The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald embraces many different and abstract characters whose communication styles, skills and tactic are influenced by many lifestyle variables. Their self-concepts are driven by their ignorance, and their cultural norms and wealth lead them to make poor choices throughout the story that build each character’s profile and initiate interpersonal communication, contributing directly to their sense of identity. One of the main characters J. Gatsby is a very evident example of this. Gatsby is a perfect example of interpersonal communication by being a character composed of a desire to become his ideal self, a character vulnerable to judgement and perceptive flaws, and finally a character with self-esteem …show more content…
issues. These aspects drive Gatsby to create an identity that is completely falsified and unhealthy, eventually leaving him obligated to communicate and live with a falsified concept of self.
A self-concept is the way in which one think about one’s self and the way in which one sees themselves as a person. In The Great Gatsby, the main character falsifies his identity so elaborately that he completely lacks a sense of self, creating a self-concept that is skewed to many different influences and variable in his life. Adler argues that a self-concept is developed by comparing our “real self” with an idealized view of who one thinks they should be and how they should act. (Paci, Lecture Slides) For the character of Gatsby, this “real self” is not enough to win over his love, and therefore not enough to satisfy him. There are steps required to create one’s ideal self, including a social role, character growth and finally, lifestyle changes. First of all, Gatsby’s ideal self must fit into what is classified as a social role. A social role is a set of connected behaviours, rights, obligations, beliefs, and norms as conceptualised by people in a social situation, and Gatsby accepts his social role when he interpersonally decides that it is the only way to achieve his desires. In Gatsby’s early life, this is an unattainable version of himself so he moulds his identity into an ideal that Daisy approves
of. The way that he does this however, creates an identity that is false, all for the purpose of attaining his intimacy. This social role causes communication breakdowns that are elaborated on in the course text. “From the time we are born, we’re indirectly taught a set of roles we’re expected to play. Prescribed roles help society function smoothly and help us know what’s expected of us”. (39) Next, as Gatsby begins to mould his self, his way of life and his communication tactics on Daisy’s accord it brings light to his personal insecurity. Personal experience, background, time, emotional attitude, and thoughts, are all influences that create a self-concept. When an individual isn’t meeting their ideal self, they make self-improvement changes to become it. These changes do not come out of the blue, the motivation for them are found on the motives that are the basis of Gatsby’s self-concept and reason for his falsified concept of self. Finally, a concept is defined as “a plan or intention” and a plan is made of many different variables. A self-concept is created when a person repeats something we’ve heard several times before, if a person communicating ideals is a credible source such as a trusted friend, or if a comment is consistent with our own experience. Gatsby’s self-concept and his determination to reach his ideal self is supported by all three of these points. In the 1920’s Wall Street had just reached peak and North Americans were becoming the richest they had ever been. Gatsby being surrounded by this, experienced the culture of the super wealthy and this experience became the norm. Because this influence was Gatsby’s experience, it contributed to his dedication to become his ideal self – a wealthy, successful man that was worthy of Daisy’s adoration. This justifies Gatsby taking on a social role, as mentioned before. Daisy’s adoration is also something that was repeated in Gatsby’s mind. He was told over and over that she could not be with a man who did not have or come from money. Since Daisy was incredibly adored by Gatsby, he was influenced greatly by her comments and built his self-concept in his communicated and interpersonally fabricated ideology. Since this self-concept was built on lies, deceit and Gatsby’s false sense of confidence and entitlement, he is left with no true concept of self apart from his everlasting desire for Daisy’s intimacy, unavoidably resulting in Gatsby having no integrity or self-concept to rely on when Daisy’s affections are not perceived as he aspires.
“Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” Fyodor Dostoyevsky once said this and this quote has greatly influenced the theme statement for this paper. The theme statement for this paper on the Great Gatsby is some people are willing to put up a false façade in order to become something they think is better and they lose their true selves in the long run. This paper will go through three examples of putting up a false façade. First the paper will go through Jay Gatsby, then Nick Carraway and finally the paper will wrap up with the parties that Gatsby throws.
The Great Gatsby is an emotional tale of hope of love and “romantic readiness”(1.2) that is both admirable and meritorious .Yet, the question of Daisy ever being able to measure up to Gatsby’s expectations is one that reverberates throughout the course of the novel. Be that as it may, Daisy is never truly able to measure up to Gatsby’s expectations because the image of Daisy in Gatsby’s mind is entirely different from who she actually is. Even during his younger years, Gatsby had always had a vision of himself “as a son of God”(6.98) and that “he must be about his fathers business, the service of a vast, vulgar and meretricious beauty”(6.98). Gatsby’s desire for aristocracy, wealth, and luxury is exactly what drives him to pursue Daisy who embodies everything that that Gatsby desires and worked towards achieving. Therefore, Gatsby sees Daisy as the final piece to his puzzle in order realize his vision. Gatsby’s hyperbolized expectation of Daisy throws light on the notion if our dreams as individuals are actually limited by reality. Since our dreams as human beings are never truly realized, because they may be lacking a specific element. Daisy proves to be that element that lingers in Gatsby’s dreams but eludes his reality.
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.
These ideals are evident in Nick’s narration and in the words spoken by the other characters, including Gatsby himself. For five years, Gatsby was denied the one thing that he desired more than anything in the world: Daisy. While she was willing to wait for him until after the war, he did not want to return to her a poor man who would, in his eyes, be unworthy of her love. Gatsby did not want to force Daisy to choose between the comfortable lifestyle she was used to and his love. Before he would return to her, he was determined to make something of himself so that Daisy would not lose the affluence that she was accustomed to possessing.
In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, two characters different in gender and social class share an inability to differentiate between desirable illusions and reality, causing the downfall of each. This novel follows the life of Jay Gatsby, a man who rearranges his life to obtain his only desire, to reunite with Daisy Buchanan, his former love interest who he was unable to marry due to his lack of wealth and enrollment into the army. Gatsby’s efforts to obtain this desire lead him to wealth, and eventually he reconnects with Daisy. But Gatsby’s inability to realize that she has long moved on causes him to continuously chase her, and as a result leads to his ultimate demise. Another character,
Gatsby does not want to be acknowledged for being “just some nobody.” These insecurities are shown in Gatsby’s past. They arise from his childhood, growing up poor and wanting to be something. This wanting to be somebody causes Gatsby to have the need to be acknowledged. We see this through his extravagant parties, the need to have Daisy, and his false story of going to Oxford. His extravagant parties are used to make an allure on him. This draws people in and makes him
The American Dream is something that so many people will strive to have one day. Doing so, a person may want the perfect house, family, and job. For Gatsby, that American Dream is fading away faster than ever. He had the house and the job, but one thing was missing, Daisy. Gatsby’s fighting for Daisy made him lose everything that he had gained for himself. In the end, Gatsby’s optimism and hope for a life with Daisy ends up killing him. F. Scott Fitzgerald delivers in his book, The Great Gatsby, a great description of the setting and his thoughts and emotions to readers in using ideas that people can relate to in this day and age. The development of the characters helps establish why The Great Gatsby is considered “good
In The Great Gatsby, many individuals are involved in a struggle to find themselves and who they want to be. Personal identity is a very challenging thing to define. Everyone has an image in their mind of who they want to be. These images are usually very different from the actual identity of a person. In this novel, Jay Gatsby’s search or struggle for a new identity for himself is an ongoing journey. He has dedicated his entire life creating an image to impress Daisy Buchanan and to set himself into her society. This image does not necessarily depict who he is in reality.
People today have many different personalities based on who they are interacting with. Often times people's personas change due to their influences and their ideals. Many high school students experience a change in personality while trying to fit in or mimic a person they look up to. Some people are unaware of their own change in personality however, in the novel The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald Jay decides to invent this false persona of who he wishes to be. Starting in Jay’s teenage years he began to create his new identity. Jay wanted to be successful a one percenter who wanted nothing to do with his childhood. He was embarrassed by where he came from so he choose to create a false persona Jay Gatsby. The author uses character to convey
In life, we ask ourselves the question what we are? In addition, we also ask ourselves how our perspectives allow us to see this world? These questions are an opening idea’s, which requires the person answering it, to be fully aware of his or her life, and then have the ability to judge it without any personal bias. This is why, in the book that was and is in a sense is still talked about in class, The Great Gatsby, which is a book that follows a plethora of charters all being narrated by, Nick Caraway, a character of the book The Great Gatsby. Nick Caraway is the character in the book which judges and describes his and other character’s actions and virtues. Now we speak of a character whose name is Jay Gatsby or other whys known as James Gatz, which is one of the characters that Mr. Caraway, seems to be infatuated with from the start of the book. This character Jay Gatsby develops a perspective, which in his view seems to justify his actions by the way that he saw the world that he was living in. In this essay, I will explain why the ambitions of a person, can lead them to do things that are beyond there normal character.
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is an absurd story, whether considered as romance, melodrama, or plain record of New York high life. The occasional insights into character stand out as very green oases on an arid desert of waste paper. Throughout the first half of the book the author shadows his leading character in mystery, but when in the latter part he unfolds his life story it is difficult to find the brains, the cleverness, and the glamour that one might expect of a main character.
In the famous great American novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the main character Jay Gatsby is portrayed as a romantic hero, hopeful dreamer, and as someone who is completely unforgettable. What makes Gatsby so great was not his wealth, position in society or his personal belongings, but his determination to make something of himself during a time in which moral corruptions were common. Jay Gatsby’s personal greatness was exemplified in his struggle against his own fate, devoted love towards Daisy, and self sacrifice.
Starting at a young age Gatsby strives to become someone of wealth and power, leading him to create a façade of success built by lies in order to reach his unrealistic dream. The way Gatsby’s perceives himself is made clear as Nick explains: “The truth was Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God… he must be about His Father’s business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty” (Fitzgerald 98). From the beginning Gatsby puts himself beside God, believing he is capable of achieving the impossible and being what he sees as great. Gatsby blinds himself of reality by idolizing this valueless way of life, ultimately guiding him to a corrupt lifestyle. While driving, Nick observes Gatsby curiously: “He hurried the phrase ‘educated at Oxford,’ or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it had bothered him before. And with this doubt, his whole statement fell to pieces…” (Fitzgerald 65). To fulfill his aspirations Gatsby desires to be seen an admirable and affluent man in society wh...
The main theme of The Great Gatsby is the questions of if it’s possible to relive the past. In the above passage we witness evidence of this theme with the use of the words “unutterable” and “uncommunicable.” What is unutterable for Gatsby is experiences with Daisy, and his unorthodox methods of trying to get back with her. Gatsby is like a child who's fallen in love for the first time; he’s so caught up in the moment that nothing else matters to him and “his mind would never romp again like the mind of a God.” Gatsby also cannot utter to others his upcoming and how he became the man he is today to try and win over Daisy. Gatsby thinks that the only thing stopping Daisy from marrying him is his lack of wealth, so he starts committing crimes
The line of attack we use in order to identify individuals around us is an intriguing thing. Our perception is forever shifting, forever building, and affected not only by the person’s actions, but by the actions of those around them. In Scott F. Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby Nick Caraway’s perception of Jay Gatsby is always changing. All the way through the novel, Nick’s perception of Gatsby changes from him perceived as a rich chap, to a man that lives in the past, to a man trying to achieve his aspirations but has failed.