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The Protagonists In The Great Gatsby, By F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Readers have been intrigued by the idea of a hero protagonist in literature because of their strength and determination. We are drawn to stories that highlight these role models' heroic achievements. However, beneath the surface of this traditional narrative lies a larger truth: protagonists are not always the example of perfection we assume them to be. The protagonists in "1984", by George Orwell, and "The Great Gatsby," by F. Scott Fitzgerald, provide strong instances that disprove the idea that protagonists are heroes. These literary works feature protagonists with flawed character traits, failed attempts to achieve their ideal goals, and a strong sense of isolation. We learn more about how these works challenge traditional ideas of heroism …show more content…

Through their flawed character traits, they prove to readers that not all protagonists are hero's. Winston Smith, the protagonist in “1984” lacks mental and physical strength which sets him apart from a traditional hero. Winston is initially portrayed as a rebellious individual who questions the Party’s control and seeks to assert his individuality. However, he loses this burning passion as he proves his naivety. Orwell states, “The best books, he perceived, are those that tell you what you know already” (Orwell 253). This proves that Winston is not seeking to learn new things and therefore lacks mental strength. Winston’s physical weakness also emphasizes his unheroic nature. It is stated that Winston has a “varicose ulcer above his right ankle” (Orwell 3) making him weak. Winstons lack of mental and physical strength demonstrate his flaws and weaknesses that distinguishes him from a traditional hero. Additionally, Jay Gatsby, the protagonist in “The Great Gatsby” is driven by his insecurities and his desire to relive the past. Gatsby’s character is defined by his relentless pursuit of material wealth and love all stemming from his need to win the affection of Daisy Buchanan. It is his insecurities and longing for things to be how they used to, half a decade ago, that lead to his downfall which is quite unlike a hero. The quote “”Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously. …show more content…

Throughout “1984”, Winston wishes to achieve freedom, individuality, and a rebellion against the Party. However, he realizes his goal is unattainable due to the seemingly invincible nature of the Party and its control over society. The quote, “In any case the Party was invincible. It would always exist, and it would always be the same. You could only rebel against it by secret disobedience or, at most, by isolated acts of violence such as killing somebody or blowing something up” (Orwell 192) exemplifies Winston's realization of the immense power of the Party. Orwell underlines Winston's realization of his own helplessness in the face of the Party's domination through this quote. This realization reveals his failed attempts to bring about meaningful change and achieve his idealistic goals of freedom. Winston is not a hero because he has accepted the fact that his rebellion is pointless and that the Party will always remain in power. Furthermore, in “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby also displays failed attempts to reach his idealistic goals, especially in his pursuit of the American Dream and his obsessive longing for Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy symbolizes his desire to attain wealth, social status, and relive the past, but ultimately fails. The quote, “His heartbeat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up

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In Fitzgerald’s work, The Great Gatsby, the character Jay Gatsby shows many struggles and hardships as he seeks to gain power over others. As Jay’s motives become more controlling, the intended theme of the book of achieving the American dream, is overshadowed by greed and human lust. In the novel, Jay Gatsby, a manipulative and wealthy man, longs for his old lover, Daisy Buchannan. However, conflict arises when it is found out that Daisy is engaged to another man.

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Gatsby was determined to get Daisy back because he believed if he had what Tom Buchanan had he could get Daisy back because she never loved him. Jay Gatsby is never going to be accepted by the upper class because he was once a part of the lower class. They thought that he was a bootlegger, that was the only reason why he had money. Gatsby tried so hard to get Daisy but even with all of his efforts he could never get her, he even lost his life trying to get something that he can never have. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby the character of Jay Gatsby conveys the theme that the American dream is unattainable.

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, The Great Gatsby, all the characters are depicted as flawed individuals. The story, set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties in America, explores the themes of wealth, social class, and love, and illustrates how all of the characters' flaws contribute to their eventual downfall. Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of the story, is a wealthy and successful man who is deeply flawed. He is motivated by his obsessive love for Daisy Buchanan, a love that is based more on his idealized image of her than on the reality of who she really is. Gatsby's obsession with his past and his desire to recapture the past ultimately leads to his downfall.

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Likewise to Winston’s failure to show heroicness once he got wrapped in misfortune, Winston is similarly an anti-hero when he lacks integrity and though Winston has heroic qualities, he fails to stick to his viewpoints towards the Party throughout the entire novel. The Party has a way of putting ideas into the minds of their citizens that are false, but sometimes they are still obey because what the

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Finally, Winston is solidified as an anti-Hero by his retrogression as a character, losing any of the qualities we would have used to deem him as a hero in the first place. For instance, Winston's final moments in the novel go as stated, “But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He has won the victory over himself. He loved “Birth Brother” (Orwell 298). This quote is very jarring and uncomfortable for the reader.

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In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, known to all as a wealthy man, portrays a sympathetic character as society dismisses his American dream of reuniting with his love, Daisy Buchanan. Although Gatsby’s goal is to recreate the past when the two were deeply in love, his goal relies too much on Daisy’s selfishness and at times, concerning her priorities rather than his own. Specifically, Daisy’s indecisiveness holds Gatsby’s dream in jeopardy. During the gathering at the Palace Hotel, Gatsby urges Daisy to display her commitment to their relationship by confessing that she never loved Tom, but she believes that Gatsby “[wants] too much” and that her love for him is “enough” (Fitzgerald 130). Daisy has a right to doubt a future

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After an entire lifetime of hardwork and ambition, greatness does not mean success. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby, a powerful millionaire, navigates through the struggles of his impoverished childhood leading him to be a renowned figure. Through his adulthood, Gatsby is only motivated by one factor: reuniting with his unrequited love, Daisy Buchanan. While Gatsby devoted his life to becoming successful to meet Daisy’s needs, she spent her time devoted to her husband Tom and their child. Despite having good intentions, Jay Gatsby is not great due to his denialism and his inevitable demise.

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George Orwell wrote 1984 back in the midst of World War II, which is alluded to multiple times in the book. He discussed what this world might turn into if we do not take action against the European leaders. The book depicts a over-controlling government, referred to as the Party, which is constantly spying on the citizens of the dystopian society called Oceania. One of the Outer-Party members named Winston Smith realizes the wrongdoings of the government and starts to rebel against them. Throughout the entirety of 1984, Winston can be seen as a hero by his defiance against the Party, his hatred toward the Party, and how he may have sparked a rebellion.

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F. Scott Fitzgerald threads numerous tragic hero archetypal characteristics throughout The Great Gatsby to mold Jay Gatsby into a modern tragic hero. Similar to the Greek writer Sophocles in creating the tragic hero Oedipus , Fitzgerald creates his tragic hero with a fatal flaw that ultimately leads to his downfall. While Oedipus exhibits the fatal flaw of hubris, Gatsby displays the character trait of naivety. Gatsby’s naiveness, shown through his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, drives him to his eventual death.

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One of The Great Gatsby's main themes is the concept of idealism. Gatsby, the title’s namesake, brings to the table an extraordinary level of idealism. The driving plot of the book is Gatsby’s quixotic fascination with his ex-lover, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby seeks a perfect world, one where all the misfortunes of the past are gone. While noble, Gatsby’s idealism destroys the world around him, and eventually leaves him floating in a pool of blood.

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Winston had occasionally showed signs that he could be a hero. However, it was never in his own, it was only when Julia was with him. He just isn’t cut out to be a hero. He was never looking out for other and all of his

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