Similarities Between Trimalchio And Jay Gatsby

There are prevalent similarities between the Trimalchio and Jay Gatsby. An excerpt referring to Gatsby from Chapter VII of The Great Gatsby reads, “…and, as obscurely as it had begun, his career as Trimalchio was over.” Fitzgerald intended to name the novel after Trimalchio. Trimalchio can be seen as an accurate or inaccurate comparison to Gatsby because the two figures represent the worst excesses of the nouveau riche, are renowned for throwing extravagant parties and continuously seek to impress the people they come across. Trimalchio is a character in the Roman work Satyricon by Petronius. He is introduced in the episode entitled, “Dinner with Trimalchio”. The segment is the longest of the surviving episodes. Trimalchio is a freedman, or

Jay Gatsby’s name is a product of his enigmatic imagination. It is revealed that he was born as James Gatz in North Dakota, contradicting his claims of been raised in the European cities of Rome, Moscow, and Venice. As stated, “The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island sprang from his Platonic conception of himself” (Fitzgerald 98). Gatsby despised poverty and longed for wealth. He was going to inherit $25,000 from Dan Cody, but “what remained of the millions went intact to Ella Kaye” (Fitzgerald 100). He initially received his college education at St. Olaf College before dropping out two weeks later, as he was humiliated of his janitorial position. Gatsby later attended Oxford after serving in World War I. Gatsby is famous for throwing lavish, exuberant parties. There is speculation about Gatsby’s origins. Some have said that he is the cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm. Gatsby displays traits of loyalty, and he is good-hearted. His life is a created illusion to impress Daisy, much like how Trimalchio disguises his meals for his guests.The green light is representative of his desires. West Egg represents new money, with its residents recently acquiring vasts amounts of