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Library's collection Library's IT development CancelBorn in a poor family makes young Gatsby determined to undergo many
efforts in order to improve his status. Afterwards, inspired by his meeting and journey
with Dan Cody, Gatsby completes his whole idea of materialism by wanting to
become a rich person. However, his love story with a rich girl named Daisy makes
him sway his dream to become a rich man. Gatsby no longer sees becoming a rich
person as a dream, yet he sees it as a challenge to win Daisy's attention. After five
years of separation, Gatsby now is a rich man and eager to restore his relationship
with Daisy again. Yet his poor past life makes him a man with a low self-esteem
whenever people tries to know his past life. Gatsby lies about it and covers it by
showing off his materialism to people around him. In order to capture Daisy's
attention once again, Gatsby also uses his materialism to attract her. Therefore, for
the findings above, the thesis writer decides to analyze Gatsby's process in obtaining
the idea of materialism and shifting it into a tool to gain self-esteem in his social and
love life. The thesis writer employs literary approach namely characterization to
reveal Gatsby's efforts in trying to achieve a better status when he is young and also
his efforts in showing off his materialism as a way to establish connections with
people as well as to recapture Daisy's attention. To support the analysis, the thesis
writer also uses psychological theory namely self-esteem to analyze Gatsby's
inferiority upon his past life that leads him to lies and materialistic show-offs. First,
the thesis writer analyzes Gatsby's recognition of his family's poor condition that
leads him to the eagerness to improve his status. Within this analysis, the thesis writer
recognizes his efforts in improving status as an early abstract idea of materialism.
Afterwards, the analysis rests upon Gatsby's meeting with Dan Cody. Here, the thesis
writer analyzes Gatsby's observations towards Cody's rich lifestyle that finally makes
Gatsby feels inspired to become a rich person by the life that Cody has. Gatsby's
early relationship with Daisy makes him lie about his social status and learn that he
has to be a rich man in order to win her. Here, the thesis writer identifies the shifting
moment of idea of materialism in a tool to gain self-esteem. Furthermore, the thesis
writer analyzes Gatsby's inferiority upon his past life, followed by his efforts to show
off his materialism in socializing with people and to win Daisy's attention. Finally, I
conclude Gatsby's poor past life makes him wants to be come a rich person, yet his
love with Daisy shifts his dream and makes it as a tool to gain people's respect and
Daisy's attention.