. Through the episode explaining Gatsby’s initial interactions with Daisy, the novel shows that a person can be lured into following the ghost of an American dream. The character Jay Gatsby is determined to achieve his dream of marrying Daisy, but he is unable to see that this dream cannot be reached. Nick, the narrator of the novel, explains that Gatsby has a significant quality of pursuing his dreams: â€Å" If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away† (6). Gatsby has the quality of determination to get what he wants. His dream of marrying Daisy seems like a promise of life to him and he expects it to come true . Although this dream is very distant, Gatsby has no doubt that he will succeed in achieving it. When Gatsby meets up with Daisy for the first time in years, he becomes very nervous and acts in a different manner: â€Å"Gatsby, pale as death, with his hands plunged like weights in his coat pockets, was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my eyes† (91). When Gatsby is finally face to face with his ultimate dream, he does not want to mess up the situation. Daisy is very important to him and he has a lot of pressure on him to impress her. He is overwhelmed by this pressure and seems to be very uncomfortable with the fact that he might lose his dream. Nick explains that Gatsby’s dream is one built on immoral grounds: â€Å"It is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men† (6-7). Gatsby is so obsessed with being with Daisy that he cannot understand that what he is trying to accomplish is both immoral and selfish. By seeking Daisy’s love, he is trying to end Tom and Daisy’s marriage. His desire to be with Daisy creates an illusion in his mind that Daisy had never loved Tom and had only loved him, but he cannot see that this is not the case. He doesn’t understand that Daisy had moved on without him and that his dream cannot come true. Through the use of the character, Jay Gatsby, the novel exemplifies the fact that the American dream is sometimes out of reach. In the novel, a green light at the end of Daisy’s dock symbolizes the unreachable dream for Jay Gatsby. Nick sees Gatsby standing at the edge of the water, gazing toward Daisy’s house: â€Å"He gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone—he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily, I glanced seaward—and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away† (25-26). Gatsby views this green light as a representation of Daisy and the future. Its presence alone gives Gatsby hope that one day he will achieve his dream. However, this light is far away, across an entire lake, representing Gatsby’s inability to fulfill his desired future. After Gatsby discusses the green light with Daisy, he believes that his dream is not so far after all: â€Å"Daisy put her arm through his abruptly but he seemed to absorb what he had just said. Possibly it had occurred to him that the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever† (98). Gatsby and Daisy meet up for the first time and tour his mansion. Daisy seems impressed, but Gatsby views her reaction as more significant than it actually is. Now that Gatsby thinks that his dream is becoming real, he views the green light differently. To Gatsby, it no longer symbolizes the fact that Daisy is far away. In this manner, Gatsby is lured into believing that his dream is obtainable. Nick explains that the green light signified hope for Gatsby, but he didn’t realize that this hope was false: I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did not know that it was already behind him†¦ Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us†¦ So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past (189). The green light was a guiding force for Gatsby in that it would remind him of the great future that he thought he could have. He had worked so hard to obtain his dream, but his future was not certain, like he believed it was. Nick explains that Gatsby was never moving toward the future, but he was always stuck in the dissatisfaction of the past. The green light is a symbol of Gatsby’s impractical American dream; despite his overwhelming desire to be with Daisy, Gatsby’s dream cannot be reached. Jay Gatsby, through his obsession with Daisy, creates an illusion that Daisy had always loved him and wanted to be with him. He becomes tempted to pursue his dream of being with Daisy, but he is oblivious to the fact that she does not share the same goal. While she moves on with her life, Gatsby is stuck trying to solve the problems of his past. He follows a dream that was never possible to achieve. Although Gatsby is determined to fulfill his dream and dedicates himself to it, his dream is impossible. Gatsby is ultimately lured into pursing an unattainable American dream, one that leaves him lost in the past.

Aztec Civilization Essay -- essays research papers

The Aztec Indians created a great civilization in Central Mexico, reaching its peak in the 1500’s. Being late arrivals to the area, and because of their strong neighboring nations, they were forced to live in the swampy western areas of the Lake Texcoco. Because of the swampy surroundings, the Aztecs used mud to create miniature islands in the swamps. These islands are called chinampas, or “floating gardens,'; and were used as farming lands. On these fertile islands they grew corn, squash, vegetables, and flowers. Being an agriculturally dependant empire, the Aztec’s religion was based highly on the forces of nature and worshipped them as gods. The god of war, Huitzilopochtli, was the most important deity. They had many other important gods, such as Tlaloc, the god of rain, Quetzalcoatl, the god of wind and of learning, and Tenochtitlan, the sun god. The Aztecs believed in order to appease these and many other gods that they needed to perform human sacrifices. The main purpose of the great Aztec pyramids was, in fact, human sacrifices. They also believed that there were “lucky'; and “unlucky'; days for baptism and to declare war on, which were decided by a priest. Most art and architecture in the Aztec civilization was based on their religion. There are many brightly colored murals and paintings on walls and on bark which depict religious ceremonies, along with large idols of gods. One of the most amazing and famous of the...

Linkage Of Art History And Information Technology Essay

Art History at first glance has nothing in connection to Information Technology and so Information Technology has no link in the discipline of history art. I, myself, had not thought that these two entirely different academic discipline have something in common to share even they are quite different from each other. I will begin this paper by giving definitions of these two fields of study. Art history refers to the academic discipline covering the study of history, visual arts, which is study the development of painting, and sculpture arts, humanistic discipline, humanities and liberal arts which are studies to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills. Categorizing changes in art through time and better understand how art shapes is what art history endeavors. In addition, art history also covers the outlooks and creative impulses of the artists. It covers all kind of arts that is extending from the megaliths of Western Europe that the best example of which is the Stonehenge in Britain to the paintings of the Tang dynasty in China. On the other hand, although information technology is hard to define because it is a wide based term and encompasses many areas and I have read many definitions of it, I chose the Information Technology Association of America’s or ITAA’s definition in which they defined information technology as the study, design, development, implementation support and management of any computer based information systems. Visual arts, as I mentioned in the definition of art history above, is covered by the discipline of art history. In connection, visual arts, which language is visual, helps develop the skills and knowledge of people to interpret visual arts using visual languages. The importance of said skill and knowledge that are developed by taking the academic discipline of art history is that you have the ability to dig out meaning from visual environment thus in return coincides with the skill you have learned in information technology. This may sounds illogical but if you think deeper, you will say it is indeed reasonable to claim that there is a linkage between art history and information technology. Just for example are works of architects, film editors, and insurance assessors. In everyday of their lives, they are using their knowledge and skills in information technology and therefore, the skills in extracting meaning from visual environment will surely come to the rescue to help them to be successful on what they are doing. Thus, I reiterate once again that art history has a connection to information technology because both   mentioned skills above, which are skill in using computer database and skill in extracting meaning from visual environment, are both needed in the realm of those jobs. These kinds of job require skill in the scrutiny of visual data, and to build connections and depict incongruent elements together to make a coherent whole. Because art history is actually about engaging people’s imagination, communicating ideas and bringing out emotions and feelings by means of carefully arranged visual cues, it aids information technology in some sense like what I have mentioned above about the aid art history gives in the realm of works of the architects and many others. Other good examples of this are the people who work in advertising agencies, theater, fashion and all other areas of design. These people are in need to fully comprehend and appreciate the manipulation of visual information. Thus, given those examples, studying art history indeed helps broaden and developed a person’s natural ability to create and communicate meaning from almost any visual environment.   Tackling on the other aspects, because art history studies the so-called ‘work of art’ and its other aspects, it is important to note that these works of arts can contain many themes or any themes which can be about many thing or any thing under the sun, and technology is not an exemption for that. There are many people, nowadays, that choose jobs in which they can be called programmers, systems analysts, network service providers, webmasters, information industry moguls and directors of academic computing because this age demands us so. It is true to consider that information and computer literacy, are priceless technical skills but it is also important to bear in our minds that information literacy is a new liberal art. The coverage of knowing how to use the computers and access information to critical reflection of nature of information itself and, its technical infrastructure is also covered by the information literacy and technology. Social, philosophical and even cultural context to the mental framework of educated information-age citizen as the trivium of basic liberal arts, such as grammar, logic and rhetoric, are also essential and are parts of information literacy and technology. Also, it was hoped, because of the facts that not all information can be found in internet, one should know something about its major cultural landmarks. It is also important to consider that one should know the literary monuments of secular, humanistic culture from Shakespeare through his modern novel. All in all, history arts and information technology though they are two different fields of study have a good linkage in one another to further help building the triumph of mankind in acquiring knowledge and skills. References Definition of Information Technology. Ezine Articles. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://ezinearticles.com/?Definition-of-Information-Technology&id=1109986 Department of Art History, Sweet Briar College.1998 February 8.What is Art†¦?†¦What is An Artist?. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.arthistory.sbc.edu/artartists/artartists.html De Sousa, Mike. The Column. The Purpose of Art. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.ablestable.com/resources/library/thecolumn/2005/027.htm Graduate Careers. Art History.Retrieved July 23, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.graduatecareers.com.au/content/view/full/183 Malibu Arts Journal. Art: An Elusive Term. Retrieved July 22, 2008, from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.malibuartsjournal.com/art/art.html Shapiro, Jeremy J. and Hughes,Shelley K. Hughes (1996). Information Literacy as a Liberal Art. Educom Review Volume 31, Number 2. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from http://net.educause.edu/apps/er/review/reviewArticles/31231.html

Mcdonald vs Burger King Compare and Contrast Essay

Outline I) Intro/Hook Thesis Statement: Although McDonald’s and Burger King are similar; they have evident differences in their advertising models, food and their commitment with the community. II) *Topic sentence 1: McDonald’s and Burger King invest a lot of money in their advertisements. A) Evidence #1: Golden arches, Ronald McDonald, Big Mac, extra cheese and the guy who promote Burger King. III) *Topic sentence 2: Their food seems to be the same, but it isn’t. A) Evidence #1: McDonald’s hamburger weighs less than Burger King’s.B) Evidence #2: Burger King’s beef are 100% pure and they flame-boils their burgers, while McDonald’s fries their beef. C) Evidence #3: McDonald’s cost slightly less than Burger King. IV) *Topic Sentence 3: Their commitment with the community is different. A) Evidence #1: McDonald’s has House Charities and they give away millions of dollars in scholarship, while Burger King’s commitment i s to provide good service and products to their clients. V) Conclusion McDonald's vs. Burger King â€Å"We see things not as they are, but as we are conditioned to see them† –Gandalf. Far from what we imagined, McDonald's and Burger King have huge differences.Most people perceive them just as the same fast food restaurant with different names. For this reason, â€Å"they create debates on which one of them is the superior restaurant† (Jeffrey’s blog, 2012, BK vs MC). Although, they have similarities, their differences become undeniable when we analyze deeply their advertising models, their food and their commitment to the community. An advertising model is the set of techniques that the companies use to call public attention to their products. Two of the best fast food restaurants in the world, McDonald’s and Burger King, invest a lot of money n their advertisements. Despite this, it’s quite remarkable that McDonald’s is smarter. When ever we hear golden arches, Ronald McDonald, Big Mac, or extra cheese we think about McDonalds. In contrast, what do we think about when we hear Burger King? Maybe some guy that appear in their commercials, but besides that, there is nothing startling about the advertising their use. Their food seems to be the same, but it isn’t. On one hand, McDonald’s hamburger weighs less and has only 9g of total fat, while Burger King’s hamburger has 12g and they have a saltier taste.On the other hand, Burger King’s beef are 100% pure and they flame-boils their burgers, while McDonald’s fries their beef. That’s why they taste different. Concern at cost, McDonald’s simple burger is lower at $0. 89 while Burger King’s has their simple burger at $0. 99. Their commitment to the community is also different. McDonald’s has House Charities since 1974, where they help thousands of parents stay by their sick children’s side. In additio n, they give away millions of dollars in scholarship to help people who can’t afford college. On the other hand, Burger King’s has some scholar program, which help poor families.However, their strong commitment is to provide good service and products to their clients and to make every Burger King restaurant a place where people love to go everyday. Even though McDonald’s and Burger King are really similar, they are also really different. They both try to have good advertising but McDonald’s is, most of the time, ahead. Their food seems to have the same condiments, but again, they are far away to be the same. They appear as the two most famous fast food restaurants around the world, but each one of them has their own techniques and secrets to be outstanding.McDonald’s, besides the service they offer, they help the community, and Burger King’s restaurants are commitment to be the best with their clients. Yes, they are fast food chains, they ar e famous, they are similar; but they also have huge differences in their food, advertisement, and the way they help the community. Reference: – (Jeffrey’s blog, 2012, BK vs MC). http://sites. cdnis. edu. hk/students/043135/2012/01/24/burger-king-vs-mcdonalds/ – http://www. burgerlad. com/2013/01/mcdonalds-limited-edition-big-tasty_4872. html – http://www. thesaleslion. com/reasons-mcdonalds-crushes-beats-burger-king-year/

Evolution of the processor unit essays

Evolution of the processor unit essays Only once in a lifetime will a new invention come about to touch every aspect of our lives. Such a device that changes the way we work, live, and play is a special one, indeed. The Microprocessor has been around since 1971 years, but in the last few years it has changed the American calculators to video games and computers (Givone 1). Many microprocessors have been manufactured for all sorts of products; some have succeeded and some have not. This paper will discuss the evolution and history of the most prominent 16 and 32 bit microprocessors in the microcomputer and how they are similar to and different from each other. Because microprocessors are a subject that most people cannot relate to and do not know much about, this paragraph will introduce some of the terms that will be in- volved in the subsequent paragraphs. Throughout the paper the 16-bit and 32-bit mi- croprocessors are compared and contrasted. The number 16 in the 16-bit microproces- sor refers how many registers there are or how much storage is available for the mi- croprocessor (Aumiaux, 3). The microprocessor has a memory address such as A16, and at this address the specific commands to the microprocessor are stored in the memory of the computer (Aumiaux, 3). So with the 16-bit microprocessor there are 576 places to store data. With the 32-bit microprocessor there are twice as many places to store data making the microprocessor faster. Another common term which is mentioned frequently in the paper is the oscil- lator or the time at which the processors clock ticks. The oscillator is the pace maker for the microprocessor which tells what frequency the microprocessor can proc- ess information, this value is measured in Mega-hertz or MHz. A nanosecond is a measurement of time in a processor, or a billionth of a second. This is used to measure the time it takes for...

The Definition of Subject Matter for Inventions and Patents

The Definition of Subject Matter for Inventions and Patents Definition: Subject matter is what something is about. In artwork, the subject matter would be what the artist has chosen to paint, draw or sculpt. In patent law, the subject matter would be the technical content of a patent or patent application found in the description, claims, and drawings. In other words, the subject matter is what the inventor has chosen to invent, and in a patent application, the inventor must reveal the subject matter (invention) in a way dictated by law. Examples: Example 1 The specification must conclude with a claim particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention or discovery. Example 2 The distinction between patentable and unpatentable subject matter continues to be a topic of debate among software developers, academics, lawyers, and USPTO examiners. Example 3 The patented subject matter and additional subject matter still pending in the US and foreign patent offices includes claims to methods and devices for delivering medicinal substances to the interior of cells in various body tissues

Story Conflicts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Story Conflicts - Essay Example As a result, she becomes fat, and no body knows why. This shows her concern about society, but she does not want to compromise with her desires. Listening her mother and eating little in public shows her concern about what people think of her. She hates seeing her relatives' reaction when they talk to her. She wishes to be liked by everyone. But usually, when she is alone, desire to eat takes her over and she eat the things which results in increase in fat. At her school she meets a girl, who helps her to reduce her weight. After tremendous struggle with her hunger and dieting, she achieves thin body. Now everyone likes her and she get married. When she becomes pregnant, her hunger takes over, and she starts eating secretly again. After child's birth also she continues eating lot and again become fat as before. This proves that a person may change their thinking for little time, but soon comes back to original life. She maintained her dieting for some years but soon came back to the life of lie, showing one thing and doing something else. She is self centered woman. She never felt any responsibility towards her parents, and now also she is not listening to her husband, who loves her a lot. She does not like to stay with people who interrupt her in doing what she wants, whoever they are. Other story is about a soldier, who returns home years after the war over. His situation is totally different from girl in previous story. After returning back, he compares every situation at hometown with that before going for war. The entire Situation is same except now he dislike many things amongst them. Previously he used to lie about his life at war. He used to attribute himself to the things other had gone through. Previously he used to say or do any thing to please girls, but now he thinks it is not worth saying lie anymore. He feels that he lost every thing, and him self. And this is because of lies he said to everyone. "Krebs acquired the nausea in regard to experience that is the result of untruth or exaggeration, and when he occasionally met another man who had really been a soldier and the talked a few minutes in the dressing room at a dance he fell into the easy pose of the old soldier among other soldiers: that he had been badly, sickeningly frightened all the time. In this way he lost everything." Now he wants simple and straightforward life without any type of complications. Now he wants truth in his life. He wish to get rid of the entire situation created because his untruth and exaggeration about his life and war. Now he does not want any consequences. He believes that things can get good again if he start things what are worth doing. His parents want him to set his aim and settle down to work. His sister wants him to participate in her daily activities. Unlike previous, now he wants to satisfy his parent's and sister's expectation and become good son and brother. Conclusion These two