F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby Truly Great?

By definition the word great means: Of an extent, amount, or intensity considerably above the normal or average. The main character in the book, The Great Gatsby, is Jay Gatsby. It is implied that he is great, but does Jay Gatsby really deserve the title, The Great Gatsby? Possibly so, but it could be argued that perhaps a more accurate title might be The Deceptive Gatsby. Although Gatsby’s life may seem picturesque filled with diamonds, pearls, beautiful women and champagne, there is a rather grim side to the story that must be examined. There is an abundance of evidence throughout the book as to why Jay Gatsby is not so great. He cheated his way to the top through bootlegging and making business deals with criminals, and most important, he wanted to be great for someone else—not himself. If using the actual definition of great while analyzing the controversial topics of the book, it’s clear that Gatsby really wasn’t that great. “‘He’s a bootlegger,’ said the young ladies, moving somewhere between his cocktails and his flowers. ‘One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil. Reach me a rose, honey, and pour me a last drop into that there crystal glass.’” The book ,The Great Gatsby, takes place in the 1930’s, more specifically, during the …show more content…
Furthermore, his life is all a lie, every part of it. None of what Gatsby accomplishes (whether legally or illegally) matters to Gatsby, but it matters to others. If the true definition of great is taken into consideration, a person who cheats his way to the top just for someone else’s benefit is not being above average; it’s distasteful and fraudulent. Being great is how you see yourself and the true accomplishments you make to be of significance. The empty house Jay Gatsby lives in is used as metaphor for his empty heart; his life is a lie and he is miserable with his