Literature Essay Sample: Jay Gatsby Character Analysis

Jay Gatsby’s steadfast pursuit of reclaiming his past love led him along a dark path that one can never return from, death. Gatsby is an intriguing character that F. Scott Fitzgerald created whose role as a hero can be disputable. Jay Gatsby fell in ardent love with Daisy, but their love could never be realized because he reluctantly had to go fight in the war. After five years apart, he has accumulated substantial wealth but finds that Daisy is married to another man. In an effort to  reclaim his past love, he goes along a twisted path that questions what is morally right. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is neither a villain nor a hero because he exhibits characteristics of both a hero and a villain in his pursuit of Daisy, along with others' perceptions of him painting him in a positive and negative light.

Gatsby manifests the traits of a villain prior to being separated from Daisy. This is portrayed in the quote, “But he didn’t despise himself and it didn’t turn out as he had imagined. He had intended, probably, to take what he could go---but now he found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail.” (page 92.) His revelation that he does not despise himself by misleading Daisy demonstrates that he is not adamant about what is morally right, but rather, he views his pursuit of Daisy as a quest. In this quest, Gatsby idolizes Daisy as a “grail,” rather than viewing her as a person. Gatsby abandons his perception of what is right, all to attain his obsession, and in his quest for her, he does whatever it takes to make her his again. His aspirations are similar to that of a villain who will do anything to get what he wants. Thus portraying the faults in his character that can not make him wholly a hero.

Jay Gatsby also portrays the qualities of a hero through acts where he puts others before himself. He exhibits these qualities in the quote, “He put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of his house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil. So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight---watching over nothing.” (page 90.) Nick is describing Gatsby watching over the home of Daisy and her husband late at night; due to an occurrence earlier in the day. Daisy accidentally ran over a woman who was the mistress of her husband. As a result, Gatsby was the one who took fault for Daisy’s actions. Nevertheless, Gatsby is concerned for Daisy’s well-being, so he stays outside watching over her home. This display of concern can be seen as hero-like and charitable, along with him taking the blame for the manslaughter of Myrtle. Moreover, Gatsby demonstrates compassion towards his father by bestowing him with money. After achieving wealth, Gatsby gives back to his poor father by providing him with a new home. This display of Gatsby’s beneficence is comparable to the characteristics of a hero, in addition to his father’s idealization of Gatsby. Gatsby takes the role of a hero to the eyes of those he graciously aided, even though they have not seen the darker aspects of him. However, both sides of him are noticed by Nick Carraway. 

In the eyes of Nick Carraway, Gatsby is seen as neither a hero nor a villain. Due to how considerably worse the rest of the people are in his life. “I couldn’t forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confusing. They were careless people, Tom and Daisy---they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . .” (page 109.) In this quote, Nick recognizes that Gatsby believes all the actions he took to gain Daisy’s affection were justifiable in his eyes. Nick sees past Gatsby’s characterization as a hero, and underneath all his riches and gossip, Gatsby is but a man yearning for love. This factor cannot entirely encompass him as a villain, nor does it make him a hero. Nick also notes that Gatsby, and all of his faults, are still better than all the other people he has come to know, painting Gatsby in a more just light. 

Jay Gatsby is a complex character that upholds the qualities of both a hero and a villain, which is also seen in other character’s perception of him. Gatsby reveals traits of a villain since before becoming involved with Daisy and after. His fascination with her only grew and resulted in Gatsby becoming close to a villain. However, he still exhibited traits of a hero through his compassion for others besides Daisy. This contradictory characterization is also shown through Nick’s thoughts of Gatsby compared to other acquaintances in his life. He is seen in a more positive light, even though he committed many morally questionable actions. Gatsby All in all, Gatsby is just a man in love, a man that is neither a hero nor a villain who took a few wrong turns along his path.