The Great Gatsby

By F.Scott Fitzgerald

Blog Post #1

JAY GATSBY – IS HE REALLY “GREAT”?

 

My favourite character in this book is Jay Gatsby. The author rounded portrayal of him very well. He has lots of advantages but also has shortcomings. Therefore, I’m going to analyze whether Mr.Gatsby “great”.

“‘They’re a rotten crowd, ‘ I shouted across the lawn. ‘You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together(Fitzgerald 164).'”

Nick said this to Gatsby at  the last time when Nick saw him. By rotten crowd, I think Nick meant those people from upper class like Tom. So as a spectator, why does Nick think Gatsby is a better person than all of them? I think it’s because of his simple heart. Rich, party all night, spends money like water, that’s Nick’s first thoughts about Gatsby. When they started to know each other, Gatsby told Nick about his  life. He said he was born in a wealthy family in the Middle West, and he was educated in Oxford. Nick doubted on his word, and Gatsby showed Nick some “evidence” to prove himself immediately, which made him more unreliable. At that time, Nick might thought him as an upstart, who uses all his strategy to get into the upper class just as everyone else. But then, Nick found out that Mr.Gatsby’s luxurious parties are just  because he wanted to attract  his true love, Daisy, to come to his party. He worked so hard to become rich is not for money and power, but only for the “pure love”. I think that is when Nick started to admire Mr.Gatsby. In the end, Daisy hit Myrtle Wilson by accident. Gatsby decided to bear the liability for Daisy, he said it was him who hit Myrtle. In 1920s, people’s life were full of luxury and dissipation. A person like Gatsby, who never forgot his goal and has the courage to take responsibility for the one he loved, is vary rare. I think it is his persistence on love and dream made deserves Nick’s praise.

However, that does not mean Gatsby is a perfect man.

“‘Oxford, New Mexico, ‘ snorted Tom contemptuously, ‘or something like that(Fitzgerald 129).'”

Even Gatsby tried to package himself with Oxford degree, a wealthy family, experience in the army and so on, he still cannot actually get into the upper class. Tom still feels distain for him. Gatsby did work hard and earned a lot of money, but his money did not come from a legal channel. He does love Daisy with his whole-heart, but Daisy is already married. Is it right to break Daisy’s marriage and ask her to be with him? Even if she never loved Tom, what would people say about her is she run away with him? In the beginning, he told Daisy that he has the ability to take care of her, he made Daisy believed that he has a well back ground. But he lied. He cheated her with his suits  from the army. Therefore, in the other hand, Gatsby is also selfish and he cannot blame Daisy takes advantages of him to avoid the liability when she hit Myrtle.

Gatsby was a tragedy, he loved a woman for five years, he was willing to give up anything for her, but he was betrayed by this woman. At the end, he was killed by Wilson because of her mistake. However, it was not Daisy nor Wilson caused this tragedy.

“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through her own fault, but because of thee colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone belonged her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it all the time, decking it our with every feather that drifted his way. No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man can up in his ghostly heart(Fitzgerald 102).”

The woman he loved is not the real Daisy, it is actually a shadow build up by his illusion, he fell in love with this perfect shadow made up by himself. Nobody can avoid the influence from their age, neither could Daisy. Her eyes were covered by money and rank,  she became selfish and snobbish, she was not the woman Gatsby loved anymore. In that age, this is the common phenomenon, people are all confused by materials, they have endless desire. It was the age caused the tragedy of Gatsby, and that is what made people like Gatsby more valuable.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Penguin Group, 2013. Print.