The Great Gatsby: Character Analysis
Analysis of The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character Jay Gatsby, in The Great Gatsby, is a naïve, lovesick young man that is sucked in by his dream of wealth. Gatsby is naïve in the fact that he believes himself to be in love with Daisy when in reality he is only infatuated with her because of her wealth and status and what both of these would mean to his overall status. Gatsby is hardworking and loyal to a fault, which reflects upon his innocence, but the worst of Gatsby’s characteristics is that he lives in his own little world where he believes that Daisy loves him, and that he himself loves Daisy. This is far from the truth, however, in the fact that Gatsby only believes that he is in love with Daisy due to the fact that she represents his hopes (by her association with the green light—the symbol of hope in the book) and dreams, and his belief that when he has her he will achieve his goal. In the process of this, he may have actually convinced himself that he does love her. Daisy, on the other hand, loves no one but herself. She is interested in Gatsby when they are reunited only because he was rich, as can be seen in the scene with her crying over the shirts. This indifference from Daisy makes Gatsby all the more pitiful. Gatsby’s overall character is not at all how he is at first perceived. At first he was illustrated as an Oxford educated person who threw extravagant parties because he was extremely wealthy. He was considered a mysterious person because no one knew about his past and how he had come about to his fortune. Eventually though, we learn just how he made his fortune (through illegal means) and about his past (he was ambitious even then) and he is a mystery no longer. Another big change in Gatsby’s character in the novel is the fact that in the beginning of the novel Gatsby does not reveal much, if any, of his emotions. But as the story progresses, he is revealed to be very emotional indeed, and he shows his love in many ways
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s character Jay Gatsby, in The Great Gatsby, is a naïve, lovesick young man that is sucked in by his dream of wealth. Gatsby is naïve in the fact that he believes himself to be in love with Daisy when in reality he is only infatuated with her because of her wealth and status and what both of these would mean to his overall status. Gatsby is hardworking and loyal to a fault, which reflects upon his innocence, but the worst of Gatsby’s characteristics is that he lives in his own little world where he believes that Daisy loves him, and that he himself loves Daisy. This is far from the truth, however, in the fact that Gatsby only believes that he is in love with Daisy due to the fact that she represents his hopes (by her association with the green light—the symbol of hope in the book) and dreams, and his belief that when he has her he will achieve his goal. In the process of this, he may have actually convinced himself that he does love her. Daisy, on the other hand, loves no one but herself. She is interested in Gatsby when they are reunited only because he was rich, as can be seen in the scene with her crying over the shirts. This indifference from Daisy makes Gatsby all the more pitiful. Gatsby’s overall character is not at all how he is at first perceived. At first he was illustrated as an Oxford educated person who threw extravagant parties because he was extremely wealthy. He was considered a mysterious person because no one knew about his past and how he had come about to his fortune. Eventually though, we learn just how he made his fortune (through illegal means) and about his past (he was ambitious even then) and he is a mystery no longer. Another big change in Gatsby’s character in the novel is the fact that in the beginning of the novel Gatsby does not reveal much, if any, of his emotions. But as the story progresses, he is revealed to be very emotional indeed, and he shows his love in many ways