The Great Gatsby Borderline Personality Disorder

Fitzgerald also accounts that those who suffer from borderline personality disorder often find themselves drawn to reckless situations because they cannot manage their out-of-control emotions (Fitzgerald). Willy often feels worthless and lonely because he cannot reach his goal, so when The Woman compliments him and tells him what he wants to hear, he is sucked right in. Despite having a strong and loving relationship with Linda, he has an affair with The Woman. Her compliments feed his ego, often making him more sexually aggressive. When she says, “I’ll put you right through to the buyers,” he responds by hitting her bottom and kissing her lustfully (Miller 1922). English professor Fred Ribkoff, in his article “Shame, Guilt, Empathy, and

Willy repeatedly becomes enraged without warning. When he sees Linda sitting in the kitchen darning her stockings, he rips them from her hands and yells, “I won’t have you mending stockings in this house! Now throw them out” (Miller 1923). During this time, stockings were made of expensive silk, making it more cost-effective to simply repair them as runs occurred. Willy’s reaction to such a simple chore is uncalled for, especially since he is the one who would have the ability to buy her new stockings. However, instead of buying his wife new stockings, he goes out and gives The Woman a new pair every time they meet. Taking his anger out on Linda is not an appropriate response since he is the one at

His mood swings cause him to constantly change his opinion, so nothing can ever be good enough for Willy. He could be perfectly content with life one moment then despising it the next. There is no way for Willy to ever be perfectly happy. Linda loves Willy more than anything, yet he has an affair anyway. Biff comes home after finally finding work that he enjoys out west, but Willy still bashes his son for not being the all-American football star like his father wanted him to be. Perhaps being successful would only make him more miserable because it still would not be enough, and owning extravagant items would only make him more dejected because he would be putting his family through more financial