The Great Gatsby Comparative Essay

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway are two central figures whose lives and ideologies contrast, providing deep insight into the novel’s exploration of the American Dream, love, and societal norms. A detailed comparison of these characters unveils the complexities of their approaches to romance, ambition, and societal expectations, revealing the broader themes and analysis showcased in the narrative. Jay Gatsby’s approach to romance is significantly characterized by an obsessive and idealized love for Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s affection is deeply rooted in the past, driven by an unwavering desire to relive and recreate the perfect moment he shared with Daisy before the war. His entire life, including his

It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it” (Fitzgerald 48), indicating that Gatsby’s charm and wealth cannot overcome his foreigner status. Nick Carraway, by contrast, is comfortably established within his social class, a product of societal expectations. His family background and education at Yale placed him securely within the upper middle class, allowing him to maneuver East Egg’s social scene with relative ease. Unlike Gatsby, Nick is not striving to break into a higher social class. Instead, he seeks moral and personal clarity amidst the moral decay and superficiality he observes. Nick’s final judgment of Tom and Daisy Buchanan surrounds his disillusionment with their world: “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated into their money or their vast carelessness” (Fitzgerald 179). His decision to return to the Midwest symbolizes a rejection of the hollow values of the East Egg society and a return to the authenticity he