Examples Of Selfishness In The Great Gatsby

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Selfishness Kills
"Greed, according to the OED is an eagerness for gain, an inordinate or insatiate longing for wealth, or an avaricious or covetous desire" (Adamson 135). Many characters in The Great Gatsby are big examples of selfishness and greed. They are constantly thinking about only themselves and their own desires. “During this time, people felt the way to happiness was through money, and lots of it, and it seems everyone in Gatsby is materialistic, greedy, drunk, and self-centered" (Blue). In F. Scott Fitzgerald's, The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby's death is the outcome of the selfishness of many of the characters throughout the novel.
Throughout the story The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby exhibits many qualities of selfishness. "He is, for most of the novel, a force of …show more content…
“He is very self-conscious and way too concerned with what everyone thinks of him- especially Daisy” (Blue). Gatsby comes up with an electorate plan to win Daisy back, not thinking about anyone but himself in the process. He uses Nick to lure Daisy to the West Egg. He uses his money to cut Nick's grass, and to send a bunch of flowers as well. “Gatsby's motivation for amassing his fortune to impress and regain Daisy, whom he had lost to the wealthy Tom Buchanan” (Tate 95). He continues to drag Daisy away from her husband, wanting her to admit she never loved Tom. “Just tell him the truth-that you never loved him-and it's all wiped out forever” (Fitzgerald 132). Gatsby will not be satisfied unless Daisy up and leaves her husband, telling him she never loved him at all. He is not content with knowing Daisy loved him, but needs to shove it in Tom’s face that he had won. "His unfailing love and desire for Daisy, his reputation in town, his mansion and riches, and his overall as a person make him one of the most selfish people in the story" (Niselle). Gatsby’s selfish actions lead to his

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F. Scott Fitzgerald makes many arguments about American society in The Great Gatsby. American society in the 1920’s was known around the world as the “roaring twenties.” This time period was know for the gangsters, prosperity, and prohibition of alcohol. However the twenties were also a time of the haves and have-nots. The three main arguments that Fitzgerald makes include that American society is materialistic, selfish, and greedy. Materialism is to consider material possessions and physical comfort…

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Society In The Great Gatsby

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Is Fitzgerald composing a romantic tale that demonstrates the American standards, or is it a parody that remarks on the American culture in the twenties? The novel The Great Gatsby is a novel that remarks on the American culture during the twenties. This is shown through The Valley of Ashes, Gatsby's gatherings, Gatsby,Myrtle, and George. Through these characters and places Fitzgerald shows satire, how the American dream isn't genuine any longer and how it has changed with improper exercises and…

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Imagery In The Great Gatsby

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Since I can remember, The Great Gatsby by Scott F. Fitzgerald has been glamorized. “A true masterpiece in the world of literature”, I was constantly told. A book with so much love and is considered an American classic surely would be an amazing read. However, after finishing the book I discovered that this novel is not as “great” as the name implies. This novel fails in one of the most important aspects of novels: the characters. None of the characters in the novel are likeable, to the point where…

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Beauty In The Great Gatsby

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What Is The Role Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

The American Dream plays a powerful and very significant role in “The Great Gatsby”. To many people, like Fitzgerald, the American Dream is starting with nothing and from there, working towards happiness and prosperity. Fitzgerald exemplifies and goes into more depth on that idea when Gatsby himself is brought into the story. In chapter 4, Fitzgerald informs the reader on Gatsby's past. He tells reader that though Gatsby is rich now, that was not always the case and that he did in fact work his way…

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Gatsby Draft Essay example

Rachel Buehler Does where a person live reflect and or impact his or her personality? In the novel the Great Gatsby by F. scott Fitzgerald, we can see that the homes of Wilsons, The Buchanans, Gatsby and Nick each have different aspects of their personalities about themselves based simply by the area and tryp of house they live in. In the novel the Wilsons live in the Valley of Ashes the city in between West Egg and New York City. The city where the poorest of the poor live. There people have little education and live in small…

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