Summary:
The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the `American Beauty' directed by Sam Mendes explores the concept of sacrifice as in many ways. The texts deal with sacrifice as not simply the destruction of something valued, but for a specific purpose and higher claim, where the gesture is carefully planned out, demonstrating a deep personal understanding by a character.
'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the 'American Beauty' directed by Sam Mendes explores the concept of sacrifice as in many ways. The texts deal with sacrifice as not simply the destruction of something valued, but for a specific purpose and higher claim, where the gesture is carefully planned out, demonstrating a deep personal understanding by a character. It also highlights the fact that the society that a person lives in can have a huge impact on the sacrifices one makes. The characters Daisy, Gatsby and Myrtle form 'The Great Gatsby' all show sacrifice and how their actions portray the corruption of the American Dream, while Carolyn, Lester and Angela from 'American Beauty' also shows sacrifices made by individuals as a result of their relationship with society.
As one of the main characters in 'The Great Gatsby', Daisy starts out in the novel representing all that seemed to be attractive and beautiful about America of the East in the 1920s. Descriptions of her were all associated with elegance, innocence and wealth. Fitzgerald used imagery such as "white... dresses rippling and fluttering" and "french windows, glowing and reflected gold" to control colours of the scenes which Daisy was in. The use of the colours white and gold suggested a symbolism of beauty, naivety, innocence and wealth, effective in portraying Daisy at the beginning of the novel. However as the story progresses, Nick and the reader discover her true side of self-centeredness and morally bankrupt personality. Daisy has left the values of the mid-West including honesty, integrity and meaningful human relationships of love and friendship for an image as she strives to be a certain picture in society's perspective of her. This is shown in Daisy's lack of responsibility in Myrtle's death, her contribution to the death of Gatsby, her total abandonment of Gatsby and refusal to call Nick in the end and attend his funeral. Daisy's relationship with society is to be superior to it and live the life of the upper class. Fitzgerald uses Daisy's actions, along with the images of purity and beauty at the beginning of the novel together, to create ironic contrast, effectively showing the corruption that Daisy is involved in. It also shows the corruption of the entire American Dream itself. In order to gain security of a wealthy husband and 'picture perfect' life, Daisy totally leaves behind and sacrifices her morals to become empty of dignity, respect and meaningful relationships. It tragically illustrates how the American Dream, although is meant to be about striving for that dream house, and perfect family, can then lead to the dropping of morals and values; conveying its complete corruption. Carolyn from 'American Beauty' can be compared to Daisy in the same way they both strive for an image to fit into society's idea of 'perfect'. Carolyn's relationship with society means she has to keep up a certain image. "My company sells an image. It's part of my job to live that image." Carolyn confuses happiness with success and finds herself sacrificing true love, joy and fulfillment in life. She clings on to things of material values and loses touch of real relationships and passion. In "This is a four thousand dollar sofa upholstered in Italian silk. It is not just a couch." Carolyn is portrayed as obsessive to material wealth as she notes the detail of the sofa. Although she seems to be a successful businesswoman who has everything under control at the beginning of the film, much like Daisy's 'innocent' portrayal the beginning of 'The Great Gatsby', she is in fact a collection of nerves and insecurities. Some characters see through Carolyn's fake, plastic smile, such as Angela stating, "what a phoney", likewise Lester knows her 'fakeness', describing her as a "bloodless, money grabbing freak." However, Carolyn remains in denial stating, "There's plenty of joy in my life." Both Daisy and Carolyn sacrifice true love and happiness to keep their superior images and relationship with society.
The character Gatsby, from 'The Great Gatsby" also portrays the notion of sacrifice as something that is influenced by society. The structure that Fitzgerald uses in the novel is effective in showing Gatsby's sacrifice as a result of his relationship with society. Nick begins by describing Gatsby as having "turned out all right in the end" and then the story progresses in a flashback approach to show how Nick came to this understanding. Gatsby is a mysterious, rich man who emerges with a doubtful financial and social background. The mystery that surrounds him creates many rumours and much gossip about him, such as scenes at one of his extravagant parties where people discuss Gatsby, stating, "Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once" or "he was a German spy." Fitzgerald places these rumours and understandings made by Nick the narrator, about the real Gatsby together, to create juxtaposition and remarkable contrast between the two descriptions. This contrast emphasises the 'greatness' of Gatsby and the careless rich who attend his parties and how they have no real concern for, who Gatsby is or what he does. Nick and the reader see past the rumours and observe Gatsby as a man with a pure and naïve dream. Gatsby is willing to sacrifice anything and everything for his old love Daisy and allows his life to completely revolve around her. Gatsby's obsession is hinted early on in the novel on Nick's real first note of him stating, "he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way... I could have sworn he was trembling." Gatsby permits himself to deal in illegal businesses to achieve his riches in hope of achieving worthiness of Daisy, dropping values of honesty and integrity, allows himself to become obsessive of her, offering to take the blame for her crimes and in the end sacrificing even his life for her. The need to fit into the image that society sees as perfect and also into what Daisy sees as perfect drives Gatsby to his obsessive sacrifices. Nick judges Gatsby as 'great' because of the truthfulness of his dream and the dignity it demonstrated. However, even though his dream was pure, it was an illusion as he "did not know that it was already behind him." While Gatsby sacrifices life for an image that society accepts, to keep up his relationship with society, as a rich and generous man who hosts regular parties, Lester from 'American Beauty' in a way, also sacrifices his life. Lester has been sacrificing his joy and happiness for an image that he does not want and when he realizes this he feels that he is "dead already." Lester sacrifices love and understanding, losing touch with his obsessive wife and confused daughter and sacrifices happiness in an occupation he detests. In the film, he is constantly filmed at a high angle shot portraying him as insignificant and a "gigantic loser." Lester seems to be simply an empty ghost, drifting around with no real substance, as he sacrifices all things with true meaning. His relationship with society allows him to be portrayed as an ordinary man in the middle class with a reasonably successful career and good family. However, under the surface he is a man trying to regain lost youth and lost meaning from his sacrifices just to be an image to society. Lester quits his original job and works at a fast food store and buys a Firebird, trying to recover his youth. It is only at the very end of the film when he is staring a photograph of his family that he truly realizes what he has and appreciates it, realizing that his sacrifices meant nothing compared to his beloved family, stating at his post-death "I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life..." Gatsby and Lester both sacrifice much of their lives as a result of their association with society and for objects of no real substance, eventually paying the price of it.
Another character Myrtle from 'The Great Gatsby', although is one of the more minor characters in the novel demonstrates the idea of sacrifice being a result of social pressures and society very effectively. She is a married woman from a low social class and her husband is not a wealthy man. Myrtle sacrifices principles of truth, honesty and integrity in her affair with Tom and seeks hopefully to the eventual marriage to him where she may have the material wealth she so longingly yearns for. However, Myrtle demonstrates false hope as Tom sees Myrtle as simply a possession. She is of no value to him and is simply another one of his many belongings. Myrtle's lack of knowledge of her false expectations leads her to foolishly sacrifice her marriage for nothing. Fitzgerald cleverly uses the symbolism of the dog collar to demonstrate this. Tom buys Myrtle a dog and an expensive dog collar of leather and braided silver, which she treasures very much. Myrtle had become infatuated with the dog collar, the same way she was infatuated with Tom and "She had it wrapped in tissue paper on her bureau." This is carefully juxtaposed by the expensive and excessive jewels that Tom buys for his wife Daisy. Myrtle is satisfied with just a dog collar while Tom gives Daisy gifts of vast value. Myrtle's hunger for the perfect life and American Dream to be rich, with a dream husband leads her to in the end sacrifice everything for nothing. The corruption established here is that Myrtle and her husband do not strive for the American Dream together in hope of a better life, but Myrtle sacrifices her marriage and morals to try to achieve the dream by dishonest methods. The desire to become the image of happiness, fulfillment and contentment in life, in the American Dream is replaced with the craving for money, material objects and an ideal social status; all concerned simply with greed. Myrtle's character portrays the miserable reality that the American Dream for the average person has become corrupt and people seem to want to take an easier route even if it may mean sacrificing love, true happiness and genuine meaning in life for an image that allows the continual infatuation with society's expectations and perspectives of what is the 'perfect' life. 'American Beauty' produces a character, who is also a more minor character in the film, Angela. Angela is an attractive girl, dresses fashionably and who holds herself as a young woman, but has much insecurity. She, like Myrtle sacrifices for an image of perfection. Angela sacrifices her youth. She tries to persuade Jane to tell her details of sex with Ricky and she does this because she is ignorant, despite the way she holds herself. Her insecurities are concealed behind boldness and pretence of experience. Ricky seems to see right through her stating, "you're totally ordinary. And you know it." triggering the one real thing that Angela fears; being ordinary. She weeps on the stars after this and later nearly sacrifices her virginity as she continues to strive for a false image. It is not until Lester sees her vulnerability and innocence that she stops living the image she wants to portray to society and becomes a child again. Myrtle and Angela fall into the illusion that by being an image and sacrificing morals or youth they can become society's accepted figure, keeping a relationship of perfection with society.
'The Great Gatsby' is a moving tale about true dreams and 'American Beauty' is a story about social pressures, but both texts deal with sacrifice. They examine how human beings can be willing to surrender anything in order to accomplish their dreams, and how that surrender is something that can be a carefully crafted act that gives the notion of sacrifice as something influence highly by society and ones relationship with it. Fitzgerald and Sam Mendes use their characters, events and the actions by the characters to fully explore the concept. Daisy, Gatsby and Myrtle are all used to reveal that sacrifice is not merely the ruin of something valued but carried out for a particular purpose and function, involving cautiously deliberate actions often as a result of the society in which they live in. Likewise, Carolyn, Lester and Angela demonstrate the connection between one's sacrifices and their relationship with society.
(J.T.)
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