It is difficult to see in many places how Gatsby changes in the novel, seeing as the changes happen in sudden mannerism alterations, but despite the scarcity of them, they are highly significant. First, he is a larger than life filthy rich man who has an incredibly interesting backstory, but as the novel progresses, he becomes more like a normal person. That is why it’s confusing how he changes, because as he becomes more familiar, we understand him more as a human than a construct. First, we are introduced to him as a mysterious, almost improbably interesting character. Everyone speaks of him admirably and with some feeling of awe. Rather quickly, however, we learn his motive for doing everything he does: Daisy Buchanan. As Nick tries to set him up with her, he starts to break down. His nervousness is on full display, and his use of “old sport” starts getting erratic and strange, it’s not just an expression, it’s a way to express his anxiety. The breaking point is the hotel scene, where he, rather stupidly, expresses anger and entitlement when he, to Tom’s face, tells his she’s having an affair with him. By the end, he is not flawless, he’s a mess who lied about his past and has issues controlling his nerve, but he’s most certainly an interesting mess.
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