The Echoes of Pursuit in 'The Great Gatsby'

Often considered one of the greatest American novels, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a potent exploration of the elusive nature of the American Dream. One of the more enigmatic threads running through the novel is the recurring theme of pursuit. This theme becomes especially prominent in the reflections of the narrator, Nick Carraway, as he delves into the intricacies of the stories of both Gatsby and himself.

Obscured Phrases and Hidden Meanings

In Chapter 6 of the novel, Nick’s reflections on a line from The Great Gatsby become particularly poignant. Originally, Nick is riding in a carriage through Central Park with Jordan Baker when he is on the cusp of his first kiss. A phrase begins to resonate in his ears, forever altering his perception and paving the way for a change in his mindset:

There are only the pursued, the pursuing, the busy and the tired.

Several weeks later, while listening to Gatsby describe his first kiss with Daisy, Nick is almost reminded of this intoxicating mantra but does not quite make the connection. A fleeting phrase threatens to take shape, but it remains unspoken and uncommunicable.

Fitzgerald intentionally left this thread ambiguous, deliberately not making the connection explicit to heighten the mystery. Yet, the implication is clear: Fitzgerald intended to draw a parallel between the relentless pursuit of love by both Gatsby and Nick, though with vastly different results.

A Twisted Equation of Love

While Gatsby revels in his pursuit, Nick’s experience is notably more subtle and less enchanted. Nick admits, I wasn’t actually in love but I felt a sort of tender curiosity. He describes not having a girl who haunted his thoughts, unlike Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, who were fixated on Daisy.

Unlike Gatsby and Tom Buchanan I had no girl whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs and so I drew up the girl beside me…

Beneath this casual demeanor, however, lies a hint of the same raw thrill of pursuit. Gatsby’s and Nick’s experiences reduce to the same fundamental emotion—love and the quest for it. The insatiable nature of their desires highlights the authorial suggestion that the form of the pursuit may change, but the essence of the yearning remains the same.

The Author's Insight

Fitzgerald’s own suggestion can be glimpsed in the way he portrays Gatsby’s kiss with Daisy. Gatsby’s kiss with Daisy is transformed into a moment of transcendence, as he declares, He knew that when he kissed this girl and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.

Nick’s experience, although less dramatic, still carries the essence of pursuit. When Nick draws up the girl beside him, a moment of connection and intimacy emerges. The author invites the reader to draw parallels between the moments of physical and emotional pursuit, suggesting that the fundamental human desire for love and connection transcends the specific outcomes of these pursuits.

Reflections and Conclusion

Ultimately, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a rich tapestry of themes, each woven into the narrative with care and purpose. The exploration of the theme of pursuit, as exemplified in Nick’s and Gatsby’s experiences, serves to deepen our understanding of the human condition. While Nick’s pursuit is less dramatic, both men are caught in the same cyclical dance of longing and fulfillment, forever chasing after the fleeting nature of love and the ephemeral nature of life.

Through Nick’s reflections, we are invited to unpack these complex themes, recognizing the recurring nature of pursuit in human life. Just as Nick contemplates the hidden meanings behind Fitzgerald’s wordplay, readers are encouraged to examine their own pursuits and the underlying emotions driving them.

As readers, we are left with a profound sense of the human condition: the unending chase, the fleeting moments of connection, and the profound impact of our quests.