Maslow´s Hierarchy of Needs in the The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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The Great Gatsby
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is a set of basic physical and emotional needs one must obtain to reach their full potential and self-actualization in life. A person must meet every single level of needs to be able to reach their full potential. If any one of the needs is not met then they will not meet the highest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby characters in the book do not reach highest level of needs. Nick Carraway is the narrator of the story and the main character who lives in West Egg he becomes Gatsby’s good friend. James Gatz also known as Jay Gatsby is an extremely wealthy bachelor who lives next to Nick. Across the lake is East Egg, where the married couple Tom and Daisy Buchannan lives. They are extremely wealthy and own a huge estate. However, Gatsby has a huge love for Daisy, and has loved her for the longest time. Furthermore, Gatsby does not get to spend the rest of his life with her because of his death. Consequently, Gatsby does not reach self-actualization in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Daisy’s love falls apart.
Gatsby reaches the second highest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which are Esteem needs. Nick is invited to one of Gatsby’s huge parties that he has every weekend. Nick is narrating what he is arriving to the party, “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. People were not in invited – they went there” (41). Gatsby’s parties attract a huge amount of people; it seemed as if people permeated every inch of his house. This is because he is honored and well respected by the people who attended, “People were not in invited – they went there”. Since only an infini...

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...ough Daisy loved him and was still married she never had the same feelings with Tom, which she had with Gatsby, “I [Gatsby] don’t think she ever loved him [Tom]” ( ). They were in love but Tom prevented this, thus causing their relationship to fall apart. However, Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship ultimately ends when Gatsby is murdered by George Wilson. As a result, Gatsby does not reach the highest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs because he does not reach his full potential life. His relationship with Daisy ends when he dies and it becomes vestige now. Overall, Gatsby’s life does not reach the highest potential because of his relationship with Daisy ends when he dies, so he never reached the highest level of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
Gatsby does not reach his highest potential and self-actualization in life because his relationship with Daisy falls apart.

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