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Examples Of Self-Made In The Great Gatsby

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A self-made man is what most would consider what Gatsby could be when his past was first explained about how he came into so many riches. Some people would consider a self-made person to be a hard worker and had to work to get to where they are in their comfortable place in society. Gatsby is one to work, but he had to have a little bit of outside help to get to where he is. Yet, Nick has suspicion as to what Gatsby tries to hide behind his seemingly devil-may-care attitude and his multiplicity of summer parties. Gatsby is one of those who wasn’t born into riches like those with Old Money and had to really work to get it; however, his views of what a self-made man is different from how Nick would view it and how an average person would see it, so he could be taking that too seriously. …show more content…

A definition for a self-made person from yourdictionary.com states “adj. The definition of self made is something that has been made by oneself or someone who has become successful through his own efforts. An example of self made is a man who has been born poor but who started his own business and made millions.” (yourdictionary.com). This is just a general definition of what self-made would be, but that definition changes with each and every person. However, this could be considered a little too seriously in some cases. Gatsby has been considered a self-made man in other’s eyes, yet, he could be taking all of that a little too seriously when explaining about his life to

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1372 Words | 6 Pages

His rather indeterminate and shady manner of "business" with Meyer Wolfshiem and inability to explicitly explain, even to Nick, what trade he is in, demonstrates that his crisp, rich image is not what he says it is. The haze of the glorification of money hides this suspicious background, which is why Gatsby is so great in the beginning of the book, but falls utterly hard by the

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332 Words | 2 Pages

Jay Gatsby lives his life through corruption, devotion, and his resolve to control. Gatsby has a firm devotion for things and people he desires; he feels that if he achieves material wealth, he can live a countless life. Gatsby corrupts himself due to his yearning for social status and wealth, as Nick says; “his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents” (104). The idea of his imagination not accepting his parents shows his yearning for wealth.

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1077 Words | 5 Pages

This shows that Gatsby is not only trying to convey the fact that he is rich, like all of his party attendants, but that he is a respectable man who should be taken for more than his face-value.

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1336 Words | 6 Pages

As said by other critics, “Jay Gatsby's determination to establish a new identity for himself sets him apart from the other characters in the text” (Verderame). Gatsby grew up as a poor farmer boy. Born into poverty from the beginning, Gatsby cared little for his family and was determined to leave them behind for a new life. This tragic past encourages Gatsby to entirely start a new life by changing his identity and personality before the reader is even introduced to the character. “So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end” (98).Critics say, “In doing so, Gatsby has proven to himself that he can successfully change the story of his past” (Scisco).

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1830 Words | 8 Pages

As Dan Groat once stated, “The weak thrive on indulgence”, referring to the lack of strength and health self indulgent people experience as consequence of their actions. Persistent attempts to commit selfish endeavors may have detrimental effects. Throughout The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald communicates the modernist perspective of loneliness and the decay of mental stability, as ramifications of self indulgence. Both Fitzgerald and William Golding convey the themes of a character’s mental decay while attempting to prove themselves, the loss of mental stability in attempt to achieve companionship, and the physical destruction that is associated with one’s self indulgence, throughout The Great Gatsby, and, Lord of the Flies. Both authors

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2065 Words | 9 Pages

Nick describes Gatsby “a son of God—a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that—and he must be about His Father 's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end” (Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby 98). He compares Gatsby and Jesus Christ to show how he created his own identity. After he reinvented himself as a rich man, Gatsby had to maintain his image, so he went to the extremes to make as much money as he could. These extreme ways of making money worked very well for him, but the

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1940 Words | 8 Pages

Gatsby doesn’t really show what he really is to the public, and that makes him a different person from what the others think of

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2003 Words | 9 Pages

Carelessness: Failure to give sufficient attention to avoiding harm or errors; negligence. Being careless is a poor quality that, unfortunately, many people possess. Obviously, every single person has committed an act of carelessness. It is natural for a human to do so. Seldom does carelessness result in a good outcome.

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1369 Words | 6 Pages

He is a very wealthy man who likes to let others know about his money. Gatsby is pursuing his true love Daisy throughout the novel, but experiences many hardships on the way. He comes across these obstacles when following his dream

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944 Words | 4 Pages

Gerard Way once said, “ Heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary “. This quote says that heroes are those people who struggle in their lives, work hard and make themselves extraordinary. Published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is a classic piece of American fiction. It is a novel of luxury and tragedy, noted for the way Fitzgerald captured a cross-section of American society. F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel,The Great Gatsby, follows Jay Gatsby, a man who just wants one desire in his life: to be reunited with Daisy Buchanan, the love he lost five years earlier.

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867 Words | 4 Pages

In the text, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a wide range of literary techniques to convey a lack of spirituality, and immorality. Techniques such as characterisation, symbolism, and metaphors help to cement the ideas Fitzgerald explores. However, there are some features to this world that redeem it. Which are displayed through expert execution of techniques like characterisation, contrast, and repetition. The world of The Great Gatsby is home to many morally corrupt and spiritually empty characters however, the world itself is not a spiritual and moral wasteland.

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985 Words | 4 Pages

“In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since. Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, he told me, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.” (F Scott Fitzgerald, pg 1) In being a self made man such as Gatsby was, there are connections made which can be beneficial or damaging. There are also many characteristics that can come with being a self made man that F. Scott Fitzgerald discusses in The Great Gatsby.

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2162 Words | 9 Pages

Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald is the author of the twentieth century American classic, The Great Gatsby. It is a story of the American dream, settled down in the 1920’s, with issues of the time period being, prohibition, women, class structure, crime, and many more, The Great Gatsby has a taste of each. Fitzgerald incorporated subjects of his time and his very own experiences into the story to portray an era of social and moral values. The 1920’s were a time of breaking morals Class structure and wealth were among the highest pleasures achievable. The 20’s were an era of Jazz; with extravagant music playing throughout all hours of the night.

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808 Words | 4 Pages

Gatsby was wrong to deceive others about how he made a living, however, it is understandable why he lied about

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908 Words | 4 Pages

Self-Reinvention in the Great Gatsby Self-Reinvention: The act of reinventing or changing oneself, this means, changing ones’ personality, social status, and past. One person who reinvented himself was none other than the Great Gatsby. Gatsby is an obvious example of self-reinvention, especially when he tells Nick about his real story. Another person who reinvented himself is the narrator Nick. Nick is the less obvious example of self-reinvention; however, he still undergoes a self-reinvention process.

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