#4 Outline of Essay (Try 2...)

Thesis: In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby represents Cinderella.


I. Rags to Riches
A. "For over a year he had been beating his way along the south shore of Lake Superior as a clam-digger and a salmon-fisher or in any other capacity that brought him food and bed" (page 98).
i. In the beginning of the novel, James Gatz had no money, and labored to receive food and shelter.
ii. James Gatz originated from a poverty stricken family.
iii. Gatz made a decision that he wanted better for himself, so he altered who he was.
B. "So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen-year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end" (page 98).
i. At age seventeen, James Gatz changed his name to Jay Gatsby.
ii. Gatsby's reasoning for this was to start over as a new person, and acquire wealth.
iii. After falling in love, Gatsby did everything in his power to gain wealth and fame in order to sustain the woman's attention.
C. "And it was from Cody that he inherited money- a legacy of twenty-five thousand dollars" (page 100).
i. Gatsby inherited his money through illegal actions known as "bootlegging."
ii. Gatsby achieving the money in this way is in contrast to Tom and Daisy, who inherited their money from family members.
iii. Because Gatsby had to illegally gain money, it shows that his wealth is superficial.


II. Rejects Family
A. "His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people-his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all" (page 98).
i. Gatsby did not want to be associated with his parents because they were not prominent or wealthy.
ii. This shows that Gatsby is a very materialistic person and has no moral integrity.
iii. Gatsby relies on money rather than a family to bring comfort and security to his life.
B. 
i.
ii.
iii.


III. Gatsby's Parties/Balls 
A. " In the main hall a bar with a real brass rail was set up, and stocked with gins and liquors and with cordials..." (page 40).
i. Gatsby's parties were very lavish and the attendants came only to 
ii. He had parties only to flaunt his wealth, not for social purposes.
iii. Gatsby used his parties to try to impress Daisy.
B.
i.
ii.
iii.