Jay Gatsby of The Great Gatsby and Hester Prynne of The Scarlet Letter are the protagonists that antagonize the accepted values in their respective novels. They are perceived, by other characters, as individuals who have fallen victim to moral decay. The main characters are both portrayed as criminals, but their crimes are against different institutions and their punishments unfold in different ways. Jay Gatsby is an elusive character throughout the entirety of the novel. His true past is never completely revealed to the reader, but the majority of the characters, especially the partygoers, know even less about his story. Their speculations vary from claiming that he earned his money as “a bootlegger” to suggesting that “he killed a man” (64) to keep a secret. Each belief implies that Gatsby takes part in illegal acts, but it is the stories that he tells about himself that demonstrate his moral decay. The first believable version Gatsby tells is when he and Nick are going for lunch in the city. Gatsby reveals that he is “the son of some wealthy people” (68), that he was “educated at Oxford” (68), and that he inherited his wealth when his family all died. Nick questions the validity of the story, as Gatsby struggles through it, but Gatsby produces souvenirs from his past that help sway Nick’s uncertainty. In Gatsby’s story he portrays himself as an individual who came across his money honestly. His proof makes him seem authentic, and, for Nick, quiets the questions about his new friend’s morals. Tom, however, is not satisfied with what he has been told about Gatsby, and does his own research into his enigmatic biography. In front of Nick, Daisy, and Jordan, Tom reveals that Gatsby “sold grain alcohol over the counter” (142) and violated betting…show more content… Although he is not punished by the law for his crimes, he does pay for his sins with his
