Character Portrayals and Society in The Great Gatsby

It's clear that Jay Gatsby is a pretty smart guy, as you can see from how he got rich and famous so quickly, even though he started out poor. Gatsby seems to handle social stuff really well, which helped him climb the social ladder while staying mysterious. But even though he's got money, power, and influence, he doesn't really care about that stuff. He's totally focused on his dream of winning over Daisy. He throws these huge, fancy parties just to impress her. He keeps hoping that Daisy will love him and come back to him.

You could say that every bad thing that happens to Gatsby, leading up to his death, is because he's so obsessed with Daisy. Even though Daisy is already in a relationship, Gatsby keeps pushing and even gets Jordan to ask Nick to invite Daisy over for tea. His obsession with Daisy makes him make choices without thinking about the consequences for his life.

He's trying to relive a past that doesn’t really fit into his present or future. He even says, "can't repeat the past? Why of course you can" (Fitzgerald and Lenz 111). He thinks he can change the present and future by holding onto the past. He believes that wealth and power can bring back youth and beauty. Gatsby is determined to win Daisy's love again. He misses the days when they could be together without hiding. Even though Daisy really liked Gatsby, her marriage to Tom means their romance can't really happen. Gatsby doesn't give up on Daisy and even moves across the bay from her. He even takes the blame when Daisy accidentally runs over Tom’s mistress.

Impact of the Flaw on the Novel

Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy, and holding onto a past that might ruin his future, affects the novel in many ways. This flaw changes how Daisy is shown to the readers. Gatsby thinks his love for Daisy is real and mutual, but their actions show otherwise. Gatsby feels he needs to get rich to impress Daisy. This makes Daisy look like she's only interested in material things. Gatsby knows what impresses Daisy and goes all out to get it.

But Daisy isn't as great as Gatsby thinks. She's not just about material wealth; she says she's complicated. She says, "Sophisticated-God I'm sophisticated" (Fitzgerald and Lenz 18), but her actions show she's pretty shallow. She loves Gatsby but can’t leave her husband, which might make her seem virtuous. But how she acts around Gatsby says the opposite. So, Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy changes how we see her in the novel. While Gatsby describes her as the perfect woman, she’s actually not like that at all. Also, this flaw affects the novel’s setting. Often, Gatsby is seen throwing fancy parties, which influences the novel's mood.

Fitzgerald’s Opinion about Society

Through Gatsby’s flaw, we can see what Fitzgerald thinks about society. Even though Gatsby has a dream, it doesn't fit with his present or future. He's still determined to make it happen. Similarly, society chases dreams that don’t really fit with a successful and peaceful future. Take the 2007/2008 Global Recession, for example. People’s greed to make money through real estate caused it. Many people took on risky loans to buy homes they couldn’t afford. People are naturally driven to chase their dreams without thinking much about the impact on their present or future.

Works Cited:

1. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner, 1925.