Downfall Of Jay Gatsby

Love is a curse and a blessing to mankind. Jay Gatsby, formally known as James Gatz, lives in West Egg, a part of Long Island full of new-wealth people. He gained his wealth from his dark, criminal background and his family’s inheritance money from their passing. Gatsby holds impressive parties, free of invitation, where most celebrities and other wealthy people go to enjoy themselves. He meets Nick Carraway, a young bondman from the Midwest, at one of his parties and they quickly bond. Gatsby’s been in love with Daisy Buchanan, who happens to be Nick’s cousin, since they met in Louisville when he was stationed there during his involvement in the military. He has not seen her in over five years, but his love for her has never gone away. When

Gatsby has been lying to everyone around him about his background from a very young age. Tom decides to do an investigation and finds out “[Gatsby] and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores… and sold grain alcohol over the counter” (Fitzgerald 133). Gatsby’s wealth is from a bootlegging business, which Wolfsheim, a famous con man, dragged him into. Gatsby became a criminal in order to keep up with his popularity because of his fake persona. He has told countless individuals his family had passed away and he inherited all their wealth, but his father, Henry Gatz, shows up at his funeral (Fitzgerald 65-167). Gatsby’s father was assumed dead because Gatsby told everyone he had passed away when he was young. Gatsby’s past has haunted him his whole life, his family history including; the best way for him to escape it was to lie by creating a picture-perfect life for himself. Since people are oblivious to his personal history, he is very popular, making his parties a bigger hit. Wolfsheim told Nick Carraway “[Gatsby] went to Oggsford College in England” (Fitzgerald 72). Gatsby’s education seemed to be the root cause of how his wealth flourished, but it was made up, like the rest of his life. Gatsby’s image is very important to him and education is what makes or breaks people within the 1900s. Education is highly respected within society, and Gatsby craves

Gatsby tries to get Daisy to admit that she never loved Tom, but she cries out “‘[she] did love [Tom] once, but [she] loved [Gatsby] too’” (Fitzgerald 132). Gatsby has no care for how Daisy feels about leaving her husband because he will do anything to be with her, proving he does not actually love Daisy, just the idea of her. Gatsby craves what he cannot have, which Daisy is one of those cravings. He does not realize the mess he has created with forcing Daisy to admit things she does not believe because Gatsby is consumed by his love for her. Gatsby is very protective of Daisy and when he found out the police were going to investigate the murder of Myrtle Wilson, he refused to leave until he knew Daisy was not blamed (Fitzgerald 148). Daisy’s safety is a major priority of Gatsby’s, making him neglect his own needs. Gatsby’s future could be life-long imprisonment, but he is so focused on keeping Daisy safe that he is oblivious to the possible consequences that could occur. His life and personal goals should be his top priority, but his focus is on Daisy’s, even though she would not do the same for him. When Gatsby moved to West Egg, he hosted parties everyday because “‘he half-expected her to wander into one’” (Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby was never a flashy man, he would prefer to keep to himself and have a simple life, but his love for Daisy destroyed that. His grand parties