Jay Gatsby is in no way "great". Society's perception of a person in the "Roaring Twenties" rarely went beyond their appearance and material wealth. This is the tragic flaw of mankind and is carried on into today's society. Through his money, parties, and pursuit of love, Gatsby is mistakenly thought of as "great", however, in actuality his greatness is superficial and non-existent.
Gatsby's money was the sole reason that he surrounded himself with so many people. Even though they were a constant presence, there was no personal connection between he and his guests. People are willing to be anyone's friend if they are blessed in the possession of wealth. His name is known quite well throughout the New York area,
" 'You live in West Egg,' she remarked contemptuously. 'I know somebody there.' 'I don't know a single----' 'You must know Gatsby.'" (15) This conversation between Jordan Baker and Nick Carraway portrays Gatsby's notoriety simply because his money attracts people.
The cover of the first edition of The Great Gatsby...
The Great Gatsby (1926 film)
The Great Gatsby (1974 film)It seems that Gatsby's parties are his sole purpose in life, but his ultimate goal of finding Daisy and being with her is never met. People go to these parties, because they know they can have fun and not worry about causing damage, because Gatsby will repair everything to new. He doesn't want any problems. " 'I like to come,' Lucille said, "I never care what I do, so I always have a good time. When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address-- inside of a week I got a package from Croirier's with a new evening gown in it.'" (47) This quotation is ideal to show the relation between Gatsby and his guests.
Finally is his expectance that Daisy just forget about Tom and start a new...