Gatsby’s Illusion of Greatness

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Recommended: Critical analysis of the Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic, The Great Gatsby, the central character, Jay Gatsby, is a paradox. In one sense, his rise to material success is a remarkable accomplishment. Viewed through another lense, however, he is not great at all, but a massive failure. His goal of winning Daisy is never attained and he has amassed his fortune through very questionable means. Yet the term “great” is open for interpretation. Gatsby is certainly great in his ability to conjure up stories and an image of himself. His masterful ability to present himself to the world in a new light is similar to that of the one and only Great Houdini, and other performers of the past and present. But Gatsby’s greatness, like a stage performance, is only surface deep, and hides a deeper sense of failure. Nick notices Gatsby’s determination and respects it; Nick truly thinks that Gatsby is great. In analyzing Gatsby’s character, Nick notes his exceptional charisma and his ability to connect with his audience: He had 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 faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself. (Fitzgerald 53) Nick thinks he is extraordinary for a few reasons such as his incredible charm and the way that Gatsby completely changed himself and his lifestyle in order to attain his goal of “winning” Daisy. Once he had his sights set on a goal, he did everything within his means to attain it. He even went so far as to make a study of mannerisms and expre... ... middle of paper ... ...g anyone or sustaining a relationship that is rooted in affection and commitment. Just like Gatsby’s fortune, the idea of “Daisy” and her identity through Gatsby’s eyes, is built on an illusion. Both are built on lost values and embodied by the crumbling moral landscape of America in the 1920’s. Gatsby is great only in creating false ideas and beliefs. In fact, his ability to alter images and perceptions is so great that not only does he fool a large number of party-goers, but he even fools himself. He is so immersed and preoccupied by creating illusion and distorting reality that he loses sight of things as they actually exist. Yet, an illusion is just that - a false impression, a delusion, a fantasy. In the end, Gatsby proves himself to be most masterful in the art of self-deception. Works Cited Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004.

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