Born Jay Gatz (Gat is slang for gun). His mentor, Cody, is an allusion to the Western hero Wild Bill Cody. He changes his name to Gatsby and meets Daisy as a soldier at a dance. read more
The Great Gatsby is not based on a true story, and there wasn’t a specific person in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life who inspired the character of Jay Gatsby. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald did live briefly on Long Island (which is the inspiration for East Egg and West Egg) and spent time with New York celebrities. read more