The Great Gatsby Research Paper

Even if James Gatz had heard the Rolling Stones’ famed “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” lyrics, it’s doubtful his life would have changed. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s main character was so obsessed with escaping the poverty he was born into, that the idea that he might actually find all that he needed was impossible. Set during America’s roaring 1920s, The Great Gatsby details one man’s obsession with leaving his past behind and achieving a fairytale-level “greatness” among the New York elites he chose to define. Set on having it “all,” Gatsby spends his life tragically imprisoned in a dream world with standards so beyond reality that true happiness is never possible. In the book, and in the present day, his feelings are not unique. Having never

Gatsby envisioned a God-like status for himself. “The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night. A universe of ineffable gaudiness spun itself out of his brain.” (Fitzgerald 98) For six years, Jay Gatsby grew into manhood, studied what it meant to be a millionaire aboard a yacht, and sharpened the ideas behind his new self. Beyond his expectations of reality, Gatsby concentrated on achieving the impossible: impossible wealth, impossible fame, and impossible women. Daisy Fay was that impossible. “The largest of the banners and the largest of the lawns belonged to Daisy Fay’s house. She was. . . by far the most popular of all the young girls in Louisville.” (Fitzgerald 74) Though Gatsby was called to war, he never gave up on his precious

but she never did”, (Fitzgerald 79) Despite the display of impossible wealth and fame Gatsby set as bait, Daisy remained as out of reach for him as the blinking green light at the end of her distant dock. He had her once before. But that was when the rest of the pieces were out of place. Now, with wealth and fame in hand, Daisy would complete her dream. For all of the wealth and material he had accumulated, none of it was remarkable until Daisy said it was. “I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from (Daisy’s) well-loved eyes.” (Fitzgerald 91) As soon as Jay re-entered Daisy’s life and their attraction became obvious, Tom knew he was a threat not only to their marriage but to his self-image. Even though Gatsby was Tom’s nemesis, they both were unsatisfied with their lives. The difference was that Tom had it “all” – “the golden girl,” family wealth, and elite social status. It was as if Tom peaked with his athleticism at age 21 and now relied on excessive drinking, loose women, and open bigotry in order to build himself up. A narcissist, Tom “drifts on forever