First Impression: The Great Gatsby

In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Jay Gatsby experiences a major change in his identity all so that he could impress the love of his life. Gatsby, whose real name was James Gatz but changed it when he meets Dan Cody and begins to work with him, knows that he was born into a family that was not economically stable. As a teenager, he realizes that he wants to succeed in life and he has his mind set on the future and how he could have an impact on the world. Towards the end of the novel when we meet Gatsby’s father, Mr. Gatz tells Nick how generous Gatsby was after he became successful. “Of course we was broke up when he run off from home, but I see now there was a reason for it. He knew he had a big future in front of him. And ever since he made a success he was very generous with me” (172). His father has a lot of pride in his son and his accomplishments and he expresses that in this example. Another aspect that encourages his determination to overcome his economic issue was the love of his life, Daisy. The first time Gatsby meets Daisy is when he is in the war and he instantly realizes that she is both beautiful and perfect. In a part of the novel, Gatsby is speaking to Nick about Daisy and he tells him about the first time he met her, “She was the first ‘nice’ girl he had ever known…He found her excitingly desirable” (148).

This shows how much Gatsby loves Daisy and how highly he thinks of her. The reason why he moves to Long Island is to become closer to Daisy so he has a chance to impress her. If it wasn’t for Daisy, he would have never done any of the things that the novel shows him doing, like buying an enormous house and having huge parties. Gatsby is desperate for Daisy, and the things he does for her shows that he would do anything for her, which is why he takes the killing of Myrtle Wilson on himself. Gatsby hasn’t realized that one can’t relive the past again and Nick tells him that repeatedly, “I wouldn’t ask too much of her,’ I ventured. ‘You can’t repeat the past.’ ‘Can’t repeat the past?’ he cried incredulously. ‘Why of course you can!” (110). Gatsby’s life is confused and disrupted because he feels that he has to act differently in order for Daisy to like him. Gatsby’s true self is a man of determination and devotion to becoming successful but he is refrained from being his true self all because of love.