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Examples Of Heroism In The Great Gatsby

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Gatsby - A Tragic Hero As described by Aristotle, a tragic hero has hamartia, peripeteia, anagnorisis, hubris, and the character’s fate must be greater than deserved. In The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby possesses all of these qualities, as he struggles to win the heart of Mrs. Daisy Buchanan. All the while, he believes in himself, never once considering he might fail, until he is murdered while protecting the woman he loves. Gatsby is not a great man nor an evil man, but a typical man, fighting for love in a cruel world; but what sets him aside is his tragic end - a true tragic hero. There is a thick curtain between Jay Gatsby’s facade and his true character. He is described as great, throws lavish parties, and is extremely wealthy. However, …show more content…

Gatsby grew up the son of poor farmers as James Gatz, but knew he would someday be great. He did not want to be a good man, but a great man. Gatsby had a goal, and he would not stop until he achieved it. Under normal circumstances, this would be considered a good thing. Gatsby’s dream in itself is great; the embodiment of The American Dream. As described by Nick Carraway, “...it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again,” (5). But when Daisy is added to the picture, he no longer strived to be great, but to “deserve” Daisy. Gatsby’s love for Daisy was the one pure and authentic thing about him. But however genuine, this love was his fatal flaw. Gatsby’s hope for Daisy was described as, “..foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams,” by Nick Carraway (5). This flaw goes unnoticed by Gatsby, as he sees it as the only road to happiness. However, after Daisy refuses to say she never loved Tom, after she lets him down, he slowly begins to realize that his desires are an illusion. Despite this, it is rather tragic that Gatsby makes this realization so late in his life, that he never truly lived it. On the other hand, it is a relief that Gatsby makes this realization, finally accepting that he will not get everything, awoken from his delusional fantasy. In this moment, he has realized that he, himself,

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