Jay Gatsby, the Greatest
In his novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald creates a main character that catches the attention of his readers. This character surrounds himself with expensive belongings and wealthy people and goes by the name of Jay Gatsby. He is the protagonist who gives the name to the story. Gatsby is a newly wealthy Midwesterner-turned-Easterner who orders his life around for one desire: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love of his life. The Great Gatsby illustrates that Gatsby’s desire for requited love only blinds him to the real implications of the world around him. He views being wealthy as vital for feeling a sense of fulfillment in a society that enshrines the pursuit of riches; however, he later becomes aware of the false nature of society’s values. Gatsby views wealth as a means of moving beyond the past, but he ultimately realizes that maturity is the only means of finding a new direction in his life.
Gatsby stays in West Egg, and Daisy stays in East Egg, “separated only by a courtesy bay” (5). Gatsby stares at a green light in the distance. Nick says that “he [Gatsby] was content to be alone---he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily, I glanced seaward---and distinguished nothing except a single green light” (20-21). The green light he sees shines on the dock of Daisy Buchanan, whom Gatsby loves, even though they haven't seen each other for five years. Today, we call this stalking. The green light, in a broader sense, symbolizes the American Dream and the pursuit of wealth, something, despite his immense riches, Gatsby never achieves.
According to a rumor, Gatsby is known for being a German spy and killing a man: "Somebody told me that he killed a man once…It's more that he was a German spy during the war…You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody's looking at him…I bet he killed a man." (44). Gatsby falls...