The Great Gatsby And The Virgin Suicides - 1563 Words

Obsession has been used as a controversial tool in literature for many years. It provokes strong feelings in people because of the different ways obsession can take form, whether it be soft and affectionate, or aggressive and violent. Often, the targets of obsession are females. In The Great Gatsby, The Virgin Suicides, Lolita and Fear, there are men who obsess over a female character. These female characters are all shown to be powerless, whether it be at the hands of their obsessor or because of other factors in their lives. In The Great Gatsby and The Virgin Suicides, the theme of obsession is prevalent. It is shown through Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy and the boys obsession with the Lisbon girls. In both of these novels, these people†¦show more content†¦The boys obsession is unrequited, with the narrator noting that â€Å"while we pretended we hadn t been looking for them at all, that we didn t know they existed.† This is in contrast with Gatsby, whose love returned by Daisy during the novel. Gatsby’s and the boy’s obsessions are both used in order to fill a hole left in their lives: Gatsby feels incomplete without Daisy, and the Lisbon sisters were taken away from the boys very abruptly, which left them needing to find out what happened. The men who show their obsessions in Fear and Lolita do so in a more aggressive manner. Humbert, who has always had in interest in young girls, is instantly taken with Dolores, the 12 year old daughter of his landlady - â€Å"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight.† She is the whole reason for his decision to stay at the house, as he is initially put off by her mother, the domineering Charlotte. Humbert takes extreme measures by marrying Charlotte for the sole purpose of staying close to Dolores. After Charlotte’s death, Humbert takes Dolores on the road for an indefinite road trip. He is so attached to her that he becomes easily panicked when he is faced with the possibility of her leaving him. This causes him to be incredibly possessive over her, limiting her interaction with friends her own age to preventShow MoreRelatedA Comparison of the Great Gatsby and the Virgin Suicides1553 Words   |  7 Pages16th and 17th century performance condi tions „h The form of Elizabethan theatre derived from the innyards and animal baiting rings in which actors had been accustomed to perform in in the past. They were circular wooden buildings with a paved courtyard in the middle. Such a theatre would hold around 3,000 spectators. The yards were about 80 feet in diameter and the rectangular stage 40ft by 30ft in height „h Groundling only paid a penny to get in, but for wealthier spectators there were seats