The lives of distressing men

The lives of distressing men
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life” (You will never). Looking at both novels, Ethan Frome and The Great Gatsby, the American dream is without a doubt distributed throughout each. Jay Gatsby, the principle character in The Great Gatsby, fulfills American dream that he can acquire happiness through power and wealth while Ethan Frome, the main character in the book Ethan Frome, wants to obtain happiness through his depressing marriage with Zenna. Both American Novel characters have several of the same traits but also a lot of differences.
Jay Gatsby, a dishonest man, is unknown to his rich city citizens. Although he hosts the largest parties around, he seems to go unnoticed to his quest. He has the name of a hero but he lives the life of a villain. In opposition, Ethan Frome is a well known gentleman to his fellow countryside residents. Jay Gatsby, the focal character of a book full of excitement and rich environments, is trying to relocate his love and win her over. Whereas Ethan Frome does not want the bitter love he has and seeks further happiness. Both end up not achieving their goals and destroying the lives they had already prepared.
Jay Gatsby and Ethan Frome both live in a world of silence. Jay Gatsby, some time ago, had a love affair with a ravishing young lady, Daisy. Gatsby knew he could not build a respectable life with her because the differences in their social society. Moving away with his heart shattered, he chose to acquire a wealthy and well known life. “All that wealth can't fill the hole in Gatsby's heart—but it probably makes it a little easier to bear” (Shmoop). Later in life, once successful, he purchases an enormous mansion overlooking the bay knowing that Miss Daisy lives right in his sight like a butterfly landing on a child’s nose. His vast gatherings are just a cover up for his desperate attempt to see Daisy again. Watching from a distance, Jay Gatsby, in his own world of silence, hopes for his lost love to appear again.
(Book 2)
Ethan Frome on the other hand, met his unrequited through his wives family. “Unrequited means of love, affection, etc. not reciprocal or returned” (Unrequited). Mattie, Ethan’s young mistress, moves in to be of assistance with his sick wife Zeena, also known as Zeena’s cousin. Ethan, in an instant, falls in love with Mattie knowing he cannot be with her because of Zeena. His wants and needs for Mattie have to be silenced from Zeena. Ethan watches Mattie every day in his residence but has to live in stillness and hide his emotions towards her.
“He knew that most young men made nothing at all of giving a pretty girl a kiss, and he remembered that the night before, when he had put his arm about Mattie, she had not resisted. But that had been out-of-doors, under the open irresponsible night. Now, in the warm lamp lit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she seemed infinitely farther away from him and more unapproachable”(Wharton). (Book 1)
Ethan and Jay both base their lonesome lives off of young extravagant women. Ethan Frome’s mother dies in winter and Ethan feels the need to marry Zeena so he does not live alone. Zeena and he bitter personality only makes Ethan not want to give her the time of day. Frome gives up his future plans and lives in poverty to keep Zenna on a happy level of consciousness. Jay Gatsby may not have a wife to please to stay occupied but a long distance love to convince of his achievements. Jay builds up a well known life and becomes rich to win the heart of his long lost love. His everyday reality in based upon who he is in the eyes of his fairy tale love.
Both end up destroying in their lives in different ways, both accidental. Jay Gatsby gets framed by Daisy’s delusional husband and is shot in his massive swimming pool. All his hope and dreams vanished like dust in the wind and everything he worked for was gone. Ethan Frome’s life ending experience did not so much end in physical death but mental. He final got the girl and decided there was no way they could go on and live a happy live together. One slippery winter day, they make a plan to commit suicide and end their lives together but did not succeed and in coincident Zeena is too nurture them back to health and make Ethan live with what he has done.
The lifestyles of these two extraordinary men are completely on the contrary. Gatsby lives an occupied life full of anticipation and mystery. Coming from the West as a farm boy with no money, Jay makes a life of his own, successful and materialistic. Gatsby is a guy whose sickening wealth, sketchy business dealings, and questionable background make him both fascinating and repulsive- the people at his parties are happy to squander his riches, but they are all sure that there is something not quite right about him (Jay Gatsby). Whereas Ethan originates from the East where he also makes a life of his own but is quite deprived and lonesome. Ethan drowns in a life full of resentment and poverty due to his low class status. He lives day by day working to achieve enough work to feed his wife and keep her satisfied.
Men growing up in the same surroundings may not have only similarities; they may blossom into two indifferent people. Two American Literature novel characters can be compared or contrasted in plenty of different aspects. Living a life full of materialistic items or unhappy marriages and basing it off of women never result in anything that can be successful. “It seems to me that all of the evil in life comes from idleness, boredom, and psychic emptiness, but all of that is inevitable whe...n you become accustomed to living at others' expense (It seems).”