The Art of Sacrifice as portrayed in the Great Gatsby by F.S. Fitzgerald and American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes.

The Art of Sacrifice as portrayed in the Great Gatsby by F.S. Fitzgerald and American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes. Sacrifice, the concept of giving up something valuable as a means of gaining more desirable things or preventing evil, is a fascinating art that has long intrigued humankind. In particular, two American texts have captured the essence of it , The Great Gatsby by F.S. Fitzgerald and the 1999 movie American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes. Both texts closely explore the responsibility of an individual‚s relationship with his or her society for the sacrifices the individual makes; from the disillusionment of the American Dream to how the characters are affected or destroyed by it.In the world of Jay Gatsby and Lester Burnham, ideals and values are defined by their society. More specifically, theirs is a consumer-driven society, resulting in false values which place importance on materialism and hedonism, disregarding morality and spirituality. In The Great Gatsby, these values are embodied through the juxtaposition and repetition of West and East.Leonardo DiCaprio at the Body of Lies film premier...