Differences And Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Jay Gatz

The Great Gatsby is a novel by Scott Fitzgerald about the protagonist, Gatsby, luring daisy back into his life. This is all through the perspective of Nick, who is the cousin of daisy. Jay Gatsby and James Gatz are the same person labeled with different names in different points in time, but was their name the only thing the differentiated the two? James Gatz was raised by his parents who were poor farmers who were all too aware of the harsh reality of poverty. James Gatz left for World War I, or as it was called at the time, the Great War, at the age of 27. During his involvement with the war he traveled across the continents of Europe and won medals of Valor. Upon his return Mr. Gatz was now known as Jay Gatsby as it had more of a “ring”

His family is a poor German American family. Since he was a child James has despised poverty and works in many ways to destroy that part of his youth. He attends St. Olaf Collage for only a few weeks before dropping out to pursue wealth. On his adventure he encounters Dan Cody, a wealthy business man in the industry of copper. Dan Cody becomes a mentor of Gatsby and teaches him the tricks to the trade. After the demise of Cody a lump sum of $25,000 is left to Gatz but is stolen by Cody’s mistress. James Gatz much like his predecessor is driven by wealth, this only changes when at age 27 during his infantry training for the Great War does he meet daisy, a 17 year old girl. In many ways Daisy is the opposite of Gatz, she has inherited wealth while Gatz is a businessman. Gatz goes to war and is achieves valor for Argonne and Marne. However, once the war ends he attends Trinity Collage were he receives a letter from Daisy saying she is married to a man named

James Gatz strives for wealth much like Jay Gatsby does but the rationale behind such goals are different. For James being wealth is a way to escape his poverty ridden childhood and be more than his farming parents. However, Jay Gatsby wants wealth to attract Daisy. James seems wealth as an escape while Jay sees it as a tool. Based on this Jay Gatsby in this aspect is a more realistic individual as money in of itself is nothing more than a tool which is understood by the latter self of James Gatz. An attribute both forms of Gatsby share is their selflessness. James Gatz attempted to sacrifice himself for the country by joining the Great War and in doing so saved countless lives and won mettles of valor. While Gatsby being selfless he does so in a less pronounced way, he throughs parties for his community and doesn’t partake in them it is almost his way of giving back to the