The Great Gatsby Research Paper

The True Tragedy of The Great Gatsby In 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald published The Great Gatsby, a novel told from the narrator, Nick Carraway’s perspective as he witnesses a mysterious wealthy man, Jay Gatsby, attempt to rekindle his past love with a married woman, Daisy. Historian Henry Steele Commager’s statement, “The tragedy is not that Gatsby is dead, the rooms in his fabulous mansion silent - but that while he lived he realized all his ambitions,” from The American Mind: An Interpretation of American claims that the real tragedy of the novel is not the fact that Gatsby and his glory are dead, but he fulfilled all of his goals in his lifetime. However, the statement neglects the fact Gatsby never accomplished his end goal: resurrecting

When the group goes to the city during lunch, Daisy’s husband, Tom, provokes Gatsby which initiates a fight between the two men. Tom attempts to find things about Gatsby’s background while Gatsby asserts his mutual love with Daisy. Daisy, in attempt to clarify her stance, proclaims to Gatsby, “I love you now isn't that enough? I can’t help what's past… I did love him once but I loved you too," (132). Gatsby never obtained the same obsession and love he has towards Daisy. Although able to obtain Daisy momentarily, Gatsby is ultimately unable to revive their past love, which is his main

Daisy has been acclimated towards the “high life” through her family, and the extravagances provided by Tom. Moreover, Gatsby refuses to acknowledge his past, and buries his upbringing and path to riches under a thin facade, which is quickly broken through by Tom and Nick. While Gatsby may have had second thoughts over his actions, the allure of Daisy was much too strong for him to resist. Over the period of five years, Gatsby continues to accumulate wealth and host these extravagant parties for people he does not even know, all in hopes that one day, Daisy will stumble upon her past lover, and that they will magically fall in love. In hindsight and foresight, a sane individual would typically assume that such an endeavor would not succeed. Gatsby does not realize that his efforts are futile until he gazes upon Tom and Daisy’s calm discussion after Myrtle's death. This is essentially where Gatsby has died, his only goal in life demolished by reality, and with the imminent discovery of his bond forging activities, Gatsby would have been ruined. From this, it is clear that Gatsby has far from accomplished his ambitions. While to many, his extravagant lifestyles and luxuries may seem like an otherworldly accomplishment, it meant absolutely nothing to him without the