Theme "Money Cannot Buy Love" in Literature (Essay Example)

Can money buy love? Would enough extravagant parties sway someone’s heart towards you? Would building your whole life around a single individual be enough for them to love you? The classic The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald is set in New York City and Long Island in the 1920s. The reader follows the story of Jay Gatsby and his journey to reunite with the love of his life he had once lost years earlier. Gatsby’s endeavors lead him from poverty to wealth, to the arms of his beloved, and ultimately to death. The short story “Fredrigo’s Falcon” written by Giovanni Boccaccio concerns the tragic love story of Fredrigo. Fredrigo loves a young woman of nobility named Monna even though she is already married. Through Fredrigo’s honest generosity he changes Monna’s heart. This story is told in the mid-1300s in Florence. Both texts involve the general theme of how true love does not stem from spending an immense amount of money. Both stories, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and, “Fredrigo’s Falcon” written by Giovanni Boccaccio, both exhibit how no matter how much money you spend, money cannot buy love.

In The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio, both main characters give up everything for their love. For instance, in The Great Gatsby when Nick is talking to Jordan to get to know more about Gatsby he asks “‘It was a strange coincidence,’ I said. ‘But it wasn’t a coincidence at all.’ ‘Why not?’ ‘Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.’ … ‘He wants to know,” continued Jordan, ‘if you’ll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over.’”(Fitzgerald 78)  This quote portrays how Gatsby is stuck in the past and has built his entire life around Daisy. Everything he has done is for the sole purpose of getting closer to Daisy, in hopes of re-creating what they shared together in the past. Additionally, even after Gatsby does all of this for Daisy, he fails in acquiring her love. Furthermore, in “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio, the similar theme of money and love continues. After Fredrigo and Monna meet, Monna’s son dies possibly because of not gaining his friend's beloved falcon, as he wanted. During Monna’s mourning, her brothers suggest that she get married to find happiness once again. Despite their suggestions she declares, “‘My brothers, I am well aware of what you say, but I would rather have a man who needs money than money that needs a man.’”(Boccaccio 23) This quote exhibits how Monna has changed her views on love and money. At the beginning of the story, she married for money but now after experiencing Fredrigo’s honesty and love for her she changes. However, now she values generosity over social status. In this story, Fredrigo tries his best to impress Monna by flaunting his money but does not gain her attention. However, when Fredrigo is poor and offers his genuine generosity to Monna, this is when she changes her opinions on love. In summary, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio similarly express the common theme of how money cannot buy love. Despite this resemblance, these two narratives differ. In The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby does flaunt his money but does not win the love of Daisy. His efforts to impress Daisy with only his money eventually led to his death. On the other hand, in “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio, the main character did flaunt his money to impress the woman he loved. Yet when he shows her honest kindness and generosity, that is when he changes her views on love and money. Both stories The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio, display how true love is gained by showing genuine generosity, rather than trying to impress people by flaunting wealth.

No matter how much money you spend money cannot buy true love. The first source, The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald is set in New York City and Long Island in the 1920s and regards the tragic love story of Jay Gatsby. Secondly, the short story “Fredrigo’s Falcon” written by Giovanni Boccaccio concerns the tragic yet fulfilling love story of Fredrigo. This story is told in the mid-1300s in Florence. In The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald and “Fredrigo’s Falcon” by Giovanni Boccaccio both main characters broadcast their finances to everyone to impress and gain the love of a woman that is in a higher social circle than they are. Being genuine and honest with someone is a better way to gain someone’s love and devotion.