ipl-logo

Moral Ambiguity In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

598 Words3 Pages

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel The Great Gatsby, the character of Jay Gatsby stands out as one of moral ambiguity, captivating readers with his mysterious persona and complex actions. Gatsby's character is defined by his lavish displays of wealth and his unwavering devotion to Daisy Buchanan, the object of his affection. However, beneath his glamorous shell lies a man whose moral compass is often difficult to decipher. Gatsby’s moral ambiguity can be seen in his shady background and business dealings, however, everything he does seems to be in the interest of impressing Daisy, making the reader question if Gatsby is all that bad. Throughout the novel, Gatsby is an extremely mysterious character. However, from early on, the reader can see that he’s a romantic who’s dedicated everything to impressing Daisy. …show more content…

An hour later the front door opened nervously, and Gatsby, in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-colored tie, hurried in." (Fitzgerald 84) Gatsby had a full greenhouse worth of flowers delivered to Nick's house, all to impress Daisy. Gatsby also wore a nice white shirt with a gold tie to seem richer and more successful, all to impress a girl. Furthermore, after the accident that killed Meryl, Nick finds Gatsby outside the Buchanan’s house and asks "Was Daisy driving?" "Yes," he (Gatsby) said after a moment, "but of course, I'll say I was." (Fitzgerald 143) Gatsby's willingness to lie and protect Daisy portrays his dedication to Daisy and paints him as a good man willing to take the fall for the woman he loves. Gatsby is not all that bad if he’s willing to do all this for the woman he loves. However, Gatsby is not all that

Show More
Related

Morality In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

1444 Words | 6 Pages

In The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald, all the main characters differ in morality. This famous American novel is about the life of Jay Gatz, the Bunchanans, Jordan Baker, Nick Carraway, and many more. It takes place on the two eggs of Long Island New York in the summer of 1923. There is parties, cheating, and worst of all murders. The five main characters are immoral, so deciding who is the most moral, the reader must pick the best of the bad.

Read More

Examples Of Morally Ambiguous Characters In The Great Gatsby

260 Words | 2 Pages

In F.Scott Fitzgerald's novel,The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby embodies the morally ambiguous character that is in almost every novel. In this book the reader cannot infer that gatsby is purely evil or purely good by the way Fitzgerald make Gatsby seem. Fitzgerald make Gatsby seem evil by saying the rumors that are going around town about him. He makes him seem good by showing the compassion he has towards Nick and Daisy. Finally, he makes it seem as if Gatsby may be a bad person by the affair he is having with Daisy.

Read More

Juxtaposition In The Great Gatsby

842 Words | 4 Pages

He “wouldn’t consider” leaving his house to protect himself from any possible consequence because of his “hope” that Daisy would give up her reality to live with him in his fantasy. He “clutched” on to this little bit of hope like a life line, as it was the only thing he had left to connect him to his one true desire (148). Gatsby is unable to separate what in his life is real and what in his life is not real. He seems to be perfect, but his only “flaw was naive idealism” making it even harder for him to accept the truth of the situation between himself and Daisy. There was no real love between them , just the vision that Gatsby had in his mind.

Read More

Decisions In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

656 Words | 3 Pages

In life, there are times when people get so caught up in what they want that they disregard the things they need. A want is something that people desire; it is not something that is needed to survive and thrive. In contrast, a need is something that is necessary for life. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is filled with characters that struggle with an imbalance between what they want and what they need. The characters in the novel live extremely toxic lives and spend their time cheating in their relationships, drinking heavily, and partying every week.

Read More

Morality Depicted In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

1403 Words | 6 Pages

Over many years, people do things that get a lot of attention out of it. In other circumstances, there aren’t things that get much attention. Like in the 1920’s, things were so “normalized” or ignored. In the novel The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Fitzgerald shows how society in the 1920s did not have many morals through behaviors of characters like Tom cheating, Myrtle being murdered by Daisy, and Jay Gatsby through illegal business. Yet, it was all being socially accepted by everyone around because they just wanted to party.

Read More

Moral Ambiguity In The Great Gatsby

569 Words | 3 Pages

The novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates a morally ambiguous character that can’t be defined as strictly good or evil. Moral ambiguity is the driving force towards Gatsby’s actions. The character Gatsby demonstrates morally ambiguous qualities that initiate plot throughout the whole novel. Morally ambiguous choices can be viewed towards Gatsby’s character throughout the novel. The first glimpse of Gatsby is introduced in the first chapter while Nick is “exempting him from his reaction” of a “uniform and at a sort of moral attention forever” already placing Gatsby in a position of moral ambiguity (Fitzgerald 2).

Read More

Moral Issues In The Great Gatsby

921 Words | 4 Pages

Society and the laws by which it is governed are set by one thing and only one thing; humans. Normal people set and agree upon the laws, and abide by them in their daily lives, but not everyone is a normal person. The laws set by society do not apply to everyone, whether that be by legal exceptions, or just an immense amount of money and power. This is especially touched upon in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby. In the book, Fitzgerald’s depiction of the problems of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby face, and how they handle them relative to the lower class, illustrates that money and status make those who wield it invulnerable to the laws by which the rest of society are held to.

Read More

Judgment In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

696 Words | 3 Pages

The basis of all judgment is built on the perception of right and wrong. Through different perspectives and beliefs, convictions become truth, and a standard is established for those around us. In our novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ this idea is explored through the lens of a moral decree. Taking place during the Jazz Age of the 1920s, our setting showcases themes of prospering wealth, empty pleasures, and lax morals. Throughout the novel, we tour the indulgent lifestyles of the period.

Read More

Examples Of Immorality In The Great Gatsby

1659 Words | 7 Pages

Characters throughout The Great Gatsby present themselves with mysterious and questionable morals. Affairs, dishonest morals, criminal professions, weak boundaries and hypocritical views are all examples of immorality portrayed in The Great Gatsby. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, lies and mischief fill the lives of many and significantly damage numerous relationships. First, Jay Gatsby's whole life is consumed into a massive lie. His personality traits set him apart from others and the attention he accumulates motivates him to falsely portray his life.

Read More

Character Ambiguity In The Great Gatsby

712 Words | 3 Pages

Later into the novel, however, Daisy’s attitudes towards actions start to unfold. As specified by Fitzgerald, Daisy’s “face was sad and lovely with bright things in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth, but there was an excitement in her voice that men who had cared for her found difficult to forget” (Fitzgerald 9). Certainly, the readers can deem favorable characteristics from Daisy; she has the impression of being a lovable and

Read More

Morality In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

1395 Words | 6 Pages

Many believe the purpose of religion is to inspire us to live well. God is the ultimate judge of character, rewarding those who act well and punishing those who sin—incentivizing us to adhere to the rules of right and wrong. But what if we were judged not for our actions in life, but rather for what we inherited at birth? F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby explores the truth of morality through the story of Jay Gatsby's lifelong pursuit of wealth and his ultimate downfall at the hands of the Tom and Daisy who came from old money. In the story, God is advertised as the ultimate enforcer of right and wrong, while he truly favors and elevates the money under the religion of capitalism.

Read More

Morality In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

429 Words | 2 Pages

Some people will do anything for love, even if it’s morally wrong or lacks common sense. There are many parts of the story that show how Gatsby would do anything for Daisy, no matter the consequences for himself or others. We see the first example of Gatsby’s lack of sense and morality when he and Nick go to lunch with Meyer Wolfsheim. When they see each other, Gatsby says to Nick, “This is my friend, Meyer Wolfsheim” (69). Gatsby sees this man wearing literal human teeth as cuff buttons and who “fixed the World’s Series back in 1919” (73), as a friend.

Read More

Nurses Virtue In A War Nurse's Diary

1324 Words | 6 Pages

In 1918 a British nurse recorded her service in Belgium as a part of her diary. A War Nurse’s Diary poses the question of what is the importance of the nurses virtues in the war? The description by the nurse in A War Nurse’s Diary corroborates how the nurse’s character during the war is imperative to keeping not only the men alive, but also keeping themselves upbeat. The nurses importance in the war is reflected in terms of bravery, compassion, and stoicism. When thinking of warfare, most people jump to conclusion that manpower is the most important factor.

Read More

The Importance Of Morality In The Great Gatsby

1193 Words | 5 Pages

From a young age, we have been taught what behavior is acceptable and deemed good, and what is immoral or bad. In the novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many of the characters require questioning regarding if they should be classified as truly moral people who exhibit goodness or correctness in their lifestyles. In their society, the goals shared by all are becoming rich and fitting in, and often in order to meet them, actions are taken which harm others but benefit themselves. The author conveys that morality has little value to the characters in Gatsby because they take any means necessary in order to achieve their dreams and fail to think about the consequences of their impulsive actions.

Read More

Why Is The Great Gatsby Great

542 Words | 3 Pages

This quote shows that Gatsby is living in a fantasy of the past that he can't seem to let go of. He is driven by his own selfishness to have Daisy for himself just like he did five years ago. It's seems like Gatsby is more in love by the idea he's made up of Daisy from the past than who she is

Read More

More about Moral Ambiguity In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Open Document