The Expose of Heroism Through Jay Gatsby

A character can be acknowledged as a tragic hero with the embodiment of various characteristics: he must cause his own downfall, his fate is not deserved, and he also must be of noble stature and have some sort of greatness. Typically, a hero accomplishes extraordinary things that usually are not common in most people. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the hero and protagonist proves to be Jay Gatsby, a single-minded, successful, yet imperfect man. His early life was one of poverty and he rose over this to obtain astonishing wealth in his later life, which revolved around his former love interest that he would never let go. Gatsby overcame significant setbacks holding onto an optimistic outlook, strengthening his power and transforming his mere dreams into concrete reality, defining him as not only the ultimate hero of the novel, but also the tragic hero.

James Gatz was born into a poverty stricken family in North Dakota. "His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people" (Fitzgerald 104). He grew into adulthood wanting nothing more than to obtain wealth and not live as he was forced to in his youth. Subsequently, James "invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent" (Fitzgerald 104). Eventually, Gatsby met Daisy, a well-off girl and they formed a relationship leading to a love affair that was abruptly interrupted by World War I. Ensuing the war, Daisy no longer had an interest in Gatsby because of his lack of riches. Therefore, Daisy served as Jay's driving force to obtain wealth. Gatsby would go to great lengths to acquire a substantial amount of money, which is why he resorted to bootlegging and illegal interactions with Meyer Wolfshiem, his "business associate". After receiving enough money to live a more than comfortable life, Gatsby was able to purchase a massive mansion on the West Egg of Long Island. To possibly attract Daisy's attention, he would throw loud, expensive parties in hopes that she would show up to one of them and they could rekindle their love. However, these parties were not restricted and most affluent people showed up for a good time, which actually elevated Jay to his apparent celebrity status. Although he only threw these parties to get Daisy's notice, they illustrate that Gatsby was determined enough to surmount his past poverty and rise to a wealthy status, which was an obvious factor in the concept of Gatsby as a hero in the novel. This success not only provides credential to his heroism, but also shows his pitiful need to come into contact with Daisy and be with her once again.

Jay Gatsby uses his dreams as motivation for his existence. Fitzgerald uses wealth and social status to define Gatsby's character, which is exemplified by his lavish parties and the dignitaries who attend them. Before encountering wealth, "young Gatz, resting on his oars, looking up at the railed deck, that yacht represented all the beauty and glamour in the world" (Fitzgerald 106). Fitzgerald used this quote to show Gatsby's primary naпvetй concerning the rich world and his social standing and economic status as a young child. By comparing the rowboat with the luxurious yacht, Fitzgerald presents the idea that money and power translate into bigger and better things. The event is symbolic in that it illustrates Gatsby's perception that wealth is a necessity, his foremost dream to reach. By saying that he was "looking up" to "all the beauty and glamour in the world," Fitzgerald makes it evident that Gatsby idolized this lifestyle and would have a dare to dream attitude when attempting to accomplish his goal. The optimism that Gatsby possesses during the novel, further exemplifies the extent of Gatsby's heroism.

Gatsby was never able to move on after Daisy, she was his main reason to become successful so there was a possibility for the two to reunite. Although Daisy married Tom Buchanan while Jay was away, Gatsby did not give up hope. But rather became obsessed with ways to win her back. Gatsby envisioned Daisy with such a perfection, which did not exist in reality: "There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams--not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone