Unmasking the Real Great Gatsby: The Influences Behind Fitzgerald’s Iconic Novel

Can’t wait to see how *this* turns out. It turns out that the inspiration behind one of literature’s most iconic characters—Jay Gatsby—may not be as original as we once thought. The New York Post recently delved into the lives of a few dubious characters from the Roaring Twenties who might have been the blueprint for Fitzgerald’s infamous millionaire. Let’s be real: the idea of Gatsby being a composite of several real-life figures is about as shocking as finding out the Kardashians are famous for, well, nothing.

Fitzgerald borrowed heavily from the glitzy, scandalous world around him, weaving in elements from his own life as well as the lives of notorious figures like millionaire bootlegger Arnold Rothstein and socialite and gambler James Gatz, who literally changed his name to Jay Gatsby. Rothstein, also known as “The Big Bankroll,” was a man with a taste for the extravagant and a penchant for self-reinvention—traits that clearly resonated with Fitzgerald’s vision. The connections are almost painfully obvious, yet here we are, marveling at the revelation as if it’s the second coming of literature.

Then there’s the case of the real-life “Gatsby,” a charming rogue named Gatsby himself. This fellow was less of a romantic hero and more of a scheming hustler, which throws a wrench in our idealized perception of Gatsby’s character. The original Jay Gatsby was a man of dubious morals and ambition, a far cry from the tragic romantic we’ve come to adore. The irony, of course, is that Fitzgerald managed to cloak these influences in a shroud of glamour and tragedy, turning shady dealings into a poetic narrative.

But let’s not forget the women in Gatsby’s life—because what’s a great American novel without some questionable relationships? It’s reported that Fitzgerald’s own wife, Zelda, and other socialites inspired the female characters, reflecting the limitations and expectations placed upon women during that era. So, if you thought Daisy Buchanan was just a figment of Fitzgerald’s imagination, think again. She was likely a mashup of several real women who navigated the social landscape of the time, and not always with grace.

In a nutshell, what we have here is a classic case of literary recycling, where the lines between reality and fiction blur. Fitzgerald took the best and worst of the Jazz Age, slapped a bow on it, and sold it to the masses as an exquisite tragedy. And here we are, still swooning over Gatsby’s extravagant parties while ignoring the moral grey areas he thrived in. So, next time you pick up *The Great Gatsby*, just remember: it’s a glittering façade hiding a world of vice, much like the reality TV shows we secretly binge-watch.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Biography.com, Literary Hub
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed