Destiny

Gatsby is motivated purely by what he deems to be his own destiny. He puts himself in a position of total control over what his future will be. First of all though, he must shed all that holds him back to his past life. First to go was his original name, James Gatz, which kept him attached to his farming parents, because "his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all" (98). Fitzgerald's choice of the word "imagination" in this context simply adds to the reader's conception of Gatsby as a dreamer. he doesn't like his parents because they aren't up to snuff with what his dream parents would be. For Gatsby, everything must exist as it would in his fantasy world. He simply decides the way he wants things to be, envisions them being so, and then makes them that way. He "sprang from his Platonic conception of himself...and to this conception he was faithful to the end" (98). Whatever impedes his ability to march to the "drums of his destiny", as St. Olaf's College did, he simply casts it aside and begins anew (99). But when something promoting his fantasies comes along, he reels it in right away and uses it until he can't anymore. This is precisely the way he sees Nick, an object to be uses to get Daisy, his ultimate dream, and then casts away when its purpose is used up. But something prevents Gatsby from only using Nick in that way. Despite his tendencies, he holds on to Nick for some reason I'm sure will be revealed in the chapters to come.