Jaden Brewer
Honors English 2A
May 10, 2013
Literary Analysis of Gatsby
Ambition
The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald was themed during the Jazz Age (1920s) after the
First World War. Through the novel there was a recurring theme of ambition. Ambition was the driving
factor that led to the success of Jay Gatsby, the downfall of Jay Gatsby, and ultimately led to the murder
of Jay Gatsby. Ambition will drive people to do what they truly want; rash or not people will try to
accomplish their goals. Ambition can be the success or the fall of great people, as seen through history.
Through the course of Jay Gatsby’s life ambition drove him to become successful. For example
Fitzgerald wrote, “Jimmy was bound to get ahead. He always had some resolves like this or something.”
(Page 173) This shows that Gatsby was always trying to get ahead. It shows that even during his early life
he had ambition to get things done. Gatsby would follow his schedule and save money throughout his
life, as seen on Gatsby’s General Resolves from the back of the book called Hopalong Cassidy (page 173).
Although Jay Gatsby became successful through means of illegal distribution of alcohol, he still had the
ambition to become successful. Fitzgerald used pathos to show Gatsby’s emotions through the course
of the book. Gatsby’s emotions throughout the book showed that he was ambitious and wanted to
become successful.
Furthermore ambition led to the downfall of Jay Gatsby. Throughout the book Gatsby was
ambitious. His ambition drove him to find a way to get in contact with Daisy. When Gatsby and Daisy
were seeing each other Daisy was still with Tom Buchanan. When Tom figures out that Daisy and Gatsby
are seeing each other, his ambition led him to figure out how Gatsby actually made his money. This is
what started the downfall of Jay Gatsby. After tom figures out how Gatsby made his money he was
going to expose him, but he need the perfect time, that time came when they went to town. First Tom
showed his dominance over Gatsby by driving his car to town. Then once they arrived at the Plaza,
Gatsby’s ambition led him to tell Daisy to confess her love for him. She did but she also couldn’t say that
she didn’t love Tom. This is when Tom’s ambition kicks in; he tells Daisy all about how Gatsby made his
money. This is the end of Gatsby. Daisy no longer wants to be with Gatsby and Gatsby won’t ever move
on to other things in life. Both Tom’s ambition and Gatsby’s ambition led to the Downfall of Jay Gatsby.
Ultimately ambition led to the murder of Jay Gatsby. After Gatsby got turned down and got his
heart broken, he took Daisy home. Daisy was stressing bad; she said she wanted to drive home so
Gatsby let her. On their way home Daisy did a hit and run accident, killing Myrtle. From this part of the
book one can analyze it and see that Myrtle was showing her ambition to try and talk to Tom (her secret
lover). However, when Tom, Nick and Jordan pass the scene they stop and find out what happened.
They figure out that Myrtle was killing by a yellow car. At this point Tom tells Wilson that it was not him,
it was Gatsby. Wilson is very angered and decides that he is going to kill Gatsby. Wilson’s ambition is
what led to the killing of Gatsby. Once Wilson murders Gatsby he kills himself, not even knowing that
Gatsby was not the actual killer of Myrtle. One can see that ambition was a major factor in the murder
of Gatsby.
Throughout the book there are many rhetorical strategies. Some of the rhetorical strategies
were pathos, imagery, and irony. Pathos was shown throughout the book by all of the main characters.
From Gatsby showing his love for Daisy, from Daisy showing her love for Gatsby and tom, and from Nick
telling us that Gatsby is the greatest man he knows. Imagery was shown when Fitzgerald describes
Gatsby’s mansion and when the accident occurs that kills Myrtle. Fitzgerald used irony through the book
by leading the reader to think that Gatsby is going to end up with daisy but in the end doesn’t.
All things considered, throughout The Great Gatsby one of the underlining themes was
ambition. One can see that there were both rash and bold decisions made from characters because of
their ambition. Ambition will always and forever be in the life of all people, whether it be a strong
ambition or a weak ambition, ambition will be there.