The adjective “great” can have many meanings, but most people associate this word and construe the meaning from only the positive perspective. The adjective “good” is nowhere near the definition of “great”, as you do not have to be “good” to be “great”. The definition of “great” is simply, “an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the normal or average”. In this regard, the adjective “great” accurately depicts Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby. This novel lacks the affable characters (including Gastby), and one can argue that positive light is unable to be shed from any of them. Despite this, one can see the avid fervor and feel the determination as Gatsby chases after his dream in a cold, brutal world, and …show more content…
that makes him great. Considering the imposing obstacles that Gatsby faces, his audacity to run through them is downright inspiring to a degree, as he started from the bottom, literally and figuratively. Although the character of Jay Gatsby is somewhat flawed, he deserves to be called “great” because of his ambition in life and how he uplifts and contributes to people with the same care that he pursues his dream with. In reading this novel, some readers might come to the conclusion that Gatsby is not great, but a phony for masking his true self and asserting himself as someone who he is not. His life is filled and made of lies, as he tries to hide his shady business. Tom exposes him in a confrontation, and it is evident that Gatsby tries hard to control himself: “That drug store business was just small change...but you’ve got something on now that Walter’s afraid to tell me about...I turned back to Gatsby-and was startled at his expression. He looked... as if he had ‘killed a man’” (Fitzgerald 141-142). This is not one of Gatsby’s brightest moments, not because he got exposed by Tom, but because of the consequence of this exposure. Gatsby takes a hard fall from grace, and the image that he works so hard to build up completely disintegrates within seconds. Gatsby’s is stripped bare in that moment, and the grandeur and mystique that surrounded him is replaced with a feeling of dread and coldness. Most will point to this fact that Gatsby is indeed not great, but his greatness is already dead at this point. Fitzgerald portrays the death of Gatsby's greatness when he reunites with Daisy as Nick states, “It was when curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on one Saturday night-and, as obscurely as it had begun, his career as Trimalchio was over” (Fitzgerald 119). Trimalchio is a character in a Roman work of fiction Satyricon by Petronius. This character is a literal imitation of Gatsby, as he is a former slave in Ancient Rome who becomes rich and tries to earn the respect of a first-century establishment. The difference between the two is that Gatsby loses his greatness in the form of reuniting with Daisy. Readers who presume Gatsby is not great will likely point to evidence after this juncture in the story, as he gradually loses his greatness. It is depicted that Gatsby is indeed not perfect, but that does not take away from his greatness. Throughout this novel, the reader sees only the tragic fall from grace that Gatsby experiences; not his rise to greatness. In life, ambition is a critical component to one’s success, and this main ingredient is something that Gatsby clearly never lacks throughout the novel.
Gatsby’s greatest aspect in life is his ambition. The extent to Gatsby’s ambitions certainly is admirable, and is shown through his father reminiscing Gatsby’s youthful years, “Look here, this is a book he had when he was a boy. It just shows you...Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something” (Fitzgerald 181-182). Gatsby’s literally built himself from the ground up, and his persistence and determination to do so is what makes him great. Gatsby’s early positioning in the social hierarchy makes people like him the least likely to reach the top of hierarchy and yet, he endured the arduous journey and overcame the seemingly daunting gauntlet. Gatsby is faced with constant obstacles throughout his journey, and the resolve that he shows through everything is commendable. In a cold society where ambition will define a person in life, Gatsby displays an unprecedented desire for achievement in the novel, and as Nick states, “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald 162). Gatsby’s greatness is certainly worth more than Tom, Daisy, and Jordan combined, simply on the fact that his ambitions got him to the top against all odds. Ultimately, the determination and desire to achieve all his goals despite all the merciless obstacles that Gatsby had to face, defines his …show more content…
greatness. In society, greatness can be misconstrued as possessing great wealth and popularity, but true greatness in a person is measured in their character and contribution to others.
Gatsby’s first impression on Nick depicted the kind of remarkable and unique effect that he holds: “He smiled understandingly...it was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life...it assured you that it had precisely the impression of you that, at your best, you hoped to convey” (Fitzgerald 52-53). Gatsby has that special “aura” that just gives people a good feeling and uplifts everybody around him. He does not look down on anyone simply due to their hierarchical position in society like Tom and so many of the wealthy do. Instead, he is willing to distribute his wealth, evident by Gatsby's taking in of Klipspringer, his servant, and throwing of massive parties open to everyone. He recognizes and acknowledges his humble beginnings as his father states that, “He come out to see me two years ago and brought me the house I live in now. Of course we broke up when he run off from home…” (Fitzgerald 181). The fact that Gatsby even acknowledges his father is astonishing, to even go back to visit him in person shows his character, as most people in that time period would have cut off contact with their failures and blemishes in the past without a blink of an eye. Another example of Gatsby’s character is displayed by his devotion to
Daisy when he elaborates to Nick that, “Of course she might have loved him, just for a minute, when they were first married-and loved me more even then do you see… ‘In any case,’ he said, ‘it was just personal’...What could you make of that, except to suspect some intensity in his conception of the affair that couldn’t be measured?” (Fitzgerald 159-160). Gatsby’s willingness to be the scapegoat for Daisy proves that his relationship with Daisy was not just physical. When Gatsby dismisses the fact that “it was just personal”, it can be interpreted that Daisy and Tom’s relationship was just sexual, and the fact that he is still capable of loving Daisy after all that transpired is a testament to his greatness. Gatsby has great wealth and popularity on the outside, but the true greatness in him is explained by his character, and his contributions to others. In the case of Jay Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald clearly portrays how he is “great” in this novel. Some may argue against his greatness by pointing out his questionable morals and his wrong path to success, but you do not have to be “good” to be “great”. Gatsby’s downfall is in part caused by his blind pursuit of an unworthy dream (Daisy) and his questionable morals. That does not take away from his greatness, and there is no question that his rise to greatness results from his ambitious and persistent determination in achieving his dreams in a cruel world filled with “careless people” that will toss people with weaknesses aside. He took his heart away from money and is not interested in fame. On his rise to greatness, Jay Gatsby does what others in his position fail to do. He shows compassion to others, and instead of bringing people down, he uplifts them. Gatsby sacrifices himself literally and figuratively for an unattainable dream, a dream that has already receded into the past. Jay Gatsby’s ambition, character, and determination is great beyond measure. However, he works towards an unworthy and unattainable goal that eventually destroys him. In life, everyone has the potential to be great if they possess a hungry determination. The only decision that needs to be made is which path to take with that ambition.
Of course Nick is going to talk to him before he makes any assumptions. Even though Gatsby is one to easily be judged based off of his lavish lifestyle and looks. It’s important here because Gatsby asks Nick for his opinion of himself, but before he gets the opinion he wants to tell Nick his story before he hears nonsense from anyone else. While listening to Gatsby talk about his past, Nick starts to slip. In this passage Nick is talking about how he reacted to Gatsby be so called past, “With an effort I managed to restrain my incredulous laughter. The very phrases were worn so threadbare that they evoked no image except that of a turbaned ‘character’ leaking sawdust at every pore as he pursued a tiger through the Bois de Boulogne.” (Fitzgerald 66). However before talking to Gatsby Nick says, “So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate road-house next door.” (Fitzgerald 64). Nick judged Gatsby, based off of his appearance and what he had seen next door. Of course, Nick doesn't own up to that, he uses the word impression instead of
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby many characters are not as they seem. The one character that intrigues me the most is James Gatsby. In the story Gatsby is always thought of as rich, confident, and very popular. However, when I paint a picture of him in my mind I see someone very different. In fact, I see the opposite of what everyone portrays him to be. I see someone who has very little confidence and who tries to fit in the best he can. There are several scenes in which this observation is very obvious to me. It is clear that Gatsby is not the man that everyone claims he is.
...s drive him to be patient, determined, secretive, and careless with his wealth. He truly was a “great” man, as title suggest, stating from nothing but through hope and inspiration from his one true love he creates a “promising future” for himself (Myer). While at first the traits Gatsby posses may seem in some ways beneficial, they prove themselves to be just the opposite as this story progressed. One reason proving that these qualities were detrimental was the fact that Jay Gatsby possessed and used the qualities for all the wrong reasons. The main reason being that Gatsby did everything for Daisy was one of his greatest assets and sweetest downfalls. Furthermore, Gatsby allowed these traits to consume him and cause him to make poor mistakes, thus leading to his tragic death. And although that is true, his unbending love for her ruined him even before his death.
By meeting Gatsby Nick has changed for the better. His ideas and actions. all start to change. He becomes very genuine. Sometime after the party Nick says "I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. " Gatsby, p. 41. said this because most of the people at Gatsby's parties were just invited. themselves. This is the time when Nick's character is showing some.
Selfishness is a disease of the soul that every person experiences several times throughout their life. To say that it has never been experienced would be hypocrisy. To say that it is a “good thing”, would be erroneous. Although as humans we like to lie to ourselves, it is no question that selfishness can make any person act like a fool. It consumes us and makes us into someone we are not. Whether it leads to getting people killed, falling in love, or buying alcohol, selfishness always leads to destruction.
...terest to which everyone has some vague right at the end.”(fitzgerald 156) “ We were close friends,” (fitzgerald 150) Nick informs Gatsby’s father. Nick will return West, inthe beginning not waiting any longer “privileged glimpses into the human heart,” although prepared on consideration to receive the expansion of his commiseration his occurencess have caused. The quality of magnificence of The Great Gatsby , consists mainly in the form it manipulates to capture the juncture of change, in the growth of the Western sensitivity, during the time at which fresh outlooks or attitudes to the heroic were laying hold of formation. Nick is the hero with whom the reader, regardless of stipulation, considerably empathizes himself. Gatsby is excessively preporterous, and astounding. Even though Nick’s sentimental education is foretelling by Gatsby’s outstanding career.
One of the traits of Gatsby that makes him truly great is his remarkable capacity for hope. He has faith that what he desires will come to him if he works hard enough. He does not comprehend the cruelty and danger that is the rest of the world. Gatsby, while a man of questionable morals, is as wide-eyed and innocent as a small child in his views of the world. These ideals are evident in Nick’s narration and in the words spoken by the other characters, including Gatsby himself.
Is great Gatsby truly great? It seems so according to Nick Carraway, the narrator in the novel of “The Great Gatsby.” Nick has a moral background that allows him to judge Jay Gatsby accordingly. His descriptions did not only creates sympathy, but also made Gatsby, the outlaw bootlegger, somehow admirable. F. Scott Fitzgerald presented this ethical trick to expose people’s delusions about the American dream, and uses Nick to show sympathy for strivers.
In the book “The Great Gatsby” we have the character Nick, which at first, gave the impression of a nice person, because in the book he states that keeps all judgments to himself, stated in, this quote, “ In consequence I am inclined to reserve all judgments.” This gives an idea that Nick while knowing the character of another keeps his ideas to himself, in addition, it shows that Nick is aiming to keep the judgments that his father gave him with out giving up, even though it has caused Nick a lot of trouble. That make Nick boring, nonetheless, he continued showing an ambition to keep his fathers advise, ...
At the beginning of the book, Nick's dependability is demonstrated as he recounts various information about himself. He is “inclined to reserve all judgments”(1), a trait that implies objectivity and therefore reliability as a narrator. However, he continues to say that this reservation of judgment has certain limits, especially recently in his life. These limits, apparently, do not apply to Gatsby, as evidenced in the next line. Nick says that only Gatsby “was exempt from [his] reaction”, even though Gatsby “represented everything for which [he has] an unaffected scorn”. He then continues to praise Gatsby's “heightened sensitivity to the promises of life”, and his “extraordinary gift of hope”(2). This beginning excerpt from the book in the first two pages sets the tone for the rest of the book and foreshadows the events that are going to happen. It is one of the most important sections of the book, as it lays out ...
According to American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of great is: great (grEt) adj. 1. Remarkable or outstanding in magnitude, degree, or extent. 2. Of outstanding significance or importance. 3. Chief or principal. 4. Superior in quality or character; noble. 5. Powerful; influential. 6. Eminent; distinguished. 7. Grand; aristocratic. 8.Enthusiastic.. Many people have achieved some sort of greatness in today¹s society. To be associated with the adjective great is a tremendous compliment. The word defines people or things that are ³remarkable or better than others². Jay Gatsby, the main character, in the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a remarkable person and certainly signifies the title.
F. Scott Fitzgerald was very clever in choosing the word "great" in describing such a complex character as Jay Gatsby. It is clear that this word is being used facetiously as Fitzgerald continuously reveals more and more weakness within Gatsby. At first glance, Gatsby is portrayed as glamorous and magnificent. The reader himself learns to appreciate this man who is the classic example of an American hero- someone who has worked his way up the social and economic ladder. He is a man who has completely invented his own, new, inflated image. Throughout the novel, this glorified facade is slowly peeled away. Gatsby eventually gets killed in pursuit of romance with the beautiful, superficial socialite, Daisy Buchanan. Havi...
The main techniques Fitzgerald used to introduce our main character Gatsby was reputations and postponed introduction thus creating a lot of mystery around this man. At first when Nick enters one of Gatsby’s parties he doesn’t see the host indulging himself in the luxuries of the crowd, food and music though instead he is nowhere to be seen. This is a very surprising enigma for Nick since generally you would presume that whoever has this much wealth would thrive in showing it off to his guests. On top of this, you have a lot of rumors circulating every one of his parties.
Greatness is not only set by ones aspiration, but by actions that one may portray. Jay Gatsby in the novel The Great Gatsby, is an excellent example of a character who's actions and personal goals in life unite. While many people try to do what is the right thing, but sometimes their plans do not work out, Gatsby's actions work exactly how he wants them to.To some readers, Gatsby seems like a very nice man who puts others before himself and cares for his loved ones. However, Gatsby only does things to make himself a happy man and gain the stuff he "worked" for. He thinks that by doing all these works, he will end up in the end of his life a very happy man; ironically, he ends up dying heart broken, and a very unhappy man. Jay Gatsby devious actions make him a not so great man. Gatsby is a very selfish and foolish man.
At the beginning of the book Nick sees Gatsby as a mysterious shady man. In the beginning of the chapter Nick somewhat resents Gatsby. In Nick’s opinion Gatsby was the representation of “…everything for which I have unaffected scorn.” (Fitzgerald 2). Nick sees Gatsby as what he hates the most in life, rich folk. Since the start of the novel it was obvious that had “Disapproved of him from beginning to end.” (Fitzgerald 154). As time passes, Nick realizes his neighbor has quite a mysterious past. Some think he’s a bootlegger, and a different person wa...