How Is Gatsby Selfish

Lastly, Nick most important confidant role is toward Jay Gatsby. Nick meets Gatsby after he moves next door to him. They formally meet when Nick is invited to a party of Gatsby. It was not a coincidence that Gatsby lived next door to the love of his life’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby and Daisy dated when he was James Gatz. They were in love, but when Gatsby left for the war they drifted apart. Although, Gatsby had an elaborate plan to win back Daisy, and it worked, almost. Gatsby moved directly across the bay from Daisy. He also arranged for them to reunite. It almost worked because by the end of the day that they spent together at

—F. Scott Fitzgerald: A Life in Letters, ed. Matthew J. Bruccoli. New York: Scribners, 1994. pg. 352.

There are many themes in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby in which many people can relate to today. Fitzgerald demonstrates a lot of themes that have to humanity and its many flaws. One of the major themes in Fitzgerald’s book is the theme of selfishness and its negative effects on the characters and the people around them. According to the Oxford Dictionary, selfishness is “lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure.” In more simple terms, it is when a person puts his or her own needs in before others. There are many characters in this book that depict this characteristic through the story.

As Gatsby speeds down a highway and is stopped by a policeman, Nick witnesses him wave “a white card from his wallet” right in front of the man’s face. This gaudy display of exemption implies that Gatsby is not at all opposed to using his social status to his benefit, morally just or not. It hints back to the rumors floating around his parties that Gatsby is not a man to be trifled with, so much that Fitzgerald even goes so far as to call Gatsby “second cousin to the devil” (61). Thus, his ‘doubleness’ as a mysterious party host and a rumored “cold-blooded killer” is brought to relevance (Hays, 1).

The novel ¨The Great Gatsby”, by F. Scott Fitzgerald takes place in East Egg and in West Egg. Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan and a married couple living in East Egg. Jay Gatsby is a character trying to reunite with Daisy Buchanan after 5 years who lives in West Egg. Nick is a character that helps Jay Gatsby reunite with Daisy his cousin. In this novel, The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald suggests that the American Dream is pointless through his depiction of Gatsby's love life.

Nick, the narrator, usually has disdain for wealthy people, holds respect for Gatsby. As Nick says in his last words to Gatsby, ‘"They're a rotten crowd," I shouted across the lawn. "You're worth the whole damn bunch put together."’ (Fitzgerald 160). We see Gatsby’s nature when he takes the blame for Daisy when she kills Myrtle.

The novel, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was published in 1925 ,and although it was not a great success at first, it was widely appreciated by the masses in later decades. (“Fitzgerald F. Scott (1896-1940).”) The primary reason why critics and readers enjoyed the book so much was because of the novel's diverse and complex characters as well as his subliminal messages. Gatsby being the focus of the novel, is a complex man of the nouveau riche class of american society. He accomplished this financial security through all of his hard work and he bought expensive accessories to not only impress but intimidate his guests as well. However all of this hard work and manipulation came at a cost for gatsby. He never found any true joy

Gatsby’s wealth influences many people and impacts them severely. One of those people being Nick Carraway. He receives an invitation to one of Gatsby's popular parties. Nick becomes amazed at the extravagance of the party, amount of people, and Gatsby’s house. He becomes astonished at the wealth Gatsby has acquired and becomes friends with him. Nick becomes influenced by Gatsby, and sees him as the embodiment of the American Dream. He uses Nick to satisfy his goals, and Nick never notices. We find out that Gatsby only used Nick as a way to get closer to Daisy.

good friend in the novel even that Gatsby is contrasted most consistently with Nick. Critics point out

Nick Carraway is the narrator of The Great Gatsby, but also an active member of the story. In creating this character, Fitzgerald allows us to participate and reflect on the novel’s events right alongside Nick. One could say that the interesting cast that Nick is surrounded by makes him appear bland, but his point of view is crucial to the story. If the book weren’t from his point of view, we wouldn’t be able to get both sides of the story the way we do. Nick has connections with both East and West Egg, for he is the cousin of Daisy Buchanan and neighbor of Jay Gatsby. Because of Nick’s open-mindedness and quietness, he is also trusted with inside information by Jordan Baker and Tom Buchanan. It becomes clear early on in the novel that Nick

Love can make people do crazy things and sometimes nothing can stop them trying to be united with the one they love. Gatsby is a mysterious and wealthy man who throws the most glamorous parties every weekend. Nick, his neighbor finds out many mysterious things out about Gatsby. Nick learns he is from North Dakota, he was in World War 1 and all his money was earned not inherited. Most importantly, as he previously thought Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan, Nick’s cousin. Gatsby fell in love with Daisy when they were young. Gatsby was sent off to war so Daisy moved on and Married Tom Buchanan. Five years down the road Gatsby is still in love with Daisy. Although some things Gatsby does for Daisy is romantic, it can also be considered psychotic and contemplative.

While both Gatsby and Nick find inspiration and friendship in each other, it can be argued that sometimes Gatsby uses Nick. At Gatsby’s party, where he first meets Nick, Nick observes, “He smiled understandingly - much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.” (48) This is a defining moment of the relationship between Gatsby and Nick that grows throughout the book. In a way, Gatsby understands Nick in a way he has never been understood before, and Nick finds comfort in him despite how little they know about each other. Gatsby has an unmistakable air of comfort and compassion that surrounds him. Gatsby also offers Nick many favors, such as mowing his lawn, and at one point a job, in exchange for the things Nick does for him. Sometimes these offers seem like a method Gatsby uses to in turn get favors from Nick, however it also seems that Gatsby is incredibly appreciative of their friendship, and enjoys having a friend who is simply a friend and not a business partner. Although it can be argued that Gatsby was using Nick when he asked him to arrange a time for him and Daisy to meet again, he almost seemed embarrassed to ask the favor of Nick. He instead has Jordan ask Nick, and offers Nick every favor and opportunity he can think of, as he views it as an extremely good deed. At times it seems that

The first insinuation towards this relationship is when “Chicago was calling him on the wire” (48). This was a subtle hint at first, one that was urgent in its nature and required his attention immediately. Next, Mr. Wolfsheim, a presumed mafia boss, speaks with Nick, after which he mistakes him as “[a] man” who had been “looking for a business gonnegtion” (70-71). Gatsby’s almost instantaneous refusal of the proposition immediately gave the impression that Wolfsheim worked in a very shady business, presumably organized crime, more than likely specifically something to do with the selling of alcohol during the Prohibition. It wasn’t truly confirmed until the end, however, what kind of ties Gatsby had kept until after his death, when Wolfsheim refused to “get mixed up in” Gatsby’s death (171). His insistence of having no connection to the murder cemented the truth of Gatsby’s business for Nick. This very reason was why Daisy had shied away from the prospect of Gatsby’s extravagant wealth, as she knew that in its uncertainty held some very deep, dark

“The Great Gatsby” is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920’s. The novel is narrated by a young man named Nick Carraway, who moves to West Egg, New York to learn more about the bond business so he can eventually sell bonds. He moves into an average house in between two huge mansions, so in comparison his average house looks like a small, run down shack. One of the owners of those mansions, and Carraway’s new neighbor, is Jay Gatsby. Gatsby has huge extravagant parties every night and one day invites Carraway personally, which he never does. Gatsby is never seen at his own parties and no one really knows who he is though there are many rumors about whether he even exists or not and about what type of person he is. But he makes

Gatsby most likely has a very small friend group, and everyone else comes and goes, most likely using him for his money and parties. This shows his role as only a host, not a friend, which is what he seemed to be for most people. He seems to only be known for being rich and throwing prodigious parties rather than who he is or what he has done as a person. Most people don't even know him at all.