Discuss the significance of the title of ''The Great Gatsby''

The meaning of the word "great" is ambiguous before reading the novel The Great Gatsby. It can imply that Gatsby is a superb individual, or it can mean great in the sense of a misfortune. It is only after reading the novel that the reader is able to perceive that the novel's title is ironic and that many of the themes of the story help develop this "great" character of Gatsby.

Irony is the key to understanding F. Scott Fitzgerald's title, The Great Gatsby. Many of the themes of this novel seem to mock Jay Gatsby's "greatness." Some of these themes can even be taken on a more social level to include society in general and imply their prominence as well. Gatsby symbolizes the state of idealism that had been a common ideal of society when the novel had been published. His ideal life centered on money, greed, and carelessness that characterize living the ideally reckless life. This theme implies two different meanings to the title of the novel. The first is an implication that the social values of the times were terrible, thus bringing out the greatness of the tragedy. The second is more of a sarcastic connotation. Fitzgerald may have been trying to show the reader just how great the great Gatsby was through the use of irony. For example, it is quite ironic that a person with so much wealth and fame would continue to partake in the illegal bootlegging and give numerous parties in search of a married woman when there are hundreds of women dying to see him. Thus, the ironic meaning of the novel's title can be derived through the analysis of the true greatness of Gatsby: a moral failure who is only a success in the eyes of other downfallen individuals of society.

As the narrator and therefore the authoritative "namer" of the Great Gatsby, Nick attempts to rectify Gatsby's image; he urges the reader to ignore Gatsby's social status and see him for the "great" man Nick wants him to be. But, Gatsby is a tragic figure stuck in the middle of two worlds. Gatsby's lack of familial ties and his apparent economic success alienate from the lower class to which he used to belong. This is also true of the members of the upper class who use Gatsby as a form of entertainment but nothing else: "... but no one swooned backward on Gatsby and no French bob touched Gatsby's shoulder and no singing quartets were formed with Gatsby's head for one link.". As a result of the duel hate from both sides of the economic spectrum, Gatsby must die. He is in fact, killed by members of both groups; his dearth is incited by Tom Buchanan, the old money millionaire, to George Wilson, the pinnacle of low class dreariness. Nick tries to rescue Gatsby from this dishonorable death by reaching out to Gatsby twice more in the end: "I went out and looked at ...