Gatsby Times v.1 | Page 12

Gatsby, truth or lie?

Gatsby's illusions are all nearly truth for him, but not quite. one of the biggest ones he likes to tell is that of his life in the war. He glorifies his actions that he took during the war to a much larger deal than it actually was. for example, he told the story of how he "took two machine-gun detachments so far forward that there was a half mile gap on either side of us" While stories like that are exiting to both him and his audience, they are not grounded in truth.

Another key illusion that Gatsby tells about himself is about his business life. While it is clear to the reader that he is involved in “unsavory” business practices, he clearly hides that from the public in the story. I find it hard to believe that a man as famous and powerful as Gatsby could hide a secret as big as being in constant contact with gangsters and bootleggers. Overall, I believe that Gatsby's illusions add to his character and add a layer of mystery to the man.

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