The character of Gatsby is one which can be observed in many different ways. He is a very complex man, with many sides to his personality. Throughout the novel he proves that he is not always a very good man, and yet the narrator entitles the novel The Great Gatsby. Is Gatsby truly a great man? Does he deserve this title? Or was this title simply given by a naive and easily swayed narrator? These questions must be answered before one can truly understand the character of Gatsby.

Gatsby has achieved what all men want, that being the American Dream. For most people, the American Dream is just that, a dream. A fantasy that one desperately wants to achieve, but is unable to. Gatsby, however, proves his greatness when he does achieve all that he sets out to. In the second paragraph of the novel, Nick reiterates something his father once told him, "whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had." Gatsby is one of the many men who did not have all the advantages that so many people take for granted, but he is very different from the average underprivileged person, because he finds a way to overcome adversity and achieve what he truly wants.

Although his opinion on Gatsby undergoes several changes throughout the novel, upon reading the introduction to the novel, one realizes that Nick truly did have a enormous amount of respect and admiration for Gatsby, the man that he termed as ‘great'. One must notice, however, that from the very beginning, Nick makes exceptions for Gatsby, and does not judge him quite as severely as he does the rest of the characters in the novel. Nick says that Gatsby, "has an extraordinary gift for home, a romantic readiness such that I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again", which he admires profusely. It also interesting to note that Nick overlooks all of Gatsby's ties with organized crime, and does not look down on him in any way for committing illegal activities. He does, however, look down on Jordan for cheating on her golf game, and being a careless driver. Gatsby appears to have Nick's unquestioned love before they have even met, and in Nick's eyes, Gatsby can do no wrong. He is truly a ‘great' man.

It is very easy to offer the lies that Gatsby continually puts forward and say that no truly great man could possibly lie as much as Jay Gatsby does. Gatsby's reasons for lying however, make a lot of sense. He wants to achieve his dream, and it is impossible to achieve such an enormous dream as his through honesty. Gatsby's main motivation in life is his desire to be part of Daisy's life, and the only way he can achieve this is through money, which, one must admit, is most easily achieved through dishonesty. Thus, his motives can be viewed as admirable. Gatsby is one of the few people who realizes that lies can get you anywhere, and he does not understand how society in general can not realize this simple fact. This is demonstrated when Nick says, "You can't repeat the past" to which Gatsby replies, "Can't repeat the past? Who of course you can!" In Gatsby's mind, you can do anything you choose to, and Gatsby chooses to repeat his past with Daisy. He spends five years of his life aspiring toward that very thing, and trying very hard to make it come true, and finally he succeeds.