The Great Gatsby Persuasive Essay

1017 Words5 Pages

Deniz Dogansoysal
Mrs. Boland
English II
24 March 2023
Loving a Rose "It may hurt to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on." Gatsby held onto his fantasy of belonging and being loved until his dying breath. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is a classic example of a tragic hero who meets his end because of a tragic flaw: his inability to wake up from his unattainable fantasy and accept reality.
Firstly, Gatsby is a man of high status and wealth, which are the classic traits of a tragic hero. He has amassed his fortune illegally, but he is still a respected member of society, admired by many for his lavish parties and seemingly endless wealth. However, despite his high status, Gatsby is still an outsider in the society he seeks to join. He is never fully accepted by the wealthy and elite and constantly strives to fit in. This sense of isolation and alienation is a key component of Gatsby's tragic story. Many of the main characters in the novel who come from old money frown upon Gatsby and his lack of social skills and manners. Gatsby's desire to belong to the alluring world of wealthy socialites puts him in uncomfortable situations, such as the dinner party Tom Buchannan, Mr. Sloane, and other …show more content…

Gatsby's attempts to win Daisy back lead him to take desperate measures, including lying, cheating, and even engaging in criminal activities. Gatsby believes he will only be worthy of Daisy if he is wealthy and admired, and Nick states that “Gatsby committed himself to the following of a grain” (Fitzgerald 160). Gatsby chases his fantasy to the extreme, even unintentionally getting mixed up in the dangerous bootlegging business and earning a hefty fortune. Although Gatsby achieves his goal-at what cost? These actions ultimately lead to his downfall as the people around him turn against him, and his carefully constructed world crumbles around