Platonic Conception In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Plato, an ancient Greek philosopher believed that reality could be made from ideas. A platonic conception refers to things being born out of the beliefs and fantasies of people. The platonic conception is what one wants something to be, the perfect version. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book: The Great Gatsby James Gatz, a young and desolate boy dreams of becoming a rich and influential man. At an early age he creates an image of himself as Jay Gatsby, a successful socialite with more money than he could possibly know what to do with. When he saves Dan Cody he become this platonic conception, Jay Gatsby. Jay Gatsby creates a platonic conception of himself and believes that because he has become this new man he can change anything he wants to fit his needs.

While Gatsby is first showing Daisy around his manor he is desperate to cater to her every whim. His overbearing attitude and his selfishness is shown in his disregard for Klipspringer the piano player whom he wakes up in the dead of night for the sole purpose of entertaining Daisy. His tone shows his lack of understanding and reason when speaking to Klipspringer: “I’m all out of practice, you see. I told you I couldn’t play. I’m all out of prac——‘ ‘Don’t talk so much, old sport,’ commanded Gatsby. ‘Play!”(Fitzgerald 102). He clearly has no regards for the piano player’s humanity and orders him to play for Daisy just because it will humor her. Jay’s selfishness reflects his belief that he can change whatever he wants because he is a self made man, his own platonic