Taylor 1

Jack Taylor

Mrs. Mann

AP Literature Block 3

8 October 2018

Moral Ambiguity in The Great Gatsby

The desire to achieve dreams bring out a motivated mindset, even if it means

affecting their sense of morality. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald,

the character Jay Gatsby is represented as morally ambiguous when reaching for his

goals. The ideas and goals he pursues relate to the American Dream, which Gatsby

symbolizes. Fitzgerald conveys through Gatsby that the idealistic views of the American

Dream are dead; even through Gatsby’s pleasant intentions, his bad actions taken in order

to reach his goal affect his morality and how far one is willing to strive for their dreams.

Gatsby’s good actions contribute to the strong-willed character which he

represents. Gatsby, known in his childhood as Jimmy Gatz, came from a destitute

farmland, determined to grow into something greater. Therefore, he created a daily

routine including to “study electricity” and “needed inventions” with daily resolves

including “saving money” and being “better to parents” (185). This was more than just a

regular schedule with a checklist, but included a full-on makeover for his life that strived

him to work harder and build character. At such a young age, his persistence to work and

“get ahead” displays the attitude he had toward achieving his dream to get out of his

current circumstance and take action of it (185). His determination within his early life

also helped him to be an incredible, as accredited, war hero. His willingness to lead an

infantry with Allied forces helped promote him to “major” as well as earning a
 Taylor 2

“decoration” from every Allied government (71). The patriotism Gatsby exhibits shows

the idea of a true American hero who sacrifices for others. These elements of Gatsby’s

life builds into the ideal view of someone following the American Dream. His rags to

riches upbringing and status as a war hero indicates his ability to achieve success and

prosperity through hard work, determination, and initiative as the American Dream

describes. However, these honorary labels and good intentions only show slim detail of

his progress in life. Fitzgerald does this to display Gatsby as glorious but also to omit

questionable acts he has committed to carry out the American Dream.

Deceptive and suspicious, Gatsby’s blurred detail of his life creates a false image

of how the American Dream is achieved. For instance, Gatsby lies to Nick multiple times

when discussing his upbringing saying he came from a family “wealthy family” where he

“inherited” his money; however, he also states it took him “three years” to buy the

current mansion he was living in (70 & 96). He lies about his upbringing to avoid telling

the details as a poor farmer because Gatsby sees himself as someone else; someone who

came from successful blood, unlike his parents. As a result, he lies to preserve his

imagination, by means of disregarding the truth. Similar, Gatsby’s strange dealings with

Wolfsheim-- stating he “fixed the 1919 World Series”-- implies his shady actions to

gaining the profit he earned (79). From “bootlegging” with alcohol in drug stores in the

Prohibition Era to “gambling,” these suspicious acts point to how he gained a massive

sum of money to pay for his mansion and yellow Rolls-Royce. Nevertheless, his story

from nothing to something is uncertain, because his moral ambiguity has the reader

questioning what perspective to look towards. In context, Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s

 Taylor 3

deception and his good intentions to intertwine the meaning: is the American Dream

certain to come true for anyone willing to work for it?

Fitzgerald presents Gatsby’s main interest, Daisy, to convey how love motivated

him for his American Dream. When meeting Daisy, they develop a relationship that is

halted due to the war. After the war, she marries Tom; however, this only motivates

Gatsby to get his way. It is why in three short years he “bought the mansion” just to be

across the bay from Daisy (85). Even if it meant deceiving and cheating others for

business-- all while looking as a hero-- it was all in the name of love for Daisy.

Fitzgerald, unfortunately, marks their relationship as impossible because of Daisy’s

marriage with Tom, whom she claims to still “love” (123). Gatsby’s perseverance to be

with Daisy all falls apart when he is “shot” to death by George Wilson due to him taking

the blame for the death of George’s wife, Myrtle (173). Fitzgerald symbolizes through

Gatsby’s moral ambiguity that the American Dream is dead; while seemingly pleasant

and ideal for all, the American Dream is a deception to those who reach for it, because

the dream is not there.

Gatsby’s moral ambiguity to achieve the American Dream is taken into question

with his gracious but deceitful nature. He strives for the ideal to become successful

through his work ethic, while also lying about who he is as a person. In the end, it is his

death that symbolizes the American Dream, Daisy, that can never be his. Fitzgerald

embodies Gatsby as someone who chooses their imagination over reality to justify his

morality. He warns us of falling into a pit of deception if we believe that society’s ideal

views on materialism bring money and pleasure.