In F. Scott's Fitzgerald’s classic, The Great Gatsby, the reader is introduced the topic of the underdog even if they may not realize it. The novel focuses on the story of Jay Gatsby and how he strives to impress others, especially his old love, Daisy, through his wealth. He yearns to achieve old money status, but he is unable to do so because he was not born into it. Gatsby has, however, overcome many obstacles. He grows up poor and is seemingly destined to live a life of mediocrity and lost opportunities. Gatsby is able to make a difference in his life through taking risks and being hungry for learning more. He has the want to learn about building wealth because he was not born with it and believes it is the key to Daisy's heart. Gatsby faces
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Earlier in his life he did not have everything that he does now. He was the son of “unsuccessful farm people…” (Fitzgerald 98) and later became the renowned “Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island” (98). His humble upbringings could have easily shaped his beliefs to think that he must continue on as his parents did and that their way of life was a good one. However they do the opposite of this, leading him to make a new persona for his new identity. Gatsby knew that there was more for him than the modest life of a farmer and one day luckily found his answer, through Dan Cody. Cody’s flashy lifestyle “represented all the beauty and glamour in the world” (Fitzgerald 100). Due to Jay’s lowly upbringing he was “extravagantly ambitious” (100) to learn about how to make a difference for himself. Under the wing of Cody, he learned about how he acquired his wealth and knew what came from it: new social status, lust from others, and freedom to do as you please. The idea that Gatsby learns is also presented in David and Goliath by Malcom Gladwell. Gladwell’s book is a collection of underdog scenarios from different individuals. A story similar to Gatsby’s is discussed in the text, one of a young man who grew up poor who made it big for himself, because he grew up with very little. The young man from Gladwell’s book and Jay Gatsby may have had different teachers, but they both learned that they “‘wanted to have more freedom…Money was a tool that [they] could use for [their] aspirations and [their] desires and [their] drive’” (Malcom Gladwell 47). Growing up without resources, teaches and fosters a will to work hard a work ethic. The struggle of growing up with an adverse lifestyle will later prove to be beneficial. This quality allows both of the characters to grow from living in near poverty to becoming excessively wealthy individuals,
Earlier in his life he did not have everything that he does now. He was the son of “unsuccessful farm people…” (Fitzgerald 98) and later became the renowned “Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island” (98). His humble upbringings could have easily shaped his beliefs to think that he must continue on as his parents did and that their way of life was a good one. However they do the opposite of this, leading him to make a new persona for his new identity. Gatsby knew that there was more for him than the modest life of a farmer and one day luckily found his answer, through Dan Cody. Cody’s flashy lifestyle “represented all the beauty and glamour in the world” (Fitzgerald 100). Due to Jay’s lowly upbringing he was “extravagantly ambitious” (100) to learn about how to make a difference for himself. Under the wing of Cody, he learned about how he acquired his wealth and knew what came from it: new social status, lust from others, and freedom to do as you please. The idea that Gatsby learns is also presented in David and Goliath by Malcom Gladwell. Gladwell’s book is a collection of underdog scenarios from different individuals. A story similar to Gatsby’s is discussed in the text, one of a young man who grew up poor who made it big for himself, because he grew up with very little. The young man from Gladwell’s book and Jay Gatsby may have had different teachers, but they both learned that they “‘wanted to have more freedom…Money was a tool that [they] could use for [their] aspirations and [their] desires and [their] drive’” (Malcom Gladwell 47). Growing up without resources, teaches and fosters a will to work hard a work ethic. The struggle of growing up with an adverse lifestyle will later prove to be beneficial. This quality allows both of the characters to grow from living in near poverty to becoming excessively wealthy individuals,