there are many amazing characters in The Great Gatsby one being Jay Gatsby he appears to be the embodiment of the American dream at the novel's open he's depicted as a self-made man and loose if and mysterious he's built the lavish lifestyle in post-war America he was born poor as James Gatz and he invented Jay Gatsby he keeps his origins a secret and presents the public only what he wants them to see this leads to speculation and rumors the entire focus is on building his wealth power and prestige in an attempt to make himself worthy of Daisy Buchanan Gatsby's dreams like the identity he created are hollow and fleeting eventually leading to his downfall he represents the best and the worst of the American Dream without foundation the dream is a light in a distance Gatsby's downfall can be read as a critique of reckless indulgence in pursuit of that dream now Nick Carraway he's the novel's narrator he's bright insightful and he decides to move to New York from the Midwest he's portrayed as honest and fair he witnesses the dichotomy between the poor and nearly and this causes him to struggle with the superficiality of affluence his cousin Daisy Buchanan the superficial self-absorbed love interest of Gatsby she's actually married to Tom Buchanan Daisy has an affair with Jay Gatsby she represents the women during this era referred to as flappers in Daisy's final act running from the responsibility of her car accident suggests that she's a risk-taker only if it does not risk her real life and the privileges it affords her her husband Tom Buchanan his boisterous and an arrogant brute he's self-centered and controlling and shows a general lack of respect for women he manipulates situations and people to hide his indiscretions he represents the elite looking down on those without my and those with new money then there's George Wolfson Myrtle Wilson and Jordan Baker George Wilson owns Wilson's garage in the Valley of Ashes he has resigned himself to live a lower life class in the end his heartbreak over myrtles death leads him to murder Myrtle Wilson George's wife is having an affair with Thom she wants to escape her low social status for a better life and dislikes her husband for being poor and then finally there's Jordan Baker Daisy's friend from girlhood and a wealthy professional golfer she represents modern women and ignores social conventions she's willing to cheat to get ahead she becomes romantically involved with Nicki but their relationship deteriorates when Nick discovers she's dishonest you