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Similar to all tragic heroes, their existence served a great purpose in affecting the lives of others. Nick Carraway, the narrator of the novel and one of Gatsby’s only friends, was greatly affected by Gatsby. Nick was always one who kept to himself and he admitted “I’m inclined to reserve all judgements” (1). Despite witnessing immoral behaviour in others close to him, he did not speak out. Rather than speaking out against the man who cheated on his cousin Daisy, he visited the woman he had an affair with, explaining “Though I was curious to see her, I had no desire to meet her—but I did” (24). Nick lacked moral judgement and his inability to distinguish between right or wrong was evident that he had a fragile moral compass. Only later when he became friends with Gatsby, he began to experience much more of life’s bitterness: corruption in the upper-class, dishonesty and adultery. Nick honestly stated, “—Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn” (2), meaning the rich lifestyle that Gatsby had and everyone desired, is exactly what he despised. The indecency wealthy people were capable of was exposed to Nick through Gatsby, making Gatsby responsible for the moral compass and mature adult Nick had grown into. By observing Gatsby’s deluded and obsessive personality and how it destroyed him, Nick
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He was an exceptional individual, as great as the son of God. However, as with all humans, he was capable of defeat. The only difference being, a tragic hero defeats himself with the power of his own hands. Gatsby’s admirable trait of having such strong idealistic notions rebound against him as a flaw, thus leading to his own downfall. But his greatness remained after his death and was alive within Nick, who was deeply affected and changed as a person at Gatsby’s expense. All tragic heroes must step down from their prestigious reign and succumb to their own defeat. Gatsby’s death was to be expected as soon as his tragic hero characteristics were revealed. By making Daisy his ultimate ideal on his own wish, Gatsby had nothing to live for besides Daisy and it was his misunderstanding that he could not see Daisy was temporal. It is true that a man who stands for nothing will fall for anything; but it is more true to say a man who stands for only one thing will fall with much more
He was an exceptional individual, as great as the son of God. However, as with all humans, he was capable of defeat. The only difference being, a tragic hero defeats himself with the power of his own hands. Gatsby’s admirable trait of having such strong idealistic notions rebound against him as a flaw, thus leading to his own downfall. But his greatness remained after his death and was alive within Nick, who was deeply affected and changed as a person at Gatsby’s expense. All tragic heroes must step down from their prestigious reign and succumb to their own defeat. Gatsby’s death was to be expected as soon as his tragic hero characteristics were revealed. By making Daisy his ultimate ideal on his own wish, Gatsby had nothing to live for besides Daisy and it was his misunderstanding that he could not see Daisy was temporal. It is true that a man who stands for nothing will fall for anything; but it is more true to say a man who stands for only one thing will fall with much more