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Fitzgerald's Allusion To Three Great Men In The Great Gatsby

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King Midas, J.P. Morgan, and Maecenas - Fitzgerald makes an allusion to three great men, in the beginning of the story, just as the audience is introduced to the narrator, Nick Carraway. This is allusion is brought to us when Carraway states to the audience, “I bought a dozen of volumes on banking and credit and investment securities and they stood on my shelf in red and gold like new money from the mint, promising to unfold the shining secrets that only Midas, Morgan, and Maecenas knew.” King Midas, from Greek mythology, was a man who could turn anything into gold as he pleased, with only a single touch. J.P. Morgan was famous for being an industrialist as well as a banker, making tons of money. The last man Maecenas was an ally, friend and political advisor Roman Emperor Augustus. By referring to these great men, Fitzgerald already gives some insight on what type of individual Nick Carraway is. At this point, we are aware of Carraway’s knowledge and who he sees as a financial role model to success. …show more content…

This is portrayed when Nick Carraway states “it was when the curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on one Saturday night-and, as obscurely as it had begun, his career as Trimalchio was over.” Both Trimalchio and Gatsby share the same qualities, since Trimalchio was a wealthy man of power, who showed this by throwing lavishing dinners. Just like Gatsby, Trimalchio was able to succeed due to his own efforts and perseverance. This reference is significant because since his “career as Trimalchio was over,” this meant that Gatsby no longer needed to throw parties, also portraying his focus solely on Daisy

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