In The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, he mocks the American dream and what it stands for. Fitzgerald utilized the character of Jay Gatsby to achieve his effectiveness in the novel, presented to us as a noble man with an outstanding persona. That throughout the book destroys himself with the strength of his own two hands. Without a doubt, Gatsby possesses the qualities of a modern tragic hero.
In The Great Gatsby F.Scott Fitzgerald he portrays Jay Gatsby as a modern tragic hero Gatsby displays certain characteristics that lead to a tragic flow. Fitzgerald also mocks the American dream and what it stands for. If you look beyond his wealth you will see that he was just a common man with a big dream.
In the beginning of the book Gatsby seems to not be an everyday man, but he actually is. In an occasion Gatsby’s past is being examined and his parents are described as “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (Fitzgerald 98). Indicating that he came from humble roots and was not born into wealth. Gatsby is also delineated as an average man when Nick discuses Gatsby’s past “so he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent..” (Fitzgerald 98). This displays the persona that Gatsby has created for himself is that of any immature boy. Gatsby is also characterized as a “penniless young man” (Fitzgerald 149). This helps us understand that Gatsby is just a common man with a big dream. It Brings him into a more human perspective and away from the overwhelming power and wealth.
There are several antecedents that play a role in Gatsby having tragic flaws that lead to the failure of the American dream and tragic fall. One of Gatsby’s tragic flaws is that his view of the world is obstructed by his own native idealism. Gatsby is presented as being idealistic when Nick reflects on Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship “There must have been moments...when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams...because of