Can chasing an ideal blind us and prevent us from seeing the truth? Sometimes ideals can become such a big driving force in our life that they cause us to overlook the truth and ignore reality. Reality and ideals are contrasted through the goals in life of the characters Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy. Through contrasting ideals and the reality of a situation, F.Scott Fitzgerald suggests that chasing an ideal without recognizing the truth will not allow an individual to attain their goal because reality is needed to see the possibility of one’s dream.
Reality and ideals are contrasted through the goals in life of the character Gatsby. Gatsby has this ideal that he can repeat the past. When Nick says to Gatsby that he cannot repeat the past, Gatsby retorts with, “Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!”. Gatsby chases this ideal to achieve his goal which is Daisy. However, this is an ideal that is not based on truth. Gatsby does not see the reality that he cannot repeat the past. It is not possible because it is not in his hands to control the future. Daisy is married to Tom which is a fact that Gatsby cannot change. Gatsby’s ideal of repeating the past is very unrealistic but he does not see that in the madness of achieving his love. He wants to revive the love they had many years ago. Gatsby faces the reality when he sees Daisy’s child and also when Daisy chooses Tom over him. He realizes that he was chasing an ideal that was not possible to make come true. Gatsby was chasing an ideal of repeating the past without recognizing the truth that Daisy already has a child and she might not pick him. Gatsby not recognizing the truth leads him to fail at achieving his goal which is Daisy. Fitzgerald shows one here again that chasing an ideal without recognizing the truth will not allow an individual to attain their goal because reality is needed to see the possibility of one’s dream. Reality and ideals are again