The Roaring Twenties were a period of greed characterized by a miserly compulsion to accumulate material goods. After the Great War, the booming economy raised the middle class and led to the sexual and moral revolution. Coming from modest means, Scott Fitzgerald aspired to assimilate into this new social class. The Great Gatsby is considered one of Fitzgerald's best novels; it reflected his own triumphs, defeats and disillusionments. Gatsby's unwavering determination to reconstruct his past led to his demise. Additionally, Gatsby's ability to forgive, his idealistic dream of loving Daisy, and his ability to make a name for himself demonstrated his "greatness." In the early chapters, it was inconceivable to imagine Jay Gatsby as “great.” His involvement in clandestine affairs with Meyer Wolfshiem gave rise to shocking theories about how he amassed his wealth and led an ostentatious lifestyle. Meyer Wolfshiem was a player "who fixed the World's Series in 1919." Through a personal investigation aimed at discrediting Gatsby, Tom Buchanan (Daisy's husband) confirmed that Gatsby was indeed a bootlegger. “He and this Wolfshiem bought up many street pharmacies and sold grain alcohol over the counter...I picked him out as a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn't much wrong . Gatsby's sole motivation for his corrupt dealings was to acquire enough power and money to court and win back Daisy's affections. Nevertheless, he was full of generosity, loyalty and had a big heart which demonstrated his prodigious spirit. From a young age, Gatsby was determined to make a new life for himself to avoid following in the footsteps of his "fickle and unsuccessful" parents. . Ultimately, creating differences... middle of paper ......accessible social status level. As Nick said: "They were carefree people, Tom and Daisy, they broke things and creatures and then retreated into their money or their great carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess they had made. .” Gatsby's death meant nothing to Daisy, he was just a victim of Buchanan's selfishness. Gatsby can be defined as a tragic hero because he sacrificed his life for a woman whose love was shared between two men and their ability to provide him with material wealth and stability. Ultimately, his relentless quest to find a passionate flame eluded him with his obsession with living in the past. Nevertheless, Jay Gatsby demonstrated "greatness" because he was an undeniably simple man who fell in love and attempted to achieve his "American dream" in the most loyal way..