Qualities such as absolute moral perfection are even less attainable than world peace and have no place in quality literature. No one identifies with the main character who never lets his emotions get the better of him from time to time. Truly powerful characters require at least some degree of moral ambiguity. Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby engages in illegal liquor sales and business dealings with the man who fixed the World Series, which combine with his purest intentions and virtually universal kindness to create a moral decidedly ambiguous. Because of this ambiguity, Gatsby's character remains flawed and one that readers can completely identify with, while furthering the novel's prominent theme of the corruption of the American dream by wealth. As charismatic as Gatsby was, he attracted friends of all kinds, with all kinds of behaviors. implication that accompanies them. Nick clearly considers Gatsby his best friend throughout the novel, particularly remarking in the later part of the book that "They're a lousy bunch...You're worth the whole damn bunch put together" (154). This was said after a series of particularly unfortunate events, which ultimately demonstrated the extent of his kindness and selflessness. He had risked everything he had, simply for one last push to try to capture Daisy, and he had more or less failed. Then, as Daisy runs away with him in the car, he hits and kills Myrtle Wilson, and Gatsby immediately decides to take all the blame without thinking twice. And after all of this, when he lost practically everything he had worked so long for, his only worry was whether Daisy would call him. Such compassion forced Nick, Daisy and many others to truly care for him. On the opposite end of the spectrum,… middle of the paper… parties he threw but never attended, because they were supposed to get Daisy's attention. He became a smuggler, albeit a rich one, simply with the hope of reaching Daisy's class, she coming from a rich family and he from a poor one. Love is always a pure and noble goal. Gatsby sold alcohol in his drugstores to get rich, but he didn't just want to get rich. Every evening he threw parties to attract prominent people, but he didn't want to attract only prominent people. All he wanted was to become what Daisy wanted so they could be together again, this time forever. There aren't many goals purer than this. Literary works like The Great Gatsby require a recognizable character with an appropriate level of humanism, perfection alienates most readers. Works Cited Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Sons of Charles Scribner, 1925