Role Playing And Disguises In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald, role-playing and disguises play a significant role in the characters' lives and relationships. These themes are woven throughout the plot of the novel and are connected to the broader cultural context of the 1920s, including the rise of Broadway and film as sources of entertainment. Like characters in a Broadway production, Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan use brilliant disguises of wealth and glamour to hide their longings for true love and social acceptance.

Jay Gatsby displays the desire to reinvent oneself and embodies a character that starts from the bottom and eventually becomes successful. Gatsby comes from humble beginnings and amasses a fortune through illegal means, all in the hopes of reclaiming

(Fitzgerald, Introduction) To achieve this goal of “moving” Daisy, Gatsby creates a new personality for himself. He becomes sophisticated, wealthy, and cultured. Gatsby even makes a new daily routine in which he “practices elocution, poise, and how to attain it”. (Fitzgerald, 173). Gatsby tries to make his speech seem extravagant to attract Daisy; in reality, Gatsby is a regular man from the Midwest. In this way, Gatsby uses a disguise to abandon his roots in pursuit of love. Gatsby not only changes his personality but also changes his identity. When explaining more about Gatsby’s backstory, Nick mentions the fact that "James Gatz—that was really, or at least legally, his name." ( Fitzgerald, 98). Gatsby is so obsessed with the idea of getting Daisy back into his life that he is willing to completely change his identity and separate himself from his family in the process. In essence, he becomes a role-player, assuming a character that he believes will win Daisy's love. Gatsby's role-playing is not limited to his personal life as he also throws elaborate parties, complete with costumes and theatrical performances. At the first party that Nick attends at Gatsby’s house,

I thought they’d be nice durable cardboard.” (Fitzgerald, 45). The fraudulent appearance of Gatsby’s bookshelves hints at the real reason why Gatsby shows off his house during his elaborate parties. Gatsby’s parties are a way for him to further solidify his new identity and impress Daisy. Further, in the same rant, the Owl-Eyed Man exclaims that “This fella (Gatbsy) is a regular Belasco!” (Fitzgerald, 45). The owl-eyed man refers to David Belasco, a theatrical producer who was known for creating incredibly realistic sets. Gatsby's bookshelf is similar to one of Belasco’s sets as it is purely intended to impress visitors. One final example that sheds light on Gatsby’s use of disguises is when Daisy goes to Nick’s house for tea. Before this meeting, Gatsby changes his outfit to a “white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold colored tie” (Fitzgerald, 84). Gatsby changes his physical appearance as a way to impress Daisy and win her affection. Just like how he disguises his house, Gatsby puts on a new appearance to seem more sophisticated. Later in the day, Nick comes back into his house and notices that “there was a change in Gatsby that