Throughout the novel, it is seen through Nick how Gatsby goes from being poor and helpless, wanting to be with the wealthy, to having a lavish lifestyle. Although he obtains this wealth illegally, he still alludes to the idea of the “self-made” man. Through Frederick Douglass’s novel, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, a text-to-text connection can be made to The Great Gatsby because just like Gatsby, Douglass too began as being impoverished and working in different places such as farms. He had to go through the hardships that slavery had put on him but never gave hope of one day being free. He soon learned how to read and eventually escaped the horrors of slavery, writing his own book and becoming one of the most famous African Americans to tell of his hardships. As a result, he too portrays the idea of being a “self-made” man that is put forth throughout The Great Gatsby.
I like your comparison of the self made man in Douglass with Gatsby. I never made that connection myself and now i see a different way of seeing the portrayal of both Gatsby and Douglass. In your commentary try and tie Gatsby and Douglass together more then just explaining how Douglass is similar to the self made man. However, over all i enjoyed your text-to -text connection and allowed me to see a new perspective on Gatsby and Douglass and their similarities.
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