Jay Gatsby - a Tragic Hero

Jay Gatsby---A Tragic Hero

What does the word пÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð...heroпÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð... mean? Who can qualify as a hero? Heroes such as King Arthur may seem hard to understand and relate to, but there are many heroes in our everyday lives. Heroes are great people who have done special things; however, they are not perfect. Every hero has flaws; it is these flaws that make them humane but extraordinary. Happy endings are rare and unrealistic in the real world. Therefore most heroes are tragic heroes. Writers often portray tragic heroes in their writings as F. Scott Fitzgerald did in his novel The Great Gatsby. The pursuit of great hope, the readiness to sacrifice, and the silent but noble death make Jay Gatsby a tragic hero.

First of all, Gatsby has a pursuit of great hope. As a young man, Gatsby falls in love with the rich and beautiful Daisy. He is poor and therefore can not marry her. But his love for her continues and deepens for five years. In these five years, Gatsby goes to the war and returns a war hero. He is involved in bootlegging with Dan Cody and Meyer Wolfshiem. Through he is in illegal business, he does it for a reason. He wants to make more money in order to go back to Daisy and marry her. With strong determination and thorough preparation Gatsby succeeds. He has a big fortune and buys a gigantic mansion in the West Egg of Long Island by the bay. Across the bay is the Easy Egg; it is where Daisy lives. Gatsby waits a long time for a reunion with Daisy. As a neighbour, Nick meticulously observes Gatsby. He sees Gatsby staring at the green light on the other side of the bay and Nick says пÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð...I could have sworn that he was trembling.пÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð... Gatsby tries so hard to win back DaisyпÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð...s love. He adorns his house with the concern of Daisy. He throws lavish parties hoping that Daisy may someday stop by. According to Nick, Gatsby has пÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð...an extraordinary gift for hopeпÑ--Ð...пÑ--Ð.... Gatsby is very optimistic and does not give up. He believes he can change everything to the way he wants them. When...