A Psychoanalysis of Jay Gatsby
Notes:
Gatsby's shame -
- he is ashamed of his lower-class upbringing.
- From this shame, he creates a persona (joining the army etc.).
- This is not guilty because shame is more about one's self.
- Lavish displays of wealth and ostentation.
- Worry about how people see you
- the image of eyes.
Gatsby's grief -
- loss of Daisy and their engagement.
- time stops/people try to recapture lost time.
- Gatsby almost knocks the clock over on the mantelpiece after seeing Daisy for the first time in years.
- Perhaps this suggests that he wanted time to stop to live in that moment for longer.
- Obsessive over time and idealisation of Daisy (inability to see the flaws of her and their relationship).
- The more he tries, the further away Daisy becomes. He is stuck in time.
Outcomes:
This gave me a good overview of Jay Gatsby's character but also included some specific examples of imagery used in the text which I hadn't considered before. For example, the image of the eyes could reflect how Gatsby's shame led him to be self-conscious about how the public viewed him. Also, the idea of Gatsby knocking over the clock symbolises how he wants time to stop and how he is living in the past.
Further Research:
Find and analyse quotes on these two images (eyes and clock).
