A common theme in The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, and The Catcher in the Rye is disloyalty. The main characters in all three novels, Jay Gatsby, Hamlet, and Holden, are all betrayed at some point in their lives. Gatsby is betrayed by Daisy, as she leaves him for Tom Buchanan. Hamlet is betrayed by his mother, as she marries hers husband's murderer. Holden is betrayed by his friend Stradlater, as Stradlater dates Holden. In all of these works of literature the theme of betrayal is common.
In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby is betrayed by his obsession and crush, Daisy. Daisy slowly, is convinced by her husband Tom, that Gatsby is crazy. At first the two had an affectionate relationship; however Gatsby became overly obsessed with her and made their relationship dissipate. This is an example in The Great Gatsby of Betrayal. "I want to wait here till Daisy goes to bed. Good night, old sport" (153). In this novel Daisy betrays Gatsby by no longer showing affection.
In Hamlet, betrayal is also an important theme. When Hamlet's father is murdered in the night, his mother remarries in no time, showing no emotion for her former husband's death. This is betrayal to Hamlet, since she does not show the same sorrow that he does towards the late king, and ends up marring his murder. ""What have I done?.Hamlet: Such an act that blurs the grace and blush of modesty, calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose from the fair forehead of an innocent love.
and sets a blister there, makes marriage-vows As false as dicers' oaths: O, such a deed as from the body of contraction plucks the very soul, and sweet religion makes a rhapsody of words: heaven's face doth glow:" (173). In this play Hamlet is betrayed by his mother, as she goes against his beliefs.
In The Catcher in the Rye, Holden is betrayed by his old friend Stradlater. Stradlater goes off and dates the girl Holden has had a major crush on for awhile, and has sexual intercourse with her.
