The Great Gatsby: A Full Spectrum Of Character Essay, Research Paper

The Great Gatsby: A Full Spectrum of Character

Throughout Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, there seems to be a broad spectrum of

moral and social views demonstrated by various characters. At one end, is Tom, a

man who attacks Gatsby’s sense of propriety and legitimacy, while thinking

nothing of running roughshod over the lives of those around him. A direct

opposite of Tom’s nature is Gatsby, who displays great generosity and caring,

yet will stop at nothing to achieve his dream of running off with Daisy. Also,

in the middle of this, are various characters who seem to sway back and forth in

their stands as convenient. This range of personalities lends itself well to a

uniquely subtle interplay between their characters

At first glance, The Great Gatsby is merely a classic American tragedy,

portraying the story of a man’s obsession with a fantasy, and his resulting

downfall. However, Fitzgerald seems to weave much more than that into the

intricate web of emotional interactions he creates for the reader. One

interesting element is the concepts of greatness each has. For Daisy, it lies in

material wealth, and in the comfort and security associated with it. Daisy seems

to be easily impressed by material success, as when she is touring Gatsby’s

mansion and seems deeply moved by his collection of fine, tailored shirts. It

would seem that Tom’s relative wealth, also, had at one time impressed her

enough to win her in marriage. In contrast to that, Gatsby seems to not care a

bit about money itself, but rather only about the possibility that it can win

over Daisy. In fact, Gatsby’s extreme generosity gives the reader the impression

that Gatsby would otherwise have never even worked at attaining wealth had it

not been for Daisy. For Gatsby, the only thing of real importance was his

pursuit of Daisy. It would seem that these elements are combined, too in the

character Myrtle. Myrtle is, as Daisy, impressed with Tom’s wealth and

appearance, but, like Jay Gatsby, is stuck in a fantastic, idealized perception

of her object of affection. Even when abused and trampled over by Tom, Myrtle

continues to adore him, just as Gatsby continues to dote upon Daisy after being

obviously rejected by her. As far as ethical considerations, Gatsby tends to

prove himself a sincere and caring person, while Daisy and Tom just destroy the

lives of two people and then leave town to escape the consequences of their

actions. Between the cold ruthlessness of Tom, and the tenderness of Gatsby,

there are also characters who appear to fit somewhere in between on this scale.

Jordan, while appearing to be a nice, respectable lady, is seen in several

instances as an accused in cheating and is tends to bend the rules when it suits

her, such as during a game, or during her relationship with Nick. Jordan seems

to be a standard of semi-corruption, of naked self-interest, that the other

characters on the extremes of the scale of moral and social considerations can

be measured. Thus, The Great Gatsby presents an extremely interesting set of

moral imagery.

It can be said, then, that one of Fitzgerald’s main talents, as shown in the

novel, is in showing various levels of moral and emotional development in

characters, and juxtaposing them. Perhaps it is this element that distinguishes

The Great Gatsby from many other novels with similar elements.