Scott Fitzgeralds The Beautiful and Damned and The Great Gatsby - Essay Example

Being Responsible for Fate: A Study of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Beautiful and Damned and The Great Gatsby Fate is a very controversial topic of discussion. Its definitions extensively vary because of different influences, such as religion, beliefs, traditions, and customs. There are those who believe that a person is held fully responsible for all of his or her actions. Some other people believe that a person is capable of creating his or her own fate, giving full credit to himself or herself, without regard for any sort of higher being. This way of thinking also adheres to the thought that a person has the capacity to create his or her own abilities. On the other hand, there are those who believe that people are not obliged to be proactive when it comes to living their lives, as people are not forced into doing anything as a result of free will, and because everything has already been "written" by some higher being; therefore, there is nothing people can really do to change the track their lives are taking and are about to take. For example, when one attempts at something and fails, adopting the previously mentioned way of thinking, he or she will take things in a different way, as that person believes that his or her fate has already been drawn and that there is nothing that can be done to change it. Two of the most renowned works of F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned and The Great Gatsby, both deal with these issues . Before one delves deeper, it is important to note that these two terms can be and are actually used interchangeably. The dictionary definition of both terms state that fate is "the principle or determining cause or will by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do; an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end" (Merriam-Webster, 2006) and that destiny is "a predetermined course of events often held to be an irresistible power or agency" (Merriam-Webster, 2006), both definitions pertaining to the same idea. This essay will examine some key events in both The Great Gastby and The Beautiful and the Damned that clearly deal with fate and destiny. In trying to analyse the role of fate in these two texts by Fitzgerald, it is important to the first look at contemporary discussions of the meaning of fate of the idea that humans are responsible for shaping his or her own destiny. Taking into account the previous definitions of fate, one cannot help but ask, as Schopenhauer did in some sections of The World as Will and Representation: Do humans have any choice with regard to their lives The freedom of choice is brought about by free will. But using the strictest definition of the word fate, how does free will come into play Does the existence of and belief in fate mean that this kind of freedom is disregarded, so to speak There are those who believe, however, that there is a difference between fate and destiny, wherein the consequences of an individual's actions and decisions bear a heavier weight. Through this kind of thinking, it is believed that fate is something that happens to man, giving him or her no choice with regard to his or her fate. On the contrary, destiny is that which man wishes to achieve; something toward which man strives. The Beautiful and Damned was published in 1922. Taking the work's title into context, the word "Damned" actually depicts the protagonist and his fate. Fitzgerald's description of the actions and characters in the novel reveal a pessimistic picture of life in America in the 1920s. The time, place, and circumstances the characters in the novel were born into appear to be the determining factor to the misery they suffer and yet these facts were out of their control. With the definition of fate, it can be said that these things are already written from the beginning, and completely and deeply affect a person's life. This particular work is about a generation of individuals who lived after the First World War. Because of such circumstances, it is believed that these people were fated to be lost and destroyed. Through Anthony, it will be apparent that every single action that one does in his or her life is the consequence of his or her own choices, just like, for example, when Anthony got attracted to and decided to marry Gloria. In some cases, however, one's marital partner is out of his or her own control. Robert Burton believes that "marriage and hanging go by destiny" (Burton, 1621). Though this may hold true for some people, most especially those who are forced by generations ahead of them to undergo an arranged marriage, it still is not a universal truth. Because man is born with free will, then he or she has the freedom to choose who he or she wants to marry. But it has to be kept in mind that freedom is still limited and it is important to note that one should not exercise his or her freedom up to the point that he or she is already "stepping" on other people's freedom. Gloria, who is the object of Anthony's affection, is an attractive and independent woman, who tries to get whatever she desires by using her physical beauty. A person's outward appearance is also something that is predetermined, by the genes of an individual's parents. In some instances, the way a person looks can actually influence the way a person lives and acts, including the way other people react towards them: "Fitzgerald's young heroines assert their independent wills and exploit their sexual attractiveness with complete impunity" (Way, 1980). This citation asserts the link Gloria makes between her physical beauty and her desires, an idea clearly articulated in the novel when she says, "If I wanted anything I'd take itI can't be bothered resisting things I want"(The Beautiful and the Damned, Chapter 5). This way of thinking does not necessarily mean that all beautiful people follow this train of thought. However, taking this statement into context, Gloria believes that she will only be happy once she has in her possession whatever it is that she admires, relying on material objects to give her happiness. She believes that this is the only way for her to be happy and so once her beauty fades, then she will not be able to achieve such state, because her beauty is what she uses to get whatever her heart desires. Eventually, just like any normal human being, her beauty fades and, as a consequence of such, Anthony loses his affection towards her, leaving Gloria sad and disappointed. On the contrary, instead of wallowing in her sorrows, she strives to make her life better, after accepting the reality of things, which Anthony was not able to do. Anthony had the choice to make himself a better life than how things ended. He tried to escape reality by drowning himself in alcohol. He feels that this is the only way for him to relieve himself and his last desperate attempt to find happiness. He believes that a life of happiness is a life without sadness. Because he was not able to experience such a life, he believes that he needs to get rid of his sadness, albeit temporarily, in order for him to be happy. Instead of what he did, Anthony could have made a different choice-getting himself a job, accepting his wife for who she was and not what he wanted her to be, and start building a good life for himself and his family. Anthony and Gloria were both waiting for the death of Anthony's grandfather, Adam Patch. They believe that by inheriting his wealth, they will be saved from their miserable lives. However, after finally getting his inheritance subsequent to a long court trial, Anthony still was not happy. Is this because he was fated to have a miserable life Absolutely not, because one always has choices that he or she can make-from the simplest to the most complex. These choices will inevitably affect how one's life will turn out. Though there are those who are believed to be fated to go down a certain path, only because of certain decisions and actions that were previously made: "Anthony Patch, who has formerly been very rich, not only loses his money but, unable to make a living by himself, also succumbs to inertia and drink, and eventually goes mad" (Wilson, 1974). Anthony and Adam seem to be on two opposite ends. On the one hand, Adam goes out of his way and tries to seize the world, doing his best to make a lot of money in order to live a comfortable life. On the other, Anthony simply sits and waits for good fortune to happen to him. Initially, it would seem as if Anthony was really fated from the beginning to lead such a life, as if the odds were already stacked against him: "By every law The Beautiful and the Damned should have been a tragedy, the victims damned indeed" (Rosenfeld, 1974). Rosenfeld states that the protagonists in the novel are fates to have a miserable life. However, at the end of it all, Anthony is still fully responsible for whatever the outcome of his life, simply because he wasted away his youth and did not do his best to lead a productive lifestyle, which leads to a happy and fulfilled life: Anthony Patchwas thinking of the hardships, the insufferable tribulations he had gone through. They had tried to penalize him for the mistakes of his youth. He had been exposed to ruthless misery, his very craving for romance had been punished, his friends had deserted him-even Gloria had turned against him. He had been alone, alone-facing it all. Great tears stood in his eyes, and his voice was tremulous as he whispered to himself. "I showed them," he was saying. "It was a hard fight, but I didn't give up and I came through!" Fitzgerald's other work, The Great Gatsby, also deals with fate-in one way or the other. There are several protagonists in this particular piece: Nick, the narrator; Gatsby, who has the events surrounding him; Daisy; Tom; and Myrtle. Nick is the voice of the novel itself. He is a young man who grew up in Minnesota. After being educated in Yale, one of the best universities in the country, and fighting World War I, he brings himself to New York City in order to familiarize himself with the trading industry, particularly the bond business. Because of his honest, tolerant, and reserve judgment disposition, individuals who are troubled by their deep, dark secrets regard him as a confidante. As a result of such a major change in his life, his values and principles, which were innate in him at the beginning, was slowly changed as he was influenced by the society he was in. Daisy, on the other hand, is a totally different story. She is, in fact, in love with Gatsby. Daisy Buchanan, who is Nick's cousin, is the object of Gatsby's affections. After having fallen in love with him as well, she promised to wait for Gatsby. However, because of her deep-seated need to be loved, everything changed when Tom Buchanan-a wealthy and powerful young man-asked for her hand in marriage. Though she seems to be living the life, being a beautiful socialite, she is somewhat cynical and tries to mask what she really feels, which is the pain caused by her husband's infidelity. In her case, her fate was predetermined for her, not by a higher being, but people who are still considered "higher"-her parents. Gatsby, which can be considered as one of the most important characters in the novel, is also a different story altogether. He understands that he is fully responsible for his actions and can and will be held fully accountable for whatever he does, most especially if it has a negative consequence that will affect other people. For example, Gatsby chooses not to indulge in alcoholic beverages and would rather watch his guests drink. He makes a firm decision to not drink his entire life because he believes that alcohol lowers a person's inhibitions, making one lose control over his or her actions. On the other hand, there are certain events in which Gatsby had no control over-such as being born into a low-status family, according to aristocratic standards, and being born during the period of war. Because of such circumstances, he could not get married to Daisy, the girl he fell in love with. Despite the situation he was in, Gatsby was still able to make a name for him, consequently earning the respect of the people. Gatsby was inevitably responsible for the fate he ended up with. Because of his deep love for Daisy, he was willing to sacrifice everything, including his soul. When Myrtle was accidentally hit by Daisy using Gatsby's car, Gatsby decided to take the blame in order to spare Daisy. As a result, he became the object of the revenge of Mrytle's husband and he was killed. There are several different factors, which inevitably affect a person's life and fate, that come into play. Some of these factors, such as time and place of birth, are those that greatly have an effect on a person. Another factor that should be considered is the way a person was raised as a child, which definitely relies heavily on the person's immediately family and other individuals that play a great role in his formation. An additional and somewhat extremely decisive factor in some cultures or religions is the social class a person was born into. Moreover, the period of time in which a person was born into greatly affects the way of life that an individual will experience. And though all of these factors, among many others, may predetermine certain things in a person's life, ultimately drawing a person's fate, so to speak, an individual still has his or her free will, enabling him or her to change the direction of his life with the choices he or she does or does not make. 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Scott Fitzgerald and The Art of Social Fiction. London: Edward Arnold Publishers Limited, 1980. Wilson, Edmund. "Fitzgerald before the Great Gatsby". F.Scott Fitzgerald: The Man and His Work. Ed. Alfered Kazin. London: Collier Macmillan Publishers, 1924. Read More