Jay Gatsby's Life

James Gatz: a child born into poverty, a college dropout, and a fighter in a gut-wrenching war. Jay Gatsby: an extravagant party thrower, a wealthy tycoon, and a man clothed in mystery. By just glancing at the major details of James´s and Jay´s life it would be easy to consider them to be totally different characters. Despite how things first appear, both men make up only one real character and his dynamic persona. Mr. Gatsby is no doubt a complex character in the book ¨Great Gatsby¨. In the title the writer, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby as being something outstanding. However, is Gatsby really great, or does Fitzgerald want the reader to evaluate Gatsbyś many layers, and then determine if his life was really worth living?
¨If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away. This responsiveness had
nothing to do with that flabby impressionability which is dignified under the name of the “creative temperament.”— it was an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again. (pg. 1, Fitzgerald)¨ With this proclamation, Fitzgerald gives the reader an insight into Gaitsbyś world. It shows that Gatsby had an amazing determination, and when he pursued any type of dream he would follow it until the end. At this point Gatsbyś goal is unclear, but by using this statement the reader can infer that it involves the promise of life through hope and love. In this statement, Gatsby is also compared to a machine. All machines are designed to have many parts that work together to fulfill one purpose. Gatsbyś personality and inner working are no different than the complex internal workings of a machine.
Different types of machines are seen as exquisite masterpieces, because of their ability to conquer a task repeatedly without mistake. A human heart beats only for the purpose of the person to remain alive. The heart alone could not survive because it is only one piece of the human body. Gatsby’s heart is no different. Gatsby’s heart is lead by his brain just like a machine's motor leads the gears into place. ¨He looked around him wildly, as if the past were lurking here in the shadow of his house, just out of reach of his hand.¨ (chapter 6, Fitzgerald) In this sentence it is made evident that Gatsby isn't living one hundred percent in the current world. Instead, Gatsby’s brain leads his heart into a never-ending chase that should have ended in the past. The statement also foreshadows Gatsby’s fate when it states: just out of reach of his hand. With those seven words, Fitzgerald reveals that Gatsby will never get to fulfill his desire of recapturing something in the past.
From the outside looking in Gatsby’s life would seem exotic and full of light.
The gloomy truth, however, is that Gatsby was tragically alone in his big machine. “The poor son-of-a-bitch,” he said. (Chapter 9, Fitzgerald). Sadly, this quote encompasses the beginning and tragic end of Gatsby’s life. Since day one Gatsby started life as an underdog and rose to be a wealthy man in the never ending pursuit of love. Through it all, Gatsby became acquainted with people from all spectrums of power. However, Nick was the only true friend that Gatsby ever had. Gatsby’s funeral is depicted as a minuscule gathering of only his help and father. This sorrowful picture reveals a hidden theme that can be discovered in tiny details throughout the book. If you live a large life, be prepared for the loneliness that will eventually follow. When it was all said and done, Gatsby’s life was reduced to only a big house filled with expensive things, and only one true
friend.
In the end, was Gatsby’s life worth living? Gatsby rose from nothing and built himself a wonderful life. However, he did it all for a lost love, and against his efforts, the happiness between them remained in the past. Gatsby set an unreachable goal, but his dedication is a beautiful example of hope. To most, Gatsby was a great and powerful man, but for the few who actually peered into his machine like heart saw a man with great substance. There will never again be a complex character like great Jay Gatsby.