Amory Blaine In This Side Of Paradise

The question whether a person’s character is shaped solely by inherited traits or also by experiences and social interactions is the central topic of the ongoing nature vs. nurture debate amongst psychologists and sociologists. This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays various kinds of social interactions as the protagonist Amory Blaine meets many different people throughout his life. While he crosses paths with some people without any repercussions, other people continue to have a significant influence on Amory for a lifetime. Certain individuals such as his mother and his great love Rosalind play a rather negative role in his life, whereas his mentors and friends contribute to a positive change in Amory’s character. In This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates the momentous impact of social groups and individuals on personal development through Amory Blaine and his …show more content…
Cobb describes him as “an old friend of Beatrice’s, who comes to care deeply for Amory and believes at him whole-heartedly [and] . . . provides Amory with his defining goal in life: to become a personage, someone known for his actions, rather than just a personality” (Cobb 359). Monsignor Darcy’s advice to be a personage becomes the driving goal for Amory that defines all his actions and choices. Eventually, it is even strong enough to help Amory substantially eliminate his egotism that he inherited from his mother which can be seen when he covers for his friend Alec in Atlantic City. Monsignor Darcy and Amory’s relationship can easily be compared to a student teacher relationship (Niemczyk 13). Amory learns from Monsignor Darcy the same way a student learns from a teacher. As Amory fails to find a mentor at Princeton, Monsignor Darcy compensates for that and helps him to get through his time at university. Darcy makes Amory realize that there are more important values than being popular or the star at a university. However, Amory never