The Great Gatsby's Journey

Stemming from the golden age of exploration, adventurers have desired to reach advantageous locations in order to increase their wealth and social standing. No matter the risk, explorers ventured far and wide to retrieve spices and other valuable goods for trade. People’s material desires lead them to locations such as the Silk Road- a trade route that presented fatal dangers such as bandits and deadly sandstorms. Despite these threats, brave individuals still set forth on these travels, putting their lives at risk for the slim chance of finding treasure. The hazardous endeavors of these venturers closely mirror the jeopardy James Gatz places himself in when creating a fictitious life story and using his newly-acquired wealth to begin living an unearned,
Gatz, who changes his name to the more respectable ‘Jay Gatsby’, reveals his innate desire for greatness through the creation of a dishonest front. Gatsby’s deceitful nature leads him to prosperous locations, proving his complete determination to achieve his goals, although this occurred in a manner lacking morality. In order to assure affluence and high social status, people often make sacrifices to reach a location to fulfill their ambitions; however, they lose a sense of true self-identity in attempts to always earn more.
Even if one lives in a wealthy community, but not one that screams the epitome of riches, he can easily crave more. In the game of social prominence, living in a superior location means everything. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Nick’s moves to the East, revealing his yearning for money.