Examples Of Greatness In The Great Gatsby

Quinten Cheek

The “Great” Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald follows the titular character, Jay Gatsby, through the perspective of the protagonist, Nick. Even though the setting of the book only takes place over the course of a few years of Gatsby’s life, a lot is revealed about him over the course of the novel through his early life, mannerisms, parties, and of course, his love of Daisy. While Gatsby definitely earned his title of great by means of wealth, the ways he attained his greatness and what he used his greatness for both show what kind of man Gatsby really is.

Gatsby got his wealth, and therefore greatness, through dishonest work. Gatsby, or rather James Gatz, started off as an honest young man in a not wealthy family.

After obtaining his wealth, Gatz realized he still was not satisfied. He wanted more: He wanted Daisy. He wanted to have her because she represented wealth, his whole life’s purpose. In order to achieve this, he found where she lived, acquired a grandiose, spectacular, and show-offy house nearby, and began throwing just as grandiose, spectacular, and show-offy parties for anyone to attend. He figured that if he kept throwing them, eventually she would come to one and they would finally be together like in his fantasies. There was only one problem -- she was married. However, in his crazed, love-struck state, this seemed like no problem to him since, in his fairy-tale of life, she never stopped loving him and does not actually love her husband. This is used to symbolize how time has passed repeatedly through the book. despite all the massive amount of time that has passed since Gatz was with her. This would not cease his endeavors, however, as his wealth made him mentally invincible and/or oblivious. Eventually, while he did get to spend time with her for less than a year, just like money, Daisy returned to the man she belonged to. This was not because she did not love Gatz, but because Tom provided security -- something that the insecure, spur-of-the-moment Gatz could never provide, contradicting his cool manner he exudes when he is first