willy loman and jay gatsby
...ld have Daisy back until he had wealth parallel to hers to win her over. In order to raise funds quickly, Gatsby became an illegal bootlegger. Gatsby’s power was earned illegally and quickly; it was new money. He was a changed man—he had cheated and lied to himself—and others—to try to accomplish his Dream. “He had waited five years and bought a mansion…” (Fitzgerald 83) Gatsby worked hard to prove his love for Daisy. Incredulously, Daisy had gone and married a hulking man named Tom Buchanan. Buchanan’s money, unlike Gatsby’s, was old. It had been his family’s fortune; it was earned honestly and passed on to each generation. Because of the origin of the wealth, Daisy came to realize that Tom was worth more of her time. Not only did Tom have the wealth she wanted, but his wealth also came with a good reputation. Daisy’s social status was almost as important as the source of money in her life. Jay Gatsby bent over backwards trying to please this woman. He longed for the social status to back up his intentions and make them become reality. Gatsby never tried to be himself—but tried to find happiness by pleasing others. When Tom found out the truth about Gatsby’s illegally made fortune, he immediately let Daisy know about it. To Tom’s unveiling of the truth about the past, Gatsby replies, “What about it?” (Fitzgerald 141) That was the breaking point for Daisy. She could never love this man, knowing he had cheated and lied to become powerful. This could only hurt her reputation—love had nothing to do with it. Gatsby tries to defend himself, “…denying everything, defending his name against the accusations. But with every word, Daisy was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave up—his dream was slipping away.” (Fitzgerald 142) Daisy knew Gatsby’s past would only lower her social status, which was second only to her love of money. Daisy (and her reputation) couldn’t afford to see Gatsby anymore. Although social status means a great deal to many people, it is especially important to Willy Loman. Loman made an all-out effort to achieve the status of being liked by everyone. He couldn’t live with who he was. What other people thought of him meant everything. Willy lives almost in his own little world where he can become what he dreams of: a story of success with a stunning reputation. He says to his son Biff, “Go to Slattery’s in Boston. Call out the name Willy Loman and see what happens! Big shot!” (Miller 62) He desperately wants to believe his own longings. Several times, Loman brings up his deceased brother, Ben, and his success. He claims that Ben “walked into the jungle at seventeen and walked out at twenty one. And by God was [he] rich.” (Miller 48) Although he never comes out and says it, Loman is living in his brother’s shadow. Ben had earned both the fortune Loman longed for, and achieved the status of being well liked and known everywhere. Will Loman would do anything for a good name. He resorted to lying. He gave himself false hopes that he could never f...