The novel, “The Great Gatsby”, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is about a young man named Jay Gatsby who builds a successful and rich lifestyle after being dirt poor to win back his one true love, Daisy. This story made me realize that self-determination and the right opportunities can get someone where they want to be, but one’s approach to the situation can mean just as much. In the story, we look back at the time when Gatsby was a young teenager living poorly with his parents, however he left that life, as well as his family and friends, to chase this dream he had for his future. He found a great opportunity which he jumped at and sparked the beginning of his soon to be rich lifestyle. A young and driven mind like Gatsby’s who had pushed himself beyond his boundaries to achieve his goals could be anyone they desire; still, becoming successful takes a lot …show more content…
On the topic of being successful and driven, Jay Gatsby left his old life at a young age to start his new one. When Gatsby was a young boy, his dreams were far beyond his capabilities under the wealth and conditions of his family. “His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people -- his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all” (98). Because of this, he took matters into his own hands and ran away from home. He stumbled across a man named Dan Cody who showed Gatsby the essentials of becoming a wealthy man. “And it was from Cody that he inherited money. the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man” (101). Gatsby had the potential to be a wealthy and successful man, and Dan Cody ignited that reality. And it was after this fact, when Gatsby fell in love with Daisy, and dedicated the rest of his life to be someone he wasn’t. He bought a mansion, threw parties, and played the role of a rich and luxurious man, all to win her