Self-Centeredness Illustrated in The Great Gatsby - 757 Words

Self-centered people live in a world where only their own agenda matters, and the wants and needs they have overpower any moral code imbedded in their conscience. This type of person becomes oblivious to all the things around them that keep order, as they disregard any concern that conflicts with what they desire. Such people are depicted in F. Scott FitzgeraldÂ’s novel, that takes place in Long Island during the 1920Â’s, The Great Gatsby. The book, which takes almost a satirical view of the social and moral problems of the 20Â’s, shows how people who are completely submerged in only their own business are never satisfied. Like many of the characters in The Great Gatsby, being negligent of other peoples lives causes you to end up being†¦show more content†¦If she had the sense to think through her choices, however tempting they may be when providing her with luxury, she could have prevented the death of two of the three most honorable people in the novel. The fact that her act of being self-centered lead to the death of a few good people demonstrates just how in the 1920Â’s, moral choices were crippling the society. The best example for what creates a selfish person, how they live, and the effects of their choices, would be the character Daisy. Even her name suggests that she is a delicate and pampered flower, while her choices reflect that she could care less about anyone expect herself, and what she was taught to value. The affair she has with Gatsby, another wealthy upper-class citizen, does not worry her although she is already married. She only doesnÂ’t make the fling public because it would harm her social standings if she was with a new-money man. She even goes as far as to have Gatsby introduced to her daughter, whom she barely ever mentions. She views her child almost as a plant, occasionally admiring it, but not deeply concerned with itÂ’s purpose on the windowsill. Her lack of care, and hope that her daughter will mimic h er and be a beautiful fool, demonstrates how she enjoys being naà ¯ve, and that she is potentially aware that she is sheltered from the world and self-centered. When Gatsby is killed, Daisy doesnÂ’t attend his funeral, and isnÂ’t evenShow MoreRelatedDeceiving Appearances in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald Essay1327 Words   |  6 PagesAppearances in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald In 1808, Sir Walter Scott penned, O, what a tangled web we weave/When first we practise to deceive! (Marmion 6.17) In life, people often lie and use people in order to preserve an ideal self-image or to get what they want. However, there are often serious repercussions for those who lie and for those around them. In F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel, The Great Gatsby, this theme that deception and self-centeredness has consequences