The title of The Great Gatsby should be changed to An American Tragedy. It should be changed because there is more tragedy than there is greatness. This is shown in Gatsby himself in his pursuit for Daisy. The corruption of the American dream is also proof that the novel is a tragedy. This can be seen in the way that happiness is no longer valued when compared to money. The love between Gatsby and Daisy is also riddled with many tragic events and outcomes.
The reason why the novel is a tragedy is because Gatsby is its tragic hero. “A tragic hero is a character in a dramatic tragedy who is destined for downfall, suffering, or defeat.” [1]. The reason why Gatsby is a tragic hero is by not being able to escape the past. …show more content…
the story is a tragedy because although Gatsby and Daisy love each other they are kept apart because of their different social standings. The two are separated when Gatsby goes to fight in the war. Gatsby asks that Daisy waits for him to return, but Daisy does not. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay”(Fitzgerald, 83), years later Gatsby moves into West Egg so that he will be across from Daisy, who lives in East Egg. Gatsby becomes a criminal to get Daisy back by bootlegging. Gatsby host parties for Daisy in the hopes that she will attend one. After all of his hard work tragedy strikes, Gatsby in his greed pushes Daisy further away and she chooses Tom over Gatsby again. Although Daisy does this Gatsby still loves her to the point that he dies because of her crime while she leaves everything behind.
An American Tragedy is a better title for The Great Gatsby because the book is a tragedy. Tragedy can be seen throughout the story in the main focus of the story Gatsby. Gatsby is determined to get Daisy that he ruins himself in the process leading to his downfall. The tragic decline of the American dream is shown through the shift from achieving happiness to gaining wealth. Finally the sad love story of Gatsby and Daisy, although, Gatsby spent his adult life chasing Daisy she slips through his grasps leading to his