Great Gatsby And Citizen Kane Essay Example For Students

Great Gatsby And Citizen Kane Essay The United States of America is the most powerful, wealthy, and attractivecountry in the world. The varieties of class, individuality, religion, and raceare a few of the enrichments within the melting pot of our society. The blend of these numerous diversities is the crucial ingredient to our modernnation. Even though America has been formed upon these diversities, itsinhabitants- the average American- have a single thing in common; asingle idea; a single goal; the American Dream. The Dream consists of aseemingly simple concept; success. Americans dream of a successful marriage,family, successful job, and own a Victorian-style home with a white picket fenceand an oak tree with a swing tire in the front yard. The accessories add to thepackage according to the individuality of the American Dream. And, perhaps alongwith the melting pot includes the entangled extremes of eachAmericans dream; the degree of the Dream is now ambiguous in terms ofboundaries. Perhaps the American Dream varies for the individual as theindividual varies. Charles Foster Kane possessed everything the materialisticman could hope for. Kane had more money than he could count, power, a successfuljob, women at the crook of his arm, an d expensive possessions some men would goto the extremes to have. Yet, Charles constantly had a vast void within him. Themost important element Kane lacked was the single thing he couldnt have; thatwas love. You wont get lonely, Charles Youll be the richest man inthe world someday. Kanes mother and father try to use the image of moneyas collateral for giving him up. Charles experienced a great deal of loss in hisearly childhood. The traumatizing emotions of insecurity and disposition causedby his moving away from home are the roots of Charles agonizing yearn to beloved. Sadly, Charles didnt have a long bond from his mother, but he loved her;Charles mother never loved her son. Ive had his trunk packed for a weeknow. Charles mother had his trunk ready ahead of time in anxiousness forhim to leave. She signed the contracts without any hesitation and showed nosigns of emotion in her stone face. Charles unreturned love creates a sense offear and hesitation to love something, only to exper ience abandonment again. Ironically, even though Charles becomes the richest man in theworld, he also becomes the loneliest man in the world; despite all hispossessions, power, and potential, Charles didnt posses the single element thatbecame vital to his self-worth; love Inevitably, Charles foster Kane becomes therich man everyone predicted he would be. In responses to the letter sent toCharles offering numerous businesses to own, he writes his disinterest in all ofthe sure-money businesses except the New York Inquirer. Ithink it would be fun to run a newspaper. Charles absence of seriousnessin the awareness of the gross profit conveys his carelessness about money. Instead of running a mining company and gaining a definite profit, he chooses torun the Inquirer because it would be fun. Charles conveys hiscarefree emotions about his money and concentrates more on his own personalenjoyment. At a million dollars a year, Ill have to retire in sixtyyears. Charles snickers at the rate of his money loss and again he showsno interest in his mass money, his only interest is in keeping himself busy andhappy (something he cannot maintain). So were bust. Just give me thepaper so I can sign it and go home. Even after learning that the Inquirerhad to be shut down because of lack of money, Charles signs the paper as if itsonly value was his ticket home. Throughout the reporters interview with Mr. Bernstein, many clues to the Rosebud mystery were revealed but neverdeciphered. Maybe this Rosebud maybe its something he lost. Mr. Kanewas a man who lost almost everything. In addition to Mr. Bernsteinsstatement, Charles Foster Kane was a man who had everything- according toby-standers- but at the same time, he had nothing- according to close relations. Charles Foster Kane possessed everything, materialistically, ones heartdesires. But, in a different aspect, Charles Foster Kane had nothing. Hemarried for love. Thats why he did everything. Thats all he ever really wantedwas love. He just didnt have any to give. Love; the single thing Charleswanted, and needed, but could never grasp because he was incapable of lovingsomeone else. In his battle to be elected governor, Kanes primary campaign ideawas formed to benefit the underpaid and the underprivileged. His efforts tobenefit the lower-class citizens seem to create of compensate for his earlychildhood deprivations. Kane, unadmittedly, wants to help the lower-classfamilies so his own experiences do not have to be endured by the children ofthese families. Also during the running for office, Emily Kane(Charles firstwife) confronts Charles mistress. Surprisingly, Charles infuriated competitorwas awaiting his arrival. But the voters of this state Charleshas become more interested in the de votion of the people of New York than hiswife, son, and friends. Charles chose to stick by the people of New York insteadof his wife and son because the vast populous lead to more love for Charles. Modernity and Nietzche EssayMuch like Charles Kane, love is the only element that could fill the lingeringemptiness withing their souls. Gatsby bought that house so that Daisywould be just across the bay. Gatsbys infatuation with Daisy grows intoperspective as we learn that he bought his mansion purely to be within sightsdistance of his love. Gatsby would look at the green light at the end of Daisysdock every night as if it were her. If it wasnt for the mist, we couldsee your home across the bay. You always have a green light that burns all nightat the end of your dock. The burning green light symbolizes Gatsbysburning desire for Daisy, but the mist of reality blocks his view. The light isjust out of Gatsbys vision, as if Daisy were just out of his grasp. Daisy, muchlike Susan Alexander, always convinced herself that she knew what she reallywanted out of life. Daisy, being married to Tom Buchanan, had more than enoughmoney and all the luxuries anyone could imagine, but she seemed d iscontent withwhat she had. Unhappy, Daisy ventures to try and find something she doesntshare with Tom; love. In her search, she realizes that Gatsby could fulfill heremotional emptiness. Daisys face was smeared with tears and when I camein Gatsby was literally glowing. Realizing Gatsbys feelings, Daisycried for joy, and perhaps she also cries out of sadness, for she alwayssubliminally knew she could never be with Jay. As Daisy gains more of JayGatsbys affection, he marriage becomes unstable, and scared to lose hermaterialistic things in life, she turns back to Tom. Daisy knows she cannot haveboth. Even though her marriage with Tom does not consist of love, it is stable. Daisy, conscious of this stability, stays with what she feels secure, ignoringthe bond she has formed with Jay. Similar to Susan Alexander, when DaisyBuchanan finally achieves what she thought she needed in her life, she returnsto what she had before. But for Daisy, she returned to aristocracy and Susanreturned to a more subtle, ordinary lifestyle where she could blend with societyas Susan Alexander, not as an aristocrat. Along with the ingredients of themelting pot are the jumbled ideas of the American Dream. Is thereonly one Dream? Perhaps it is simply happiness. No matter if its money, love,security or a palace, a snow sled, or a green light, whatever it may be thatfills the blank space in your heart, the Dream will create a sense of absolutecontentment within yourself. As for some of us, simple, unconditional things canfill those blanks, and for others, possessions may occupy them, but theunbounded span of the Dream includes the unbounded span of the individualAmerican.