The “Great” Gatsby? Bob Marley was once quoted saying that, “the greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” This idea flawlessly accentuates the false idea many have about Jay Gatsby. He is seen as an immensely wealthy bachelor who on the surface seems to be “great” (as the title of the book represents), but in reality his importance is just a “great” illusion. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the main character, Gatsby himself, should not be considered great due to the fact that he relies on wealth and a single woman to be happy, and he is essentially a man built on dishonesties. One should notice that anyone who meets or references Gatsby
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In Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” he seamlessly describes Jay’s covering of lies as the poem reads, “Why should the world be over-wise, in counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while we wear the mask” (Dunbar, 6-9). A parallel arises between Gatsby and those who Paul describes in the poem due to the fact that they both cover their secrets by wearing a mask that doesn’t represent who they really are. Because Jay does this, he cannot be considered great. Those who are great embrace who they are and emphasize their own features. In the 1920’s, there were secret locations of which illegally sold alcohol to people during the prohibition. These were known as speakeasies. Interestingly enough, one of Gatsby’s lies was his association with these illegal operations. While narrating, Nick explains that he met Gatsby for lunch “In a well-fanned Forty-second Street cellar […]” (Fitzgerald, 69). The “well-fanned cellar” is stated as a different name for a speakeasy. The book explains that Gatsby seems to know everyone in the cellar which shows that he is very associated with these illegal operations. These illegal practices are shaded from the public preventing Jay from being a “great”
In Paul Laurence Dunbar’s “We Wear the Mask” he seamlessly describes Jay’s covering of lies as the poem reads, “Why should the world be over-wise, in counting all our tears and sighs? Nay, let them only see us, while we wear the mask” (Dunbar, 6-9). A parallel arises between Gatsby and those who Paul describes in the poem due to the fact that they both cover their secrets by wearing a mask that doesn’t represent who they really are. Because Jay does this, he cannot be considered great. Those who are great embrace who they are and emphasize their own features. In the 1920’s, there were secret locations of which illegally sold alcohol to people during the prohibition. These were known as speakeasies. Interestingly enough, one of Gatsby’s lies was his association with these illegal operations. While narrating, Nick explains that he met Gatsby for lunch “In a well-fanned Forty-second Street cellar […]” (Fitzgerald, 69). The “well-fanned cellar” is stated as a different name for a speakeasy. The book explains that Gatsby seems to know everyone in the cellar which shows that he is very associated with these illegal operations. These illegal practices are shaded from the public preventing Jay from being a “great”