Essay on Manipulation In The Great Gatsby

In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, narrator Nick Carraway describes Jay Gatsby’s attempt to win back the love of the wealthy Daisy Buchanan.  Throughout the first half of the novel, Gatsby is depicted as a complex individual who utilizes his charismatic personality to fabricate deceitful statements with the intent of manipulating those around him.  A clear demonstration of Gatsby’s dishonest tendencies occurs when he informs Nick that he attended Oxford.  However, after sharing this information, “He looked at me sideways-and I knew why Jordan Baker believed he was lying.  He hurried the phrase…or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it had bothered him before” (Fitzgerald 65).  Oddly, Gatsby is uncomfortable with having supposedly attended one of the most prestigious universities in the world.  And while it is unlikely that Gatsby is lying altogether due to a photo that he produces of himself at Oxford, it appears as if there is information regarding his experience at the university that he is not revealing to Nick.  Throughout the pair’s interactions, Gatsby makes similarly fantastic claims regarding his service in the military, the manner in which he acquired his wealth, and his former lifestyle in Europe.  In each case, Gatsby’s claims are potentially legitimate but are delivered in a forced and uncomfortable manner, as if Jay is frequently lying and believes that his deceitfulness could be revealed at any moment.  As the novel progresses, it becomes clear that Gatsby is providing enough information to impress Nick but neglecting to mention portions of his past that he believes Carraway would disapprove of.  Employing this deceitful strategy and utilizing his charismatic personality, Jay is eventually able to partially convince Nick of his sincerity with the use of only token evidence to support his claims.  However, it soon becomes clear that Gatsby is not just deceiving the narrator in order to amaze him, but is also attempting to manipulate Nick.  Having led Carraway to believe that he is a genuine and caring individual, Gatsby reveals that their relationship is a byproduct of the latter’s attempt to reconnect with Nick’s cousin, Daisy Buchanan.  In an ambitious and indirect course of action, Gatsby convinces Jordan Baker, Nick’s love interest, to inquire, “if you’ll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over” (Fitzgerald 78).  To Jay, his friendship with Nick is simply a means to winning Daisy back.  And instead of risking the possibility of Carraway confronting him over this scheme, Gatsby manipulates Jordan, a woman with whom Nick is in a romantic relationship, to bring forth his request.  While Gatsby may be charming, wealthy, determined, and successful, he is willing to mislead and influence his supposed friends to acquire Daisy, the only prize in life that he has ever desired, yet been unable to obtain using his vast wealth.  Once Nick agrees to his request, Gatsby attempts to insure that Carraway follows through on their agreement by offering him a job and paying to have his yard mowed.  However, once Gatsby is reunited with Daisy, he proceeds to essentially ignore his host for the remainder of the day.  And while Gatsby likely views Nick as a genuine friend, it is inevitable that their relationship will continue to be hampered and influenced by Gatsby’s dishonest and manipulative ambitions. Despite his charm and apparent sincerity, Jay Gatsby is depicted as an exploitative and deceitful individual who is willing to take advantage of those around him in order to achieve his goals.