FAQ About The Great Gatsby
What does the ending of The Great Gatsby mean?
The ending of "The Great Gatsby" has been interpreted in various ways by different readers and scholars, but one common interpretation is that it suggests the ultimate futility of Gatsby's dream and the emptiness of the materialistic society that he aspired to join.
Gatsby is killed by Wilson, who mistakenly believes that Gatsby was responsible for Myrtle's death. None of Gatsby's former acquaintances attend his funeral, and even Nick, who was one of his closest friends, feels a sense of disillusionment and disappointment with the society in which he lives.
The novel's famous closing lines, "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past," have been seen as a commentary on the human condition, suggesting that no matter how hard we strive for our dreams, we are ultimately constrained and shaped by the forces of the past and the world around us.
In this sense, the ending of "The Great Gatsby" can be seen as a critique of the American Dream itself, exposing its shallow and ultimately unattainable promises of wealth, success, and happiness.
