Character Sketch Of Gatsby in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

Gatsby plays an important role in the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. He is very rich, and lives in a great mansion. Moreover, he gives large parties quite often and most of the people who attend his party are not even invited. He is described as mysterious, generous, and passionate.

To begin with, Gatsby is mysterious, this is shown when Nick saw Gatsby for the first time,

Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself…He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way…Involuntarily I glanced seaward-and distinguished nothing except a single green light…When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished. (Fitzgerald, 22-23)

Nick finds Gatsby standing alone and looking toward the dark water in the middle of the night. Strangely, as Nick glances seaward, he sees nothing but a green light. Mysteriously, when Nick turns to look for Gatsby, he is vanished. Furthermore, there are many rumours about Gatsby, because he is so mysterious. “Somebody told me they thought he killed a man.” (Fitzgerald, 44) Nobody knows Gatsby, so everyone has his own theory about him. Gatsby’s personality makes him very mysterious as he isolates himself from the guests at his parties. This is proven when Nick is looking at Gatsby, “The nature of Mr. Tostoff’s composition eluded me, because just as it began my eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes.” (Fitzgerald, 50) Gatsby is a very strange man, because instead of joining his guests, he is all alone and looking at them. Therefore, Gatsby is known to be mysterious.

Secondly, Gatsby is generous, this is shown when Lucille is telling Nick and the rest about the gown Gatsby gives her,

“When I was here last I tore my gown on a chair, and he asked me my name and address-inside of a week I got a package from Croirier’s with a new evening gown in it…It was gas blue with lavender beads. Two hundred and sixty-five dollars.”

(Fitzgerald, 43)

Gatsby asks Lucille her name and address, and to her surprise, she receives a new gown within a week from Gatsby because her gown is torn on a chair.