| Jay Gatsby | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Real Name |
Jay Gatsby |
|
First Appearance |
The Great Gatsby (1925) |
|
Original Publisher |
Charles Scribner's Sons |
|
Created by |
F. Scott Fitzgerald |
Origins[]
Jay Gatsby is the enigmatic, wealthy millionaire who embodies the American Dream and the pursuit of wealth, success, and love. Despite his extravagant parties and lavish lifestyle, Gatsby makes an effort to conceal his real history.
Born James Gatz to poor farmers in North Dakota in 1890, Gatsby transforms himself into the wealthy, sophisticated persona of Jay Gatsby through sheer determination and ambition. He fabricates an elaborate past for himself, claiming to be the son of wealthy parents from San Francisco. his relentless pursuit of wealth and status is driven by his desire to win back the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, whom he met before going off to fight in World War I.
Gatsby's passion and idealism are what define him. He sees Daisy as the embodiment of his dreams and spends years building his fortune in the hopes of one day rekindling their romance. This pursuit turns obsessive as he becomes consumed by his desire to recreate the past and erase the five years they spent apart.
Despite his wealth and social standing, Gatsby remains an outsider in the world of high society. He is never fully accepted by the old money elite, who view him as a nouveau riche interloper. Gatsby's anonymous background and shady business dealings with illicit bootlegging during the prohibition further contribute to his misfit status.
Undone by his own illusions and the corrupting influence of wealth and power, his inability to let go of the past ultimately leads to his downfall, as he becomes entangled in a web of deceit, betrayal, and violence.
Public Domain Appearances[]
Public Domain Literature Appearances[]
- The Great Gatsby (1925)
Public Domain Film Appearances[]
- The Great Gatsby (1926) (lost film)