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

For so many people one of the hardest things in life is maintaining a strong and wakeless relationship with an other(a) person, but it is especially difficult in a romantic relationship. For the most part, successful relationships are based on honesty, communication, trust, and most significantly compromise. When you are in a relationship that has a foundation based on those characteristics, it makes you feel connected with that person. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, traits such as jealousy, greed, deceit 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 long Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Throughout both books, the reader can easily find an underlying theme of relationships if they look hard enough. In both novels it seems to be extravagantly clear that the prominent relationship portrayed is a failed relationship. When analyzing the relationshi ps between the people in the book, it becomes clear through the ways in which the characters interact with separately 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 portion of greed. In McTeague, the greed that is on display 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 desert shortly thereafter. In The Great Gatsby, a typewrite of greed that is on a similar level was quite obvious within the relationships of Tom and Daisy as well as Gatsby and Daisy. This theme of greed, hidden cornerstone the different relationships we read about in both books, was a main source of their failures.In McTeague, Norr is first portrays Marcus as the closest friend that McTeague has. McTeague and Marcus meet each other at the car conductors coffee joint, where the two occupied the same 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.