It is clearly obvious that in life, some events seem to never occur the way they were planned or "suppose to happen." Benjamin Disraeli once asserted, "circumstances are beyond the control of the man, but his conduct is in his own power." Adversity affects everyone throughout their lives, but it is up to the person to make the most out of their misfortunes. This assertion is entirely valid and can be seen through the work of art "The Great Gatsby," by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Unlike The Great Gatsby, "Death of a Salesman" by Arthur Miller where the main character treats his misfortunes differently. .
Jay Gatsby, protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," is a character who refuses to be destroyed his control. After losing the love of his life, Daisy, Gatsby toils endlessly to win back her affections. After much diligence and self-transformation, Gatsby accumulates plenty of fortune and an impressive mansion to grab Daisy's attention once again. Gatsby's heartbreak doesn't fully affect his life. He chooses instead to channel his energy and never ending love to a life with Daisy. Gatsby could have simply accepted his fate and denounced his love for her but he overcomes his unfavorable circumstances. His own willpower and dedication to get Daisy to love him back truly shows the devotion he has. Gatsby shows this throughout the whole novel, despite the love being tragically terminated. .
On the other hand, In the play "Death of a Salesman," by Arthur Miller, the death of Willy Loman was tragic and he was also a fool. This was due to his character and circumstances beyond his own control. Willy's life was built of false dreams and hopes. His main values in life was money and being well liked. All of these factors helped with Willy's mental undoing and ultimately his death. From the start of the play you can see that Willy's character is one of confusion and is pessimistic.
