When the Ideal Becomes the Real (The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald)
The man had it all. Yet it wasn't enough. The house, the car, the clothes, the parties, staff, status, stories, and, of course, "business gonnegtions" (p. 70). What's worse, he had the future — his future — all planned out, right across the way, almost within reach. The green light was the light at the end of his tunnel. The only thing missing? Daisy. So Gatsby schemes and schmoozes until he can finally be reunited with her — under the appearance of fate — just like he planned. Just like he had planned everything: his business dealings, parties, everything. He made the Ideal into the Real. He forced it to happen —all by accident. But when the Ideal becomes the Real, it ceases to be the Ideal. And the Real is less than Ideal. What ensured? Reality destroyed the Ideal. Actuality shattered the Fantasy. Who's fantasy? Gatsby's, of course, but also Daisy's. Gatsby's fantasy was Daisy. Daisy's fantasy was money, status, entertainment, self —thin...