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Characteristics Of Jay In The Great Gatsby

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“My life has got to be like this, it’s got to keep going up” (Fitzgerald). It is this kind of attitude towards life that makes James Gatz great. He is a very motivated man who is always looking for ways to improve. From the time he was a boy in North Dakota, it was clear that James was going to be successful. When he ran away from home, it was the beginning of the ascent of his life. Gatsby is great because of his determination, independence, and imagination.
When Gatsby meets Daisy, he is in love at first sight. Jay is in military training at Camp Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky when they first meet. Daisy comes from a very wealthy family, and had no idea that Gatsby is, in fact, very poor. This relationship would be acceptable for Daisy’s family, and Gatsby knows that. This motivates him to live the kind of lifestyle that the reader sees when he first meets Gatsby. Jay is determined to have everything absolutely perfect, all for Daisy. He wants her to see that she can have both wealth and love if she is with him. …show more content…

He runs away from home as a young teen to begin living out his vision. Jay never really accepts his parents as his parents, as they have no way to support the lifestyle he aspires to live. Gatsby’s imagination carries him to where he wants to be. Furthermore, when Gatsby’s mentor Dan Kody passes away, Jay gets his inheritance stolen right out of his hands. When he is left with no money, Gatsby needs to figure out what to do. At this period in time, having no money can be devastating for a person. Jay Gatsby, the independent man he is, is unaffected. He decides to enlist in the United States Army, when he then finds himself at Camp Taylor, and eventually finds Daisy

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