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Examples Of Greed In The Great Gatsby

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Gatsby: The Deadly Deceiver
What makes someone truly happy in life? Is it money? Power? Love? The reasons for happiness vary from person to person. But how much happiness does someone need? Are people ever truly satisfied, or does the constant "selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food", otherwise known as greed drive people(Oxford 1)? Why are some wealthy people unhappy, when they have so much? In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Gatsby's deceptive personality, bamboozling Nick, and fabricating the truth, to explain how greed leads to a deterioration of life.
Gatsby's shady history was deceiving, and effectively portrays how greed can ruin a life. The many rumors circulating about Gatsby such as "he was a German spy during the war" illustrate that no one really knew who Gatsby was(Fitzgerald 48). Through his deceptive ways he never rebuffed nor verified the claims, which led to more curiosity. Gatsby did this so that his name would radiate through town and Daisy would hear his name. Gatsby used this deception to fuel his greed for Daisy. His reputation suffered, but he was willing to sacrifice his own reputation just to impress Daisy, no matter the cost. This deception represents greed of the 1920's. Gatsby is a figure of greed, because even when he had all the wealth in the world, he was never truly satisfied. Fitzgerald wanted people to realize that greed is rampant in society, and he wanted people to be happy with what …show more content…
Gatsby was an overall shady figure, who's greed was uncontrollable. Tricking Nick also conveyed Gatsby's greed, in that he was willing to do anything for Daisy. Finally, Gatsby's fabrication of the truth leads to the conclusion that Gatsby' greed grows throughout the novel, leading to his grave. Fitzgerald effectively uses Gatsby's deception to illustrate

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