The Great Gatsby is a novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The novel tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a wealthy businessman who is obsessed with Daisy Buchanan, a beautiful socialite. Gatsby’s obsession leads him to commit tragic acts, which ultimately lead to his downfall. In the end, Gatsby is a tragic hero because his obsessive love for Daisy destroys him.
Gatsby’s major flaw is his obsession. Gatsby is obsessed with Daisy to the point that his life is “Daisy.” He throws huge parties in the hopes that Daisy will attend. Because it was near to Daisy’s home, he built a mansion and supported himself only by hosting parties. To be worthy of Daisy, he just earned a living.
It is this obsession that leads to Gatsby’s inevitable downfall. When he finally meets with Daisy again after years apart, he does everything in his power to win her over and make her his. However, Daisy can only think about her husband, Tom, and what he would think if she left him for Gatsby. This ultimately leads to Gatsby’s death as he takes the blame for a hit and run that Tom commited. Gatsby’s obsession is what causes his tragic downfall, making him a tragic hero.
One could argue that Gatsby is not really a tragic hero because of the way he lives his life. He is always chasing after something that he can never have and in the end, it destroys him. However, Gatsby is a tragic hero because he is a character who falls from grace. He starts out the novel as this mysterious man who everyone wants to know more about. He throws these lavish parties and everyone wants to be around him. However, as the novel progresses, we see that Gatsby is not really happy. He is always chasing after Daisy and trying to win her over.
He lives for “Daisy,” yet he doesn’t live for the living Daisy. Gatsby is so captivated with “Daisy” that he is obsessed with building a Daisy to which no person can compare. He opts to stay faithful to the youthful Daisy of eighteen, who was “by far the most popular of all the young ladies in Louisville…dressed in white, and drove a little white roadster.” (Fitzgerald 72-73)
Gatsby’s idea of Daisy is an idealized, romanticized version of the real person. Gatsby wants to relive a time when he and Daisy were together and in love. When reality does not meet Gatsby’s expectations, tragedy results.
When Gatsby finally meets up with Daisy again, he realizes that she is not the same girl he used to know. “She was tired now, flattered but tired” (Fitzgerald 112). Gatsby has put Daisy on a pedestal, and she can never live up to his expectations. Even though Gatsby knows that Daisy is not the same girl he used to know, he still loves her and believes that they can have a future together.
Gatsby’s tragic flaw is that he is too idealistic. He cannot accept reality for what it is. He lives in a fantasy world and believes that he can make his dreams come true. When Gatsby finally realizes that Daisy will never be the same girl he used to know, it is too late. He has already lost her to Tom Buchanan.
Gatsby’s death is a tragedy because it could have been avoided if only he had been able to accept reality. Gatsby’s idealism led him to believe that he could have a future with Daisy, even though she was already married and was not the same girl he used to know. If Gatsby had been able to accept reality, he would have been able to move on and find happiness elsewhere. Instead, he clung to his idealized version of Daisy and lost everything in the process.
In the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald: “No amount of fire or freshness can overcome what a man may accumulate in his ghostly heart” (93). This is undoubtedly correct, because Daisy was only used as a substitute for Gatsby’s illusory prospect, which he had built out of his shattered aspirations. Such an unreal joy cannot provide anyone with anything.
Gatsby’s idealism and sense of grandeur were his downfall, as he allowed himself to be consumed by his longing for a life that could never be. Gatsby is a tragic hero because he allowed himself to be blinded by his own desires, and in the end, this led to his demise.
While Gatsby is certainly not flawless, it is important to remember that he is human. He made mistakes, but he also did some good in his life. Gatsby donated money to charities, and he also helped out Nick and Daisy when they were in a tough spot. Gatsby may have been driven by materialism, but he was also capable of great generosity.
Gatsby’s tragic flaw was his inability to see that the past cannot be recaptured. He was living in a dream world, and this ultimately led to his downfall. Gatsby’s tragedy is a cautionary tale about the dangers of being consumed by nostalgia and longing for something that can never be again.
Many foes plague Nick in the novel. George Wilson can be considered a nemesis since it is through his actions that Gatsby meets his demise. Another adversary of Gatsby’s is Tom Buchanan, the protagonist’s adversary in love who also played a role in the hero’s downfall. In my view, however, Jay Gatsby is the main antagonist of The Great Gatsby .
The Great Gatsby is a novel about unrequited love. Jay Gatsby is in love with Daisy Buchanan, but she is married to Tom. Gatsby spends years trying to win her over, but in the end, all his efforts are for naught. Gatsby’s tragedy is that he can never have the one thing he wants most in the world.
While it could be argued that Gatsby’s own actions led to his downfall, I believe that he is still a tragic hero. He was ultimately undone by his own emotions and desires. Had things been different – had Daisy not been married or had Gatsby not been so obsessed with her – he might have had a chance at happiness.
