Identity In The Great Gatsby

Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of the famous F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, gives his name to be the book title. He is a newly wealthy who readers later learn comes from the Midwest where he grew up as James Gatz. The story begins with him as a dreamer who is charming and mysterious. He is the son of an unsuccessful farmer who later estranged himself from the family and transforms himself from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby. After meeting with Daisy Buchanan, everything he does is for the desire of wanting her. He tries any unscrupulous method to gain money because money is an issue that prevents them to be together. As the story continues, it becomes clearer and clearer that all he does is for the purpose of fulfilling his unrealistic dreams. The only

He initially lies about his identities, "I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West -- all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford, because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition." (Fitzgerald 65). Later in chapter 6, we find out that he changed his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby at his age of seventeen and lie about his family identity, "His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people--his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all. (...) the small Lutheran college of St. Olaf in southern Minnesota. He [Gatsby] stayed there two weeks, ..." (Fitzgerald 98-99). Furthermore, he also lies about his wealth. At first, he tells Nick that his money comes from his family, "My family all died and I came into a good deal of money." (Fitzgerald 65). Afterward, Gatsby accidentally exposes himself during their conversation when admiring his house, "It took me just three years to earn the money that bought it.” (Fitzgerald 90). Nick immediately questions about Gatsby’s inheritance money. Gatsby quickly response with another lie, "...I lost most of it in the big panic--the panic of the war." (Fitzgerald 90). By this, one can see that Gatsby's money does not come from inheritance. In fact, his money was from illegal selling of alcohol. Through all these untruthful statements, Gatsby is not

However, his work of trying to achieve his desires shows selfishness and made him seem as not great. The life of Gatsby is full of the dream of recapturing the past. On the surface, Gatsby has done whatever it takes to get Daisy back. Looking deep inside, Gatsby doesn't take account of Daisy's feeling. At the first hand, he hasn't considered the fact that their relationship is five years ago and past couldn't repeat. He blindly requests Daisy to break up with Tom without first consulting her. On the other hand, he hasn't considered the fact that Daisy might have changed. She can fall in love with Tom or no one. Apparently, his attempts to destroy a family just to fulfill his own need illustrates his selfishness and cause him to be read as not