Examples Of Narcissism In The Great Gatsby

Delaney Newman

AP English III

Mrs. Garner

04/06/23

The American Dream shown through the eyes of Jay Gatsby The dream of breaking free from the primogeniture social mindset is what made the United States of America. The origin story of the country has held true to this day and has been expressed through many famous pieces of literature. Although the American dream can be an inspirational concept, it can also create obsession and achievable ideals if one is not careful. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald constructs the character of Jay Gatsby in order to emphasize the corruption and tragedy that follows an individual when they idolize the pursuit of wealth.

Narcissism and Idealism of Jay Gatsby Gatsby has become a corrupt narcissist

When Nick Carraway first sees Gatsby, he observes him from afar, noticing how Gatsby is seemingly reaching out for something across the bay. “...he stretched out his arms towards the dark water in a curious way- Involuntarily I glanced seaward and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (Fitzgerald 20). The reader can gather that Gatsby is reaching towards an illusion, or in Gatsby’s case, a dream that can never be obtained. Gatsby is alone after one of his lavish parties when he looks out across the water, proving that in all hours of the day, after having the best that money can buy, Gatsby is only obsessed with his dream of wealth and all that Daisy represents. “ He relives the years when he and Daisy dated, thinking that his new money will return him to the happiness of his youth and to the woman of his dreams. Gatsby's ability to reinvent himself comes from his belief in the American dream” (Verderame). Gatsby was born to a humble Midwestern family, but grew up wanting more. He met Daisy when he was young and delusional due to his fantasy about wealth, and Daisy was all that his fantasy entailed, personified. Gatsby obtains status advancement, but is still waiting for his youthful love to return, but his vision of Daisy was disillusioned. “to exemplify the rise and fall of the

Gatsby’s obsession with obtaining his dream led him to intense false illusions, corruption of his mind, and extreme narcissism. Fitzgerald intended on showing the American audience the path that society was going down during the early 1900s, but the moral of the novel has stayed true to the present day.

Works Cited

Emin Tunc, Tanfer. “The Great Gatsby: The Tragedy of the American Dream on Long Island's Gold Coast.” Bloom's Literary Themes: The American Dream, Chelsea House, 2020. Bloom's Literature,

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner and Sons, 1925.

Lathbury, Roger. “Money, Love, and Aspiration in The Great Gatsby.” Jay Gatsby, Original Edition, Chelsea House, 2019. Bloom's Literature,

Lindberg, Gary. “Jay Gatsby: Floating on Air in Promise Land (Excerpt).” Jay Gatsby, First Edition, Chelsea House, 2021. Bloom's Literature,

Mitchell, Giles. “The Great Narcissist: A Study of Fitzgerald's Jay Gatsby.” Jay Gatsby, Original Edition, Chelsea House, 2019. Bloom's Literature,

Rothstein, Arnold. The Narcissistic Pursuit of Perfection. Intl Universities Pr Inc; Revised, Subsequent edition, 1984

Verderame, Carla L. “The American Dream in The Great Gatsby.” Encyclopedia of Themes in Literature, Facts On File, 2020. Bloom's