Great gatsby
2. James Gatz to Jay Gatsby
A. Initial relationship with Daisy
C. Hope of Daisy will show up to one of
A. Gatsby’s initial impression the tea
The dictionary gives the definition of an
idealist One whose conduct is influenced by
ideals that often conflict with practical
considerations. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel,
The Great Gatsby this idealism is shown though
Jay Gatsby is one of the most idealistic
people in the novel. He was such an idealist
his dreams were to far reached after all of his
dreams crumble and a rash fall to reality which
is symbolized in this quote “Gatsby’s tragedy
lies in the impact of reality upon his
dreams.”(Eble 37) Jay Gatsby’s hope was to
girlfriend Daisy Buchanan would come back to
him because now he had money on account of that
was the only way he thought he could have her
back into his life again.
Jay Gatsby would be
in an illusion that he would be in a happy
state of life if he had more money; which would
lead to a higher self esteem. To have a better
image of himself he would have to do several
thing at least that is what he had expected to
happen but, people would be taking advantage of
him. “Gatsby had wanted to the person everyone
As a child, he had many different plans of ways
to improve himself; for example, he would read
more to improve his mind. Balancing a book on
top of his head to improve his poise. For
example when Nick remarks “He does not
recognize the spaciousness of the world of the
fulfillment.”(Stavola 131)Gatsby does not know
what is wrong with his social group.
In his early adulthood Jay meets a man
named Dan Cody he had befriended him and Mr.
Cody had let James be his apprentice also
allowing him to go on his yacht. With his help
James Gatz has a transformation from James Gatz
to the mysterious Jay Gatsby buying him new
clothes showing him how to act. It was then he
had a euphony this could be the opportunity
that he had been looking for him to live out
his dream of being rich and happy life.
Later on in his life now the great Jay
Gatsby has changed his life dramatically from
the young poor farm boy from the Midwest to the
rich man with lots of money in West Egg the
land of “new money” (Fitzgerald 6) where he has
large and extravagant parties and there is
alcohol and dancing and women. There were some
other things that have changed with him; for
example, the way he dresses he has all of these
expensive and elaborate clothes. Moreover he
has a bright yellow car to attract people’s
attention.
The house he has is a large mansion full
of possessions and his house is so large that
people stay in his house with Gatsby not
knowing about them until days late but it
doesn’t really matter to him though. Author
Scott F. Fitzgerald explains the significance
of Gatsby’s romantic idealism “Gatsby
was gifted with a hint of the unreality
of reality a promise that the rock of
the world was securely on a fairy’s
In his middle adult years when Jay Gatsby
was a young man enlisted in army for World War
1 he was stationed in Louisiana were he had met
a wonderful girl named Daisy they were deeply
in love Gatsby was sent off to Europe to fight,
by the time he had come back Daisy would be
married.
Daisy had sold out Gatsby to the first
good looking rich man but she still had regrets
for leaving Gatsby even at the day before the
marriage she “would not let go of the letter.
She took it in to the tub with her and squeezed
it up into a wet ball, and only let me leave it
in the soap dish when she saw that it was
coming to pieces like snow.” (Fitzgerald 77)
This is related to the thesis by Gatsby have his
high ideal’s were falling down from a state of
enternal bliss to a hell were his heart was torn
One of the main reasons that Gatsby bought
the house was so that he could be closer to
Daisy.
At the end of her dock, Gatsby was
fascinated with the green light at the end of
Daisy’s dock. The light can symbolizs
different aspects of hope in Gatsby; for
example,it can mean that he is so close to
Daisy but still very far from her. Another
meaning of it could be that his hope for her
affection will last forever. “Gatsby believed
in the green light, the organistic future that
goal year by year recedes before us. It
eludes us”(Bewley 29)Gatsby always had these
large parties so one day on the far chance she
When Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first
time since he had left for the war.
Gatsby was
incredibly nervous about meeting her; in fact
when she was late he thought she was not going
to show up. When Jay went to stand “the clock
took this moment to tilt dangerously at the
pressure of his head, whereupon he turned and
caught it with trembling fingers and set it
back in place.” (Fitzgerald 87) they were both
Gatsby and Dasiy were becoming more
aquainted again. Gatsby latter on had taken
Daisy from Nick’s house over to his house for a
tour around the mansion she was in shock about
the size of his house and what he had amounted
to since the last time they saw each other.
Gatsby was so absorbed into Daisy he almost
fell down a flight of stairs. Then he took
her to his bedroom and was showing her all
of his cloths by throwing them on the mattress
and started to cry because now she realized all
that she could of had and she willingly gave up
if she didn’t marry Tom and instead marring
Gatsby has a harsh fall to reality through
many events one following another. “His tragedy
lies in the impact of reality upon his dreams.”
(Elbe 36) When he goes over to Daisy’s house
and meets her Fitzgerald comments about the
shock of reality Gatsby has when he first
meets her daughter and the reality that the
bonds between Daisy and Tom will never be
broken completely Gatsby and I in turn leaned
down and took the reluctant hand . Afterward he
kept looking at the child with surprise. I do
not think he had ever really believe in its
existence before.
Moreover when his mind
started to clear out from the foggy illusion
which was his idealism and realized that “His
illusion of Daisy falling in love with him was
wrong.”(Bewley 17). The final bombshell was
when everyone was at the hotel and Gatsby told
Daisy who she love most and she said “Gatsby’s
eyes opened and closed ‘you love me to?’ he
“romantic readiness such as I have never
found in any other person before and one that
is not likely that ill ever see again.”
(Stavola 134) Gatsby’s idealism will
Bewley, Marius. F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great
Gatsby. Ed Harold, Bloom. New York: 1986.
Elbe, Kenneth. “The Great Gatsby F. Scott
Fitzgerald” Rev. ed. Boston: Twayne. 1978.
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York:
Gallo, Rose Adrienne. “Gold-hatted Lover: The Great
Gatsby.” F. Scott Fitzgerald. First Paperback
Edition. New York: New York Publishing Company.
Stavola, Thomas J. F. Scott Fitzgerald: Criticism
an American Identity. New York: Harper Row.
