Gatsby's Actions Including The Parties example essay topic

Fitzgerald kept numerous notebooks in which he wrote character sketches, story ideas and theories about life and writing. One entry in its entirety state: "Actions is character". This is quite a bold statement, and its implied that Fitzgerald meant a couple things by this declaration, saying it as if action were the only or best device for revealing character. Throughout the book, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses action to describe three of his main characters: Gatsby, Nick, and Daisy. Gatsby is quite a peculiar person, and to some is man obsessed. The book introduces Gatsby as he stands outside his beautiful mansion, appearing to be looking at the midnight sky, and "content to be alone - he stretches out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way... and I could have sworn he was trembling" (25-26).

It looks as if he is reaching for something as he stares at the dock light of the Daisy. Is there a connection between the type of person he is, or has become, and this thing he seems to have not let go from his past? Gatsby is also known for keeping letters written by the love of his life, Daisy. This sort of represents him as being obsessed, and maybe not mentally stable as he has evolved into someone else to obtain something, or perhaps someone from the past. Some of Gatsby's other actions, such as him throwing the parties that he doesn't attend as guests have said "they came and went without having met Gatsby at all", (45) and, similar to his party life, the way he flaunts his money proves that he is most likely insecure with himself, and just wants people to think he is this magnificent, yet mysterious guy with tons of cash. In the entirety of the book, all of Gatsby's actions, including the parties, are to get Daisy back.

These actions represent a large part of Gatsby's character, and it shows yet once again that he is obsessed, but at the same time, it is somewhat understandable because it shows that he is in-love with Daisy. Another character which Fitzgerald depicts using action is Nick. Nick is portrayed as an unselfish, caring, and giving person when he becomes disgusted as he comes to the realization that the people he is surrounded by are shallow, hollow, uncaring, self-serving, rich snobs. This one action alone says a lot about his character. Another big thing that he does, which is not like the other people at all, is he waits for an invitation to attend one of Gatsby's parties. "A chauffeur in a uniform crossed Nick's lawn that Saturday morning with a surprisingly formal note from his employer - the honor would be entirely Gatsby's, it said, if Nick would attend his "little party" that night" (45).

This pretty much states that he is less mercenary than the other characters in the book; he is more down to earth, and has somewhat of the old-fashioned state-of-mind; which is a good thing, because he doesn't want to be pulled in and corrupted by the misrepresented benefits of the rich life. It is the actions like ones stated above, along with the way Nick acts and responds to situations, that makes him different from the other people. But this somewhat reveals that Nick is an outsider, therefore setting him apart from everyone else. Yet one more character that Fitzgerald uses his writing tool on is Daisy. She responds quite differently to situations, as she knows of her husband's infidelities, yet in her case, does nothing about it. The reason she doesn't do anything about it is because one, she doesn't want to lose the money she receives from her husband because she knows she is well taken care of, and two, she is too insecure to leave Tom, and just wants to stay where she is comfortable, even though she is actually miserable.

This ultimately proves that her character is just so weak, yet greedy and immoral because she doesn't have the strength to leave Tom, so she stays in this broken relationship just so she doesn't lose the benefits and comforts of having money. Another one of Daisy's actions is the way she speaks of her daughter, Pam my. "I hope she " ll be a fool; that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool" (21). This single statement says quite a lot about her character, and it also signifies her familiarity in this area, because she too chooses to be a fool and disregard the actions of Tom and Myrtle. In addition, it shows her belief that the world is no place for a woman and the best thing her daughter can do is hope to survive, and the best method of doing that is through beauty rather than brains.

Fitzgerald was very effective at using his technique of writing, where his character's actions described their own personality and character. It was his main approach throughout the book of making his audience informed of what kind of people Gatsby, Nick, and Daisy were. He let each individual's actions depict them in their own, unique way, and almost made the reader work to understand each character, rather than monotonously and boringly telling the reader the facts about the people in the book.