The Intrinsic Value of Relationships, and The Drastic Effects of Greed :: essays research papers fc

For so many peck one of the hardest things in life is maintaining a strong and healthy relationship with another person, and it is especially difficult in a romantic relationship. For the most part, lucky relationships are found on honesty, communication, trust, and most importantly compromise. When you are in a relationship that has a foundation based on those characteristics, it makes you looking at connected with that person. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, traits such as jealousy, greed, prevarication and selfishness can lead to disastrous relationships that will only leave people hurt. Two classic books that weve read this semester are McTeague by Frank Norris, and The commodious Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Throughout both books, the reader can easily influence an underlying theme of relationships if they look hard enough. In both novels it seems to be abundantly clear that the prominent relationship portrayed is a failed relationship. When analyzing th e relationships betwixt the people in the book, it becomes clear through the ways in which the characters interact with all(prenominal) other throughout the stories, that they are not actually relationships in the true essence of the word. Another recurring theme that is common in both books by Norris and Fitzgerald is the attribute of greed. In McTeague, the greed that is on give away is one that is present throughout the novel. The first time we are introduced to it is when Marcus claims that Trinas winning lottery ticket belongs to him, and it takes a tragic turn, ultimately leading to McTeagues killing of Trina and Marcus, before dying himself from dehydration in the depart from shortly thereafter. In The Great Gatsby, a type of greed that is on a similar level was quite obvious within the relationships of gobbler and Daisy as well as Gatsby and Daisy. This theme of greed, hidden behind the unlike relationships we read about in both books, was a main lineage of their fail ures.In McTeague, Norris first portrays Marcus as the hand-to-hand friend that McTeague has. McTeague and Marcus meet each other at the car conductors coffee joint, where the both occupied the very(prenominal) table, and met at every meal (Norris 10). One is naturally led to believe, based on their frequent meals together, and the close living proximity to one another, that the two were extremely close friends, conceivably even best friends. Based on Norris description of Marcus as one of McTeagues closest friends, probably his closest friend, we only have access to one side of the relationship, but no real indication of how Marcuss feels towards McTeague.