Final Gatsby Discussion

The American dream is a little different for each character in The Great Gatsby, but they all generally want a perfect or happy life.  Not many characters come even close to achieving this American dream because they are so caught up in the corruption between one another that the dream is nearly forgotten.  It is rather ironic how the characters lives pan out when trying to achieve the American Dream.

            When examining the question though of what Fitzgerald is saying about the American dream, you must look at each character in the novel and gather what their personal American dream was.  The American dream is not once obtained by Wilson, Myrtle, Gatsby, Daisy, or Tom.  Ironically they all dependently ruin each other’s dreams by a long series of deaths.  Overall, Fitzgerald is trying to say that the American dream is not easily obtained and you must stay true to your character without committing sin to reach the dream.

            Gatsby is one of the most interesting characters when it comes to obtaining the American dream.  Most people would believe Gatsby should have been happy with his life and already obtained the American dream due to everything he had.  Gatsby had the tangible items in life but he never had the love.  Gatsby should have been happy with everything he had but had to continue on his quest of the American dream to get the girl, Daisy.  Gatsby tries to break a marriage, is a passenger to a crime, and gets killed just trying to obtain the American dream.  In a sense this is karma for everything he did while trying to achieve the American dream.  Gatsby states, “Of course she might have loved him just for a minute, when they were first married-and loved me then, do you see?”  This quote really shows the stubbornness of Gatsby and his persistence in getting Daisy.  In the end Gatsby is shot by Wilson because Tom told Wilson that is was Gatsby’s car who hit Myrtle and Gatsby was never able to obtain the American dream with Daisy.

            Wilson is another very interesting character to examine when it comes to obtaining the American dream.  Wilson was a very innocent character because he was never very rich like Tom and Gatsby, but always tried to provide for his wife Myrtle.  Little did Wilson know, his friend Tom and his wife Myrtle were having an affair.  Wilson finally comes to the realization that in order to achieve the American dream he can’t stay a mechanic forever and he must do something for his wife.  Wilson states, “I’ve been here too long.  I want to get away.  My wife and I want to go west.”  This was Wilson’s first step in obtaining the American dream until Daisy ruins it by hitting Myrtle and killing her.  However, Wilson did not know that Myrtle actually ran in front of the car because she believed Tom was in there which is rather ironic.  Tom then tells Wilson that it was Gatsby’s car who hit Myrtle and Wilson shoots Gatsby before shooting himself which ultimately left him short of obtaining the American dream.

            After looking at these characters and the observing their patterns for achieving the American dream, it could be inferred that Americans have very high and persistent values for what they desire.  However, these are two good examples of Americans not obtaining their desires because they persistence interfered with another’s personal life.  Due to these high and persistent values, many Americans cannot obtain their desires.

Marijuana...Possibly Raise Revenue?

            When looking at the topic of the legalization of marijuana, there is several standpoints.  Some people believe in complete illegalization of it, some believe in only allowing it for medicinal purposes, and some believe in complete legalization of it.  I’m taking the stance of complete legalization on it.

            There are also several reasons for being for the legalization but the mail one I’m tackling is money.  If the Congress was to pass a law to legalize marijuana, they would be able to tax it and make a large profit from. 

            Currently there are 10 states with state dispensing programs.  Most of the states however only allow the use for medicinal purposes.  However, Colorado has complete legalization of it.  In the state of Colorado you must be 21 and not carry more than an ounce. 

            Just yesterday, Illinois took a large step to legalizing medical marijuana.  Currently the law states that no use of marijuana is permitted in the state of Illinois.

            Private prisons are on the rise and 90% of the inmates are there on drug charges.  These private prisons are scams to generate money for CCA, Corrections Corporation of America.  These private prisons are coming through searching for all forms of drugs and using this to gain inmates.  If the inmate rate is up, the more money profited be the prison.  These private prisons are very corrupt however and saying this is just an act for the “War on Drugs.”

            The government could be taxing marijuana and using the money for debt or any other government spending.  There is a constant need for governmental funding and this would just be a way to improve it.

            Many people believe marijuana has a large number of negative side effects but recent studies show otherwise.  Marijuana is less addictive than many other drugs.  It is relaxing, overdoses are not lethal, and relieves pain.

            Looking back at previous presidents, Jefferson, Bush, and Clinton all smoked marijuana.

Edna's Cahracter Analysis

     In the words of a wise man, Dylan Schulenberg, Edna is past the point of no return.  She has rejected the creole society and everything it stands for and no longer cares for anyone but herself.  Edna takes action against her marriage like kissing Arobin.  An event like this is frowned upon in any marriage but of this time period this is completely wrong.  Personally I believe Edna and Leonce's marriage is terrible but it needs to end or be resolved not made weaker.

     Extreme loyalty to their spouse is very characteristic of women in the creole society.  As we have seen, Edna has grown defiant to Leonce and almost rejects him now.  Her infatuation with Robert is much to great and she is at a breaking point.  She has no way to coap so she decides to move out and even has a one night stand with Arobin.  Edna's way of going about her problems could not be any worse!  The only time she ever makes a smart move is in chapter 27 when she states "I am going to pull myself together for awhile and think."  Edna admits to the problem but doesn't  follow up on it.

     Edna is to the point now where she has definitely overstepped her line and has hurt people around her.  Her relationship with Leonce is almost nonexistint and her children were sent to live with their grandparents for an extended period of time.  This shows how terrible of a mother she was and how terrible of a wife she was.  She has overstepped her boundaries and no longer cares for anyone but herself.

     If I would get into this situation I do not feel I would act like this.  Edna goes to far and lets her feelings get the best of her.  I would never let myself develop feelings and if it did happen some how I would talk to my spouse and work it out.  It would be more acceptable in that time period however since I am a male.  I just could not put my family through that pain though.

     

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow vs. Walt Whitman

     Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born February 27, 1807 in Portland.  Henry went on to study at the bowdoin College.    Later in life, Longfellow became a professor at Harvard University.  Longfellow continued to write poerty and in 1854 resigned from Harvard to focus mainly on his writing.  Longfellow was married twice but both died due to a miscarriage or a dress catching on fire.  After resigning from Harvard, Longfellow moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and spent the rest of his days there until he died on Mach 24, 1882.  Henry Longfellow was one of the most renounced poets of all time and his poetrys till stands today.
     Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819 in New York.  Whitman grew up in poorer family and had seven brothers and sisters.  Whitman's father once prospered as a farmer but overtime sold off land and just tried to stay above water during Whitman's younger years.  At age eleven, Whitman was pulled out of school to help provide for his family since his father was unable to.  Whitman started working in the printng corporation but by age seventeen he found a job teaching.  Whitman's job pushed him into to journalism and he eventually started writing a newspaper.  Whitman then persued poem writing and published his first book in 1885.  Whitman continued this writing and became another well known poem from this time period.  Whitman died March 26, 1892 in Camden.
     Looking at the history of Longfellow and Whitman, you can really see the similarities in the steps they took to get them to becoming a poet.  They were both near the early 1800's and held teaching positions before really focusing on their writing.  Both Whitman and Longfellow stopped teaching and focused on their writing.  Although Whitman was first working on newspaper before really starting his poetic career, they both had a strong interist in journalism and enjoyed it.  Longfellow has left us with more memorable poems similar to nursery rhymes where Whitman's were not as obvious but still very common.  These two men were some of the first famous poets so their poems have led them to a great deal of succes because they are still around today and they standards for all poets after them.
     The step Whitman and Longfellow took to becoming a poet were very similar but their topics and style were much different.  Especially the topics.  When researching both poets, I found that several compared Longfellow's poems to nursery rhymes and he even had a few nursery rhymes.  Whitman however was much different.  Whitman visited wounded civil war verterans and gained inspiration for some of his writing from this.  They were however in the same time period and some pieces of their work shared similar styles.  Overall they were two very powerfull poets and will never be forgotten for that.