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The Great Gatsby As A Tragic Hero

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Sam Winchester, Elena Gilbert, Walter White, Sirus Black, Peta Mellark, Jean Valjean, and Jay Gatsby, what do all these characters have in common? They are all tragic heroes. A tragic hero is a character that has a fatal flaw, or tragic flaw, that keeps them from perfection. From HBO shows, to classic literature, writers have been breaking our hearts with tragic heroes for years! Even the title "tragic hero" sounds melodramatic. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero should have a certain traits. He decided that they should be pitied, they should disrespect the natural order, reverse their fate, have a tragic flaw, make an important discovery, and be put in an unavoidable situation (Meirow). In the book, The Great Gatsby, while Jay Gatsby is frantically searching for the American Dream, he displays each of the previous traits. His tragic flaw ends up killing him, affecting those close to him. All in the while, fulfilling his purpose as a tragic hero.
Gatsby is probably most famous for his incessant love for Daisy Buchanan. Sadly, he fell in love with her while fighting in World War II, but then she married another man. The story focuses on his effort to win back her love. It could also be the reason why readers pity Mr. Gatsby, which is also the first character trait of a tragic hero. After growing up very poor on a farm, Gatsby wants to fulfill the American dream, desiring wealth, parties, friends, and Daisy a pretty girl from a well off family. All the while, the reader is

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