Title: Compare how the destructive nature of obsession is presented in Emily Bronte’s
Wuthering Heights and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, with reference to wider
reading.
Obsession in literature often tends to provide motivation (JACOBS, 2020). In Wuthering
Heights and The Great Gatsby, Brontë and Fitzgerald highlight the destructive nature of
obsession through multiple characters' characteristics and examples. Brontë continually
alludes to characters of different classes and how their needs are completely different, this is
portrayed through Heathcliff, seen as Middle class and his main goal is power and reprisal.
Compared to Nelly Dean, a lower-class member of society who works for another family to
feed and home herself. The author perhaps is drawing attention to the colossal difference in
needs between classes. In comparison, Fitzgerald explores the blooming 1920s and how
everyone wanted to work their way up to become successful, in contrast with individuals who
inherited wealth and whose only obsessions are their sumptuous facade Both protagonists,
Heathcliff and Gatsby have been fabricated to emphasise how society, love, and revenge
can evoke a destructive and uncontrollable obsession which leads to excessive behaviours.
The authors employ language techniques, figurative language, and context to entice and
manipulate the reader to relate to or understand characters that let society’s hierarchy
control them and their actions. The protagonists both come from less fortunate backgrounds
and grow to success, however, Gatbsy is arguably less bitter in trying to win the American
dream and Daisy is his object of success in his growth through society. She represents
Gatsby’s end goal and dream that he set out to achieve from a young age. Whereas,
Heathcliff is vengeful and obsessive about gaining the power to prove himself. Cathay is
Heathcliff’s one true love but through miscommunication, they get driven away from each
other. The clear contrast is that arguably, Heathcliff’s love for Cathy is un materialistic at the
beginning and Gatsby’s has a materialistic obsession with Daisy. Although a clear common
trait in both protagonists is their obsessive need for a toxic, unrealistic love attachment which
is revealed through both novels. Relationships are a common driving force for obsession in
both novels as Daisy and her lifestyle is what motivates Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle and
Catherine and her desire for social class and wealth is what drives Heathcliff’s destructive
obsession with revenge.
The prominent similarity between Heathcliff and Gatsby is their destructive obsession with
an unrealistic love attachment which both authors portray through different narrations. In the
Great Gatsby the protagonist, a ‘goal-oriented and hope-oriented millionaire’, is deeply
obsessed with Daisy. The latter could arguably be the reason for his downfall (Love and
Money: An Analysis of The Great Gatsby, 2015). Nick Carraway narrates Gatsby's
obsession with Daisy as eternal and dependent, however, Daisy’s characteristics can be
seen as opposing to readers as some may ‘interpret her as an innocent being’ or a figure of
‘femme fatal’ (Lorena Suñén Tercera Versión 4 Definitiva, n.d.).The symbolism of “stretched
his arm” out over the bay towards the “single light, minute and far away”, highlights the
emphasise of Gatsby’s overpowering obsession with his dream; Daisy, and how far he will
go to achieve it. The repetition of the symbolic green light throughout the text conveys
Gatsby’s restlessness and compulsion to attempt to achieve this unrealistic dream
internalised within him since he first met Daisy and “he felt married to her”. Fitzgerald
focuses on the motif of the “green light” at different points within the text, the first being a
sign of hope and desire as it was just within reach. The next is when the “colossal
significance” had now disappeared as Gatbsy has finally embraced Daisy, and the last
, sighting on the dock symbolises the destructive nature of Gatsby's dream. This further
represents that this light is a metaphor for Gatsby’s unmeasurable desire and obsession for
reaching his dream. The reference to the light being “minute and far away” emphasises how
Gatsby’s dream is unrealistic and unattainable but also conveys fixation on the dream even
though the distance between and the clear contrast of Gatsby’s “colossal” dream to the
reality of the “minute” light. Gatsby can be represented as an individual who is striding
towards the American dream as he is becoming successful in life through hard work,
regardless of social status and family history(The Demise of the 1920s American Dream in
The Great Gatsby, n.d.). From a psychoanalytical perspective, there are explicit links
between Gatsby and Heathcliff’s unconscious mind. They are both emphasised to be
instinctively driven by the id which is the part that holds the true, prohibited desires in one’s
unconscious (A Psychoanalytic Interpretation: Jay Gatsby’s Id, Superego, Ego, and Core
Issues, n.d., #)This is presented through Gatsby’s extravagant parties and Heathcliff’s
irrational behaviour. This can be an explanation for Gatbsy’s destructive obsession with
Daisy as he does not consciously think about other methods of achieving his dream, instead,
his ego manifests itself too late in the story as he “paid a high price for living too long with a
single dream” (A Psychoanalytic Interpretation: Jay Gatsby’s Id, Superego, Ego, and Core
Issues, n.d., #), therefore, leading to Gatsby's downfall and sudden death.
Likewise, in Wuthering Heights the instinctive need for gratification from the id is also
conveyed through Brontë’s protagonist, Heathcliff. He reflects the rude, irrational, revenger
side of the personality explained by Freud, and just like Gatsby, his ego too does not
manifest itself early enough to save him (Sigmund Freud’s theory / Jurnal Basis, 2017). This
explains his destructive obsession with Catherine which drives him to go insane at the end of
the novel. Heathcliff is seen to blame Catherine’s death for his unhappiness and wishes for
her to “drive me mad” even after death. Further representing that Catherine was Heathcliff’s
whole existence and his destructive obsession was what drove and motivated him in life.
The author presents Heathcliff as madly in love and expresses their love as though it is on a
higher level spiritually. Society in the 1800s dramatised romance and potes of the
Renaissance period outlined love as an overpowering force, both spiritually and sexually
(Encyclopedia, n.d.). This could have been a motivation for Brontë to make the love between
Heathcliff and Catherine so authentic and dramatic. Brontë employs the supernatural to
highlight the prolonging of Heathcliff’s obsession with Catherine as he is still suffocated by
her presence after she is dead. As he talks about her in the present tense, this suggests he
believes that her spirit is still listening and watching and emphasises the fact that he is
obsessed to keep her alive, even in the dead. Linking with the beliefs at the time, the 19th
century was thought of as the era of secularisation, where there was a shift from the
traditional authority of religion to modern sciences being taken into consideration as
explanations (Luckhurst, 2014). This is heavily represented through the protagonist as he
refutes Christian beliefs and believes that Catherine and himself have supernatural
connections other than God. Therefore, conveying how his internalised obsession with
Catherine has affected his religious beliefs and turned him against societal norms.
Similarly to Heathcliff, Gatsby and other wealthy characters from The Great Gatsby have a
destructive obsession with social mobility. The Roaring 1920’s was a time of mass
consumerism created by a surging economy (Roaring Twenties, n.d.) which caused an
obsession with money and status. Daisy and Tom Buchanan, who come from the East egg,
which is symbolic of inheritance from established-upper class families, are presented in the
Wuthering Heights and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, with reference to wider
reading.
Obsession in literature often tends to provide motivation (JACOBS, 2020). In Wuthering
Heights and The Great Gatsby, Brontë and Fitzgerald highlight the destructive nature of
obsession through multiple characters' characteristics and examples. Brontë continually
alludes to characters of different classes and how their needs are completely different, this is
portrayed through Heathcliff, seen as Middle class and his main goal is power and reprisal.
Compared to Nelly Dean, a lower-class member of society who works for another family to
feed and home herself. The author perhaps is drawing attention to the colossal difference in
needs between classes. In comparison, Fitzgerald explores the blooming 1920s and how
everyone wanted to work their way up to become successful, in contrast with individuals who
inherited wealth and whose only obsessions are their sumptuous facade Both protagonists,
Heathcliff and Gatsby have been fabricated to emphasise how society, love, and revenge
can evoke a destructive and uncontrollable obsession which leads to excessive behaviours.
The authors employ language techniques, figurative language, and context to entice and
manipulate the reader to relate to or understand characters that let society’s hierarchy
control them and their actions. The protagonists both come from less fortunate backgrounds
and grow to success, however, Gatbsy is arguably less bitter in trying to win the American
dream and Daisy is his object of success in his growth through society. She represents
Gatsby’s end goal and dream that he set out to achieve from a young age. Whereas,
Heathcliff is vengeful and obsessive about gaining the power to prove himself. Cathay is
Heathcliff’s one true love but through miscommunication, they get driven away from each
other. The clear contrast is that arguably, Heathcliff’s love for Cathy is un materialistic at the
beginning and Gatsby’s has a materialistic obsession with Daisy. Although a clear common
trait in both protagonists is their obsessive need for a toxic, unrealistic love attachment which
is revealed through both novels. Relationships are a common driving force for obsession in
both novels as Daisy and her lifestyle is what motivates Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle and
Catherine and her desire for social class and wealth is what drives Heathcliff’s destructive
obsession with revenge.
The prominent similarity between Heathcliff and Gatsby is their destructive obsession with
an unrealistic love attachment which both authors portray through different narrations. In the
Great Gatsby the protagonist, a ‘goal-oriented and hope-oriented millionaire’, is deeply
obsessed with Daisy. The latter could arguably be the reason for his downfall (Love and
Money: An Analysis of The Great Gatsby, 2015). Nick Carraway narrates Gatsby's
obsession with Daisy as eternal and dependent, however, Daisy’s characteristics can be
seen as opposing to readers as some may ‘interpret her as an innocent being’ or a figure of
‘femme fatal’ (Lorena Suñén Tercera Versión 4 Definitiva, n.d.).The symbolism of “stretched
his arm” out over the bay towards the “single light, minute and far away”, highlights the
emphasise of Gatsby’s overpowering obsession with his dream; Daisy, and how far he will
go to achieve it. The repetition of the symbolic green light throughout the text conveys
Gatsby’s restlessness and compulsion to attempt to achieve this unrealistic dream
internalised within him since he first met Daisy and “he felt married to her”. Fitzgerald
focuses on the motif of the “green light” at different points within the text, the first being a
sign of hope and desire as it was just within reach. The next is when the “colossal
significance” had now disappeared as Gatbsy has finally embraced Daisy, and the last
, sighting on the dock symbolises the destructive nature of Gatsby's dream. This further
represents that this light is a metaphor for Gatsby’s unmeasurable desire and obsession for
reaching his dream. The reference to the light being “minute and far away” emphasises how
Gatsby’s dream is unrealistic and unattainable but also conveys fixation on the dream even
though the distance between and the clear contrast of Gatsby’s “colossal” dream to the
reality of the “minute” light. Gatsby can be represented as an individual who is striding
towards the American dream as he is becoming successful in life through hard work,
regardless of social status and family history(The Demise of the 1920s American Dream in
The Great Gatsby, n.d.). From a psychoanalytical perspective, there are explicit links
between Gatsby and Heathcliff’s unconscious mind. They are both emphasised to be
instinctively driven by the id which is the part that holds the true, prohibited desires in one’s
unconscious (A Psychoanalytic Interpretation: Jay Gatsby’s Id, Superego, Ego, and Core
Issues, n.d., #)This is presented through Gatsby’s extravagant parties and Heathcliff’s
irrational behaviour. This can be an explanation for Gatbsy’s destructive obsession with
Daisy as he does not consciously think about other methods of achieving his dream, instead,
his ego manifests itself too late in the story as he “paid a high price for living too long with a
single dream” (A Psychoanalytic Interpretation: Jay Gatsby’s Id, Superego, Ego, and Core
Issues, n.d., #), therefore, leading to Gatsby's downfall and sudden death.
Likewise, in Wuthering Heights the instinctive need for gratification from the id is also
conveyed through Brontë’s protagonist, Heathcliff. He reflects the rude, irrational, revenger
side of the personality explained by Freud, and just like Gatsby, his ego too does not
manifest itself early enough to save him (Sigmund Freud’s theory / Jurnal Basis, 2017). This
explains his destructive obsession with Catherine which drives him to go insane at the end of
the novel. Heathcliff is seen to blame Catherine’s death for his unhappiness and wishes for
her to “drive me mad” even after death. Further representing that Catherine was Heathcliff’s
whole existence and his destructive obsession was what drove and motivated him in life.
The author presents Heathcliff as madly in love and expresses their love as though it is on a
higher level spiritually. Society in the 1800s dramatised romance and potes of the
Renaissance period outlined love as an overpowering force, both spiritually and sexually
(Encyclopedia, n.d.). This could have been a motivation for Brontë to make the love between
Heathcliff and Catherine so authentic and dramatic. Brontë employs the supernatural to
highlight the prolonging of Heathcliff’s obsession with Catherine as he is still suffocated by
her presence after she is dead. As he talks about her in the present tense, this suggests he
believes that her spirit is still listening and watching and emphasises the fact that he is
obsessed to keep her alive, even in the dead. Linking with the beliefs at the time, the 19th
century was thought of as the era of secularisation, where there was a shift from the
traditional authority of religion to modern sciences being taken into consideration as
explanations (Luckhurst, 2014). This is heavily represented through the protagonist as he
refutes Christian beliefs and believes that Catherine and himself have supernatural
connections other than God. Therefore, conveying how his internalised obsession with
Catherine has affected his religious beliefs and turned him against societal norms.
Similarly to Heathcliff, Gatsby and other wealthy characters from The Great Gatsby have a
destructive obsession with social mobility. The Roaring 1920’s was a time of mass
consumerism created by a surging economy (Roaring Twenties, n.d.) which caused an
obsession with money and status. Daisy and Tom Buchanan, who come from the East egg,
which is symbolic of inheritance from established-upper class families, are presented in the
