Deceit, Desire and The Great Gatsby : An Application of René Girard's Mimetic Theory

Sammanfattning

This essay examines The Great Gatsby through a close reading informed by René Girard’s theory of mimetic desire. According to Girard, desire is not autonomous but mediated through others, leading individuals to pursue objects and identities that promise fulfilment while remaining ultimately unattainable. Through analyses of the titular character Gatsby and prominent characters such as Tom Buchanan, Daisy Fay Buchanan, and the narrator Nick Carraway, the study demonstrates how the characters project meaning onto wealth, romance, status, and identity while remaining unaware of the mediated nature of their desires. The thesis argues that the tragedy of The Great Gatsby lies less in the characters’ inability to attain their desires than their inability to understand what they desire. Ultimately, Fitzgerald’s novel presents desire as a self-perpetuating cycle of human dissatisfaction.