Significant Connections

Lies. In our world, they’re practically everywhere. Dishonest politicians, distorted advertisements, depiction in news. Many parts of our world could be considered fiction, considering how many lies they’re based on. Due to this, many people lose themselves trying to achieve it. It happens that F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote about this experience in many of his works. The ones I will be focusing on are the short story “Diamonds as Big as The Ritz”, the novel “The Great Gatsby”, the film adaption of his short story “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, and another short story “Winter Dreams”. In all of these stories, Fitzgerald explores this theme. The Washingtons, and their mansion, Jay Gatsby,  Benjamin Button, and Dexter Green and his relationship with Judy Jones. In all of these cases, an illusion is explicitly shown, and the resulting display of reality. Characters in these stories try avoid reality in pursuit of this fabrication, but the truth catches up eventually, leading to their downfall.

“Diamonds as Big as The Ritz” has the most literal name out of all the texts, as there is indeed, a diamond as big as The Ritz. All their wealth is based off it, despite the fact that because of it, diamonds wouldn’t have value anymore. Because of their fake wealth, they were able to buy a “Garden of Eden”, but there’s a catch. Not only do visitors never get to leave alive, but the way it’s described in the book only highlights it’s fakeness. “The Montana sunset lay between the mountains like a giant bruise from which darkened arteries spread across a poisoned sky.”. The use of the words “bruise”, “darkened”, “poisoned”, all have negative connotations, and it’s a subtle clue in to how this “Garden of Eden” is lying. The Washingtons are fake, and Braddock takes considerable effort in trying to hide this. In the end, John, Kismine, and Jasmine are the only survivors of the attack. The illusions of the Washingtons crumbled with the house. It’s hard to feel bad however, as they didn’t actually deserve any of it. The Washington’s lied their way into it, by hiding the reality of the diamond just to gain wealth. Fitzgerald draws this in contrast to other rich people who live on a lie. He shows that it’s fake and they do not deserve it. Just like the Washington’s, it will all come crumbling down eventually.

Jay Gatsby. One of the most infamous characters, despite that not even being his real name. His whole “Gatsby” persona was made up. Like the Washington’s, he made his wealth in an unsavoury way. He does so much to put on a convincing display, as Nick notices “He chose his words carefully,”. His house is carefully constructed like a stage background, “This guy’s a regular Belasco!”, Owl Eyes remarks. Even the main colour associated with him, yellow, acts like something it’s not, trying to blend with the gold of the rich. “Jay Gatsby” is James Gatz’s illusion. We watch his desperate attempts fully to achieve his dream. A perfect life with Daisy. But no one’s perfect. Over the 5 years, she’s changed, and he cannot comprehend the fact that his dream might not be possible. For this, the author is demonstrating the dangers of an illusion, of believing in a dream. He shows the things you’ll do, and the commitments you’ll make, all for nothing. If you try too hard to obtain a lie, you’ll end up like Gatsby, alone, with nothing to show for his life.

Benjamin Button stands out as an oddball for one main reason, and that’s the fantasy element present. Benjamin ages backwards. Because of this, his life mirrors Daisy Fuller’s. Throughout the story we see them age opposite to each other, but, for a brief moment, they can connect. In this moment, we see the promise of what the relationship could’ve been. But, time catches up. “She realized none of us is perfect forever.” Daisy knows that the illusion isn’t going to last. After Benjamin and Daisy break up, the only time they’re seen together is when Daisy is taking care of him as a baby. Despite being together, they can’t connect in the way they used to. “You realize what’s changed, is you.” They both have changed. Of course, this isn’t realistic. But this story isn’t about that. It’s about how even if you achieve your dream, it’s short lived. Benjamin wanted a life with Daisy, but knew deep down it could never last. The relationship was an illusion to cover up the upcoming harsh truth. That’s what Fitzgerald wanted to say.

Out of my list, the two stories most alike are “The Great Gatsby” and “Winter Dreams”. Both show the story of a male character, desperate to pursue a woman who they’re eventually disappointed by in the end. On Dexter and Judy’s first “date” he’s let down when Judy shows up only wearing a simple dress, and how casually she asks the maid for dinner. He can’t get rid of his idea of “perfect” Judy, however. The day before his engagement would be announced, he changes his mind and gets engaged to Judy instead. “The helpless ecstasy of losing himself in her charm was a powerful opiate rather than a tonic.” He can’t help but fall into her again, as the quote describes how attracted he is to her idea. Like Benjamin,they both achieve their dream, but it’s not long before it all falls apart. Dexter leaves, but hears about Judy’s unhappy marriage, and her crumbling appearance. “The dream was gone. Something had been taken from him.” This refers to Dexter’s reaction to Judy. Such a woman is gone, and all that is left is the reality. In Gatsby and Benjamin, time is what makes the illusion fall, and that theme is also seen here. The relationship that he thought he could have will never be. Fitzgerald, in all of these stories, show that time is a big factor in uncovering the reality behind the illusion. Benjamin and Dexter try for love, but it can’t be. Gatsby and Dexter give up a life for one woman. Afterall, an illusion cannot last forever.

It could be completely disregarding a past identity to make a new one, or hoping to forget about reality. These stories show the variety of ways people will try to achieve this, and also their miserable downfalls, in a more simplified way that the average reader could understand, and relate to our world. By seeing falsity in fiction, it helps us see falsity in reality, and warns of the dangers of committing too deeply to it.

As you can see, in all of these stories, a recurring theme plays. The theme of illusion vs. reality. We see these men dream, hope, and pray for something impossible, and watch their inevitable downfall. No matter it’d be the “perfect relationship with the perfect woman” or a lie just to gain wealth and monetary value, it cannot last. Fitzgerald is clearly trying to communicate the dangers of such lies, and to not stray too far from reality. He warns you of the story of the Washington’s, Jay Gatsby, Benjamin Button, and Dexter Green, and urges you to be wary of similar tales. You cannot achieve the impossible, and sometimes, things really are too good to be true.