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[Influential Figure & Escape] Both want to break out but have no way of doing so on their
own. Gatsby and Icarus both have an influential figure teaching them and guiding them.
For Gatsby, this was Dan Cody, and he said that his yacht "represented all the beauty
and glamour in the world". Dan Cody would be Gatsby's escape from poverty, Gatsby's
prison, as he had left him a majority of his wealth in his inheritance, though the
inheritance was taken by Ella Kaye, through the use of a legal device that Gatsby "never
understood". But nevertheless, Gatsby became wealthy through his strive to become like
Dan Cody.
Icarus was taught by his father, Daedalus, whom was also a master craftsman, through
him, he was provided a means of escape. These were the wings made of wax and
feathers that were to be used to escape the labyrinth.
For Icarus, it was the wings designed and built by the master craftsman Daedalus, that
were to take them out of the labyrinth they were imprisoned in.
[Warnings] They both received a warning. Though Gatsby's was implied through the
actions and death of Dan Cody. Dan Cody was a heavy drinker, and one night in Boston,
he "inhospitably died". Gatsby took this as a warning to not become like Dan Cody in this
aspect and not become a drinker himself in order to avoid the similar death that Dan
Cody had. It was Gatsby's own warning to himself to not engross himself in something
that makes him happy so that it would not bring upon his own downfall. For Icarus, it was
the direct warnings he received from Daedalus, to not fly too high nor too low. As if he
flew too high, the wax would melt and would send him falling into the ocean below. Nor
too low as if the wings were caught by the waters below, it would drag him down and
drown him.
[Flight & Obliviousness] But both had not expected how great their accomplishments
were, to an extent where they became oblivious to the things that could bring upon their
downfall. Gatsby, through his newly acquired wealth and influence, he had finally gotten
Daisy, the one lady that he's been chasing for so long. His happiness was overwhelming,
that when she accidently killed a woman with his car, he went out of his way to protect
her because he wanted to her to continue making him happy. Because of the happiness
he was experiencing with her, he ignored his own warning of not being too engrossed in
happiness that he was leading himself to practically the same fate as Dan Cody.
For Icarus, this was the ecstasy and joy of the freedom of flying. He hadn't expected how
amazing it was to fly in the freedom of the skies that all warnings given to him had
become ignored.
[Downfall] Therefore, the wings that saved him from his prison, had fallen apart due to
the wax melting because of the sun's heat and he fell to his death because he was
oblivious of the dangers as it was masked by the joy. As for Gatsby, the husband of the
woman they killed, George Wilson, an upper class like Gatsby and Daisy, had come to
kill both Gatsby and Daisy. But Gatsby, engrossed in the happiness of being with Daisy,
was oblivious to the dangers he brought upon himself by protecting her. The ecstasy of
flight, and the happiness of having Daisy. They're like a double edged sword, both brings
happiness, but both also brings danger. They both ignored the warnings they had been
given, for Gatsby, it's to not engross himself in things that make him happy; for Icarus,
it's to not fly too high. But the happiness received by both was too much that they
became oblivious to the warnings that they sent themselves to their own graves (except
Icarus actually had his grave named after him). I guess you could say they were both
taken down by things bigger than them, an upperclass for Gatsby, and the Sun for
Icarus.
Slide Four : In Summary
[Imprisonment] - Gatsby : Poverty; Icarus : Labyrinth
[Influential Figures & Escape] - Gatsby : Dan Cody and Wealth; Icarus : Daedalus and
Wings
[Warnings] Gatsby : Death of Dan Cody through Happiness from Drinking; Icarus : Don't
Fly too high nor too low
[Flight & Obliviousness] - Gatsby : Engrossed in Daisy; Icarus : Engrossed in Flying
[Downfall] - Gatsby : George Wilson due to Daisy; Icarus : Sun due to flying too high
Slide Five : Conclusion
In conclusion, it is can clearly be seen that life of James Gatz corresponds to that of
Icarus's, whether it was intentional by F. Scott Fitzgerald, or purely coincidental. It is can
be seen that the Great Gatsby is filled with allusions to Greek Mythology, like King Midas
and the Siren. So the story of Icarus is likely another. Thank you.