The-Great-Gatsby

TheGreatGatsbyF.ScottFitzgeraldGetthisSparkNotetogo!PreviousSectionCharacterListNextSectionThemes,Motifs&SymbolsAnalysisofMajorCharactersJayGatsbyThetitlecharacterofTheGreatGatsbyisayoungman,aroundthirtyyearsold,whorosefromanimpoverishedchildhoodinruralNorthDakotatobecomefabulouslywealthy.However,heachievedthisloftygoalbyparticipatinginorganizedcrime,includingdistributingillegalalcoholandtradinginstolensecurities.Fromhisearlyyouth,Gatsbydespisedpovertyandlongedforwealthandsophistication¡ªhedroppedoutofSt.Olaf¡¯sCollegeafteronlytwoweeksbecausehecouldnotbearthejanitorialjobwithwhichhewaspayinghistuition.ThoughGatsbyhasalwayswantedtoberich,hismainmotivationinacquiringhisfortunewashisloveforDaisyBuchanan,whomhemetasayoungmilitaryofficerinLouisvillebeforeleavingtofightinWorldWarIin1917.GatsbyimmediatelyfellinlovewithDaisy¡¯sauraofluxury,grace,andcharm,andliedtoherabouthisownbackgroundinordertoconvinceherthathewasgoodenoughforher.Daisypromisedtowaitforhimwhenheleftforthewar,butmarriedTomBuchananin1919,whileGatsbywasstudyingatOxfordafterthewarinanattempttogainaneducation.Fromthatmomenton,GatsbydedicatedhimselftowinningDaisyback,andhisacquisitionofmillionsofdollars,hispurchaseofagaudymansiononWestEgg,andhislavishweeklypartiesareallmerelymeanstothatend.Fitzgeralddelaystheintroductionofmostofthisinformationuntilfairlylateinthenovel.Gatsby¡¯sreputationprecedeshim¡ªGatsbyhimselfdoesnotappearinaspeakingroleuntilChapter3.FitzgeraldinitiallypresentsGatsbyasthealoof,enigmatichostoftheunbelievablyopulentpartiesthrowneveryweekathismansion.Heappearssurroundedbyspectacularluxury,courtedbypowerfulmenandbeautifulwomen.HeisthesubjectofawhirlwindofgossipthroughoutNewYorkandisalreadyakindoflegendarycelebritybeforeheiseverintroducedtothereader.FitzgeraldpropelsthenovelforwardthroughtheearlychaptersbyshroudingGatsby¡¯sbackgroundandthesourceofhiswealthinmystery(thereaderlearnsaboutGatsby¡¯schildhoodinChapter6andreceivesdefinitiveproofofhiscriminaldealingsinChapter7).Asaresult,thereader¡¯sfirst,distantimpressionsofGatsbystrikequiteadifferentnotefromthatofthelovesick,naiveyoungmanwhoemergesduringthelaterpartofthenovel.FitzgeraldusesthistechniqueofdelayedcharacterrevelationtoemphasizethetheatricalqualityofGatsby¡¯sapproachtolife,whichisanimportantpartofhispersonality.Gatsbyhasliterallycreatedhisowncharacter,evenchanginghisnamefromJamesGatztoJayGatsbytorepresenthisreinventionofhimself.AshisrelentlessquestforDaisydemonstrates,Gatsbyhasanextraordinaryabilitytotransformhishopesanddreamsintoreality;atthebeginningofthenovel,heappearstothereaderjustashedesirestoappeartotheworld.Thistalentforself-inventioniswhatgivesGatsbyhisqualityof¡°greatness¡±:indeed,thetitle¡°TheGreatGatsby¡±isreminiscentofbillingsforsuchvaudevillemagiciansas¡°TheGreatHoudini¡±and¡°TheGreatBlackstone,¡±suggestingthatthepersonaofJayGatsbyisamasterfulillusion.Gatsbybelievedinthegreenlight,theorgasticfuturethatyearbyyearrecedesbeforeus.(SeeImportantQuotationsExplained)AsthenovelprogressesandFitzgeralddeconstructsGatsby¡¯sself-presentation,Gatsbyrevealshimselftobeaninnocent,hopefulyoungmanwhostakeseverythingonhisdreams,notrealizingthathisdreamsareunworthyofhim.GatsbyinvestsDaisywithanidealisticperfectionthatshecannotpossiblyattaininrealityandpursuesherwithapassionatezealthatblindshimtoherlimitations.Hisdreamofherdisintegrates,revealingthecorruptionthatwealthcausesandtheunworthinessofthegoal,muchinthewayFitzgeraldseestheAmericandreamcrumblinginthe1920s,asAmerica¡¯spowerfuloptimism,vitality,andindividualismbecomesubordinatedtotheamoralpursuitofwealth.GatsbyiscontrastedmostconsistentlywithNick.Criticspointoutthattheformer,passionateandactive,andthelatter,soberandreflective,seemtorepresenttwosidesofFitzgerald¡¯spersonality.Additionally,whereasTomisacold-hearted,aristocraticbully,Gatsbyisaloyalandgood-heartedman.ThoughhislifestyleandattitudediffergreatlyfromthoseofGeorgeWilson,GatsbyandWilsonsharethefactthattheybothlosetheirloveinteresttoTom.NickCarrawayIfGatsbyrepresentsonepartofFitzgerald¡¯spersonality,theflashycelebritywhopursuedandglorifiedwealthinordertoimpressthewomanheloved,thenNickrepresentsanotherpart:thequiet,reflectiveMidwesterneradriftintheluridEast.Ayoungman(heturnsthirtyduringthecourseofthenovel)fromMinnesota,NicktravelstoNewYorkin1922tolearnthebondbusiness.HelivesintheWestEggdistrictofLongIsland,nextdoortoGatsby.NickisalsoDaisy¡¯scousin,whichenableshimtoobserveandassisttheresurgentloveaffairbetweenDaisyandGatsby.Asaresultofhisrelationshiptothesetwocharacters,Nickistheperfectchoicetonarratethenovel,whichfunctionsasapersonalmemoirofhisexperienceswithGatsbyinthesummerof1922.NickisalsowellsuitedtonarratingTheGreatGatsbybecauseofhistemperament.AshetellsthereaderinChapter1,heistolerant,open-minded,quiet,andagoodlistener,and,asaresult,otherstendtotalktohimandtellhimtheirsecrets.Gatsby,inparticular,comestotrusthimandtreathimasaconfidant.Nickgenerallyassumesasecondaryrolethroughoutthenovel,preferringtodescribeandcommentoneventsratherthandominatetheaction.Often,however,hefunc