This book, The Great Gatsby, does a great job of reflecting the Bildungsroman, which is a story that traces the development of an individual. In the story, Jay Gatsby greatly executes the steps followed in the Bildungsroman.
An individual is an "apprentice to life." The protagonist is young, inexperienced, and often uneducated. Educations both in school and the "real world," are covered. Jay Gatsby shows this rule when he says he goes to Oxford school, which would show that he is going to school to get his education. He learns about crime from Meyer Wolfsheim, and this is proof that he is learning about the real world. He learns all about the real world from Wolfsheim, and gets his education in Oxford, so he shows a perfect example of step 1 in the Bildungsroman.
Some form of discontent sends the protagonist on his or her journey. This journey could be in search of self or something beyond self, such as improvement in status or standing. "If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, he had an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person and which it is not likely I shall ever find again." This is what Nick had to say about Gatsby, because as he would prove in this book, all he wanted in life was to have Daisy back. He lost her earlier in life, and must get her back by bettering himself and doing all he can to satisfy her needs, which in this case, is getting lots of money. This ties in with what he learns from Wolfsheim, because he needed that education in crime to succeed in getting all of his money.
This journey is long and difficult, often clashing with the protagonists" needs and desires, and the morals and laws of his/her society. Gatsby proves to us that his desire in life is to have and keep Daisy's love for himself, and also feels this is the only thing he needs to live.
