pg98 " I suppose he'd had the name ready for a long time even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farn people - his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God - a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that - and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end."
Nick describes Gatsby's past history in the quote stated above. As one can see Gatsby came from a poor family who he disregarded as a young boy. Through his name and the comparison to God he created a new identity for himself. Gatsby is faithful to his new identity, but disregards the actual fact that he comes from poverty and unsuccessful parents. Gatsby as a young boy became caught up in the idea of becoming someone wealthy, and recognized. He transforms himself into the person that he invisioned himself to be. Gatsby does what ever it takes him to get to where he wants to be, despite any obstacles that society presents him with. As we see that in the novel he has "side businesses" that are kept in secret, and throws extravagant parties for all to come. He gets so caught up with the lifestyle that he lives but in the end is left with nothing. He was not recognized by people but rather "assumed" to be something. With all the rumors about Gatsby people did not know who he really was. To the people he was just a man who threw splendid parties. Gatsby died alone with no one at his funeral which comes to show that his identity crushed his dreams
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