THE GREAT GATSBY

Running head: THE GREAT GATSBY
THE GREAT GATSBY
Name of the student
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Author note

1THE GREAT GATSBY
The Great Gatsby is recognized to be one of the greatest novels in English literature.
The novel was written by the widely recognized American writer Francis Scott Key
Fitzgerald in the year 1925. The plot of the novel centers on the protagonist Jay Gatsby and
his obsessive passion for the beautiful Daisy Buchanan, through an exploration of the themes
of idealism, social upheavals and decadence (Das 6). The essay will further focus on the
character of Jay Gatsby and identify the elements that make his character worthy of being
called ‘great’ in the very title of the novel.
In the opinion of (), the primary factor that contributes to the greatness of Jay
Gatsby’s character is the intensity and magnitude of his will. In this regard, it may be
mentioned that Gatsby’s obsessive passion for Daisy Buchanan, though seemed to be a
product of madness, it depicted the depth of his devotion towards her. In spite of his wealth
and position in the society, Jay Gatsby continued to linger on the feelings and emotions that
he had felt for Daisy before he went to war. After he returned from the war, Gatsby found
that his beloved having lost all hopes for him to return alive had already married Tom
Buchanan (Husniyati 3). However, in spite of how the events turned out to be, Gatsby never
ceased to love Daisy. Had it been a mindless obsession for him, Gatsby may have taken steps
to proclaim his love for Daisy. However, instead of acting upon his emotions and interfering
in the life of his beloved, he simply chose to observe her from a distance.
Along with the intensity and magnitude of his will, another striking feature in the
character of Jay Gatsby is his determination. Everything that Gatsby did, was dedicated in
honor of his love and passion for Daisy Buchanan. This aspect is depicted by how Jay Gatsby
chooses to utilize his wealth and social standing to be close to his beloved (Syahputra 5). Jay
Gatsby utilizes his wealth to build a fascinating bungalow across the river, right opposite to
where Daisy lived with her husband. Furthermore, he utilized his social standing to throw
flashy and grandiose parties with the hope that one day Daisy may choose to join. He did not