Answer:
The famous French novelist Marcel Proust once said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes." This statement implies that true exploration is not about physically traveling to new places but rather about changing one`s perspective and seeing the familiar in a new light. This quote can be applied to various works of literature, but perhaps no better than F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, "The Great Gatsby."
"The Great Gatsby" is a story about a man named Jay Gatsby, who throws extravagant parties in hopes of winning back his former lover, Daisy Buchanan. The novel is set in the roaring 1920s, a time when excess and extravagance were the norm. The characters in the novel are obsessed with wealth and social status, and their actions are driven by these desires. However, the novel is not just a critique of the excesses of the time. It is also a story about the disillusionment of the American Dream, the concept that anyone can achieve success through hard work and determination.
Throughout the novel, the characters are trapped in their own perceptions of reality. They are blinded by their own desires and cannot see the truth. For example, Gatsby is so obsessed with winning back Daisy that he cannot see that she is not the woman he remembers. Similarly, Daisy is so consumed by her desire for wealth and status that she cannot see the true nature of the people around her.
However, the character who embodies the idea of "having new eyes" is Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel. Nick is a Midwesterner who moves to New York to work in the bond business. He is not consumed by the excesses of the time, and he has a more grounded perspective than the other characters. Nick is able to see the flaws and contradictions in the society he finds himself in, and he is not afraid to call them out.
Nick's ability to see things from a new perspective is demonstrated throughout the novel. For example, he initially admires Gatsby for his wealth and social status, but as he gets to know him better, he sees the emptiness and desperation behind the facade. Similarly, he is able to see through the shallowness of the people around him and is not afraid to call them out on their behavior.
In conclusion, Marcel Proust's quote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes," is highly applicable to F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby." The novel is a story about the danger of being trapped in one's own perceptions and desires, and the importance of being able to see things from a new perspective. Nick Carraway embodies this idea, and his ability to see the truth behind the illusions of the other characters is what ultimately allows him to see through the facade of the American Dream. Through his eyes, the reader is able to gain a new perspective on the society of the time and to see the flaws and contradictions that lay beneath the surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
Feel free to change up the words a little bit