Jay Gatsby, the protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, has often been called the quintessential American character, but his static mindset proves him otherwise. Gatsby persistently fails to learn from his experiences. Similar to Alice Hindman, throughout the novel, Gatsby longs for Daisy, the woman he always loved. He is so obsessed with the Daisy of his past and the prosperous ideals she represents, that he fails to recognize that the Daisy he used to know is gone and even the changed version of her is out of his reach. During the climatic moment of the novel, when Gatsby believes he has won Daisy over, she cannot say that she never loved her husband Tom; thus, Tom essentially ‘wins’ the fight for Daisy against Gatsby. Yet, Gatsby still follows her home as he refuses to accept his loss. Additionally, he stands outside her house and remains there even after the narrator, Nick, describes the “picture” of Daisy and Tom at dinner inside as them “conspiring together” (145). If Gatsby had realized and accepted that Daisy was no longer attainable, he may have discovered the potential to mature and change by learning from the past, as the true American Character would.
The ideals that Daisy represents have a strong influence on Gatsby and his endless longing. Daisy first fell for Gatsby when he was young, poor, and enlisted in the army. Gatsby was amazed that a woman so beautiful and wealthy would be interested in him when he was just the opposite. He even describes her “voice” to be “full of money” (120). When he returned from the war, Gatsby devoted years of his life to becoming a member of the wealthy, upper class to live up to Daisy’s standards and prove to himself that he too could be a part of this elite group of people. However, to achieve this position, Gatsby achieved his wealth through suspicious means and is believed to be a “bootlegger” by Tom and many wealthy others (133). Furthermore, even when Gatsby is wealthy and finally reconnected with Daisy, she proves herself and her husband Tom to belong to “a rather distinguished secret society” which Gatsby is not a part of (17). Trying to protrude his way into this “secret society” throughout the novel is what ultimately brings Gatsby down. Constantly pursuing Daisy, no matter how hopeless the cause, leads to Gatsby’s death, the ultimate downfall.
Gatsby’s ideals were impossible to reach; he could not feasibly win Daisy for himself because she was very different from the Daisy of his past and also committed to her husband Tom and the social status and wealth that he represents. Gatsby is unable to change or grow as a person because he fails to realize and accept that his ideal is unachievable. He is convinced he can “repeat the past,” even when Nick and the other people surrounding him know this is impossible and attempt to convey this to him (110). His hope for obtaining Daisy turns to delusion and he fails to recognize this as he continues to pursue her. He corrupts the idea of the American dreamer as his dreams mold into obsessions.
The ideals that Daisy represents have a strong influence on Gatsby and his endless longing. Daisy first fell for Gatsby when he was young, poor, and enlisted in the army. Gatsby was amazed that a woman so beautiful and wealthy would be interested in him when he was just the opposite. He even describes her “voice” to be “full of money” (120). When he returned from the war, Gatsby devoted years of his life to becoming a member of the wealthy, upper class to live up to Daisy’s standards and prove to himself that he too could be a part of this elite group of people. However, to achieve this position, Gatsby achieved his wealth through suspicious means and is believed to be a “bootlegger” by Tom and many wealthy others (133). Furthermore, even when Gatsby is wealthy and finally reconnected with Daisy, she proves herself and her husband Tom to belong to “a rather distinguished secret society” which Gatsby is not a part of (17). Trying to protrude his way into this “secret society” throughout the novel is what ultimately brings Gatsby down. Constantly pursuing Daisy, no matter how hopeless the cause, leads to Gatsby’s death, the ultimate downfall.
Gatsby’s ideals were impossible to reach; he could not feasibly win Daisy for himself because she was very different from the Daisy of his past and also committed to her husband Tom and the social status and wealth that he represents. Gatsby is unable to change or grow as a person because he fails to realize and accept that his ideal is unachievable. He is convinced he can “repeat the past,” even when Nick and the other people surrounding him know this is impossible and attempt to convey this to him (110). His hope for obtaining Daisy turns to delusion and he fails to recognize this as he continues to pursue her. He corrupts the idea of the American dreamer as his dreams mold into obsessions.
A clip from the 2013 film The Great Gatsby that exemplifies Gatsby's refusal to move on the past.
