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Examples Of Tragic Hero In The Great Gatsby

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Sam Winchester, Elena Gilbert, Walter White, Sirus Black, Peta Mellark, Jean Valjean, and Jay Gatsby, what do all these characters have in common? They are all tragic heroes. A tragic hero is a character that has a fatal flaw, or tragic flaw, that keeps them from perfection. From HBO shows, to classic literature, writers have been breaking our hearts with tragic heroes for years! Even the title "tragic hero" sounds melodramatic. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero should have a certain traits. He decided that they should be pitied, they should disrespect the natural order, reverse their fate, have a tragic flaw, make an important discovery, and be put in an unavoidable situation (Meirow). In the book, The Great Gatsby, while Jay Gatsby is frantically searching for the American Dream, he displays each of the previous …show more content…

He fell in love with her while fighting in World War II, but then she married another man. The story focuses on his effort to win back her love. This is the one reason why the reader pities Mr. Gatsby, the first character trait of a tragic hero. Gatsby also grew up very poor on a farm. He makes it his life 's mission to live out the American Dream. He wants to get rich and have all of the luxuries that come with it. For example, parties, friends, wealth, and Daisy a pretty girl from a well off family. The reader is rooting for Gatsby to accomplish his goal. The reader 's feelings help them paint Gatsby as a hero who they just want to be happy. Gatsby disrespects the natural order by moving from the farm, and making himself rich by selling illegal liquor. During this time period, he reinvents himself into a sophisticated man by changing his name and adopting good manners. Neither of which is something a farm hand would do. Since Gatsby refuses to accept his fate and the readers pity him, it is easy for the writer to hook the reader into the story and define him as a tragic

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