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Gatsby's father shows Nick a list of "General Resolves" that Gatsby wrote as a teenager. What does this list tell us about James Gatz?

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Final answer:

The list of 'General Resolves' by the young James Gatz reveals his disciplined ambition, which foreshadows his future endeavors as Jay Gatsby in F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby', portraying a unique tale with broad implications.

Step-by-step explanation:

The list of "General Resolves" that James Gatz, who later becomes Jay Gatsby, wrote as a teenager provides insight into his character and aspirations. This list points to his disciplined and ambitious nature, focused on self-improvement and success. Such attributes foreshadow Gatsby's future as he strives to reinvent himself and achieve the American Dream, a fundamental theme in The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzgerald's portrayal of Gatsby emphasizes that his story is unique and not meant to be emblematic of every wealthy industrialist or self-made man of the 1920s. Instead, Gatsby's rise and fall are presented as both individual and universal, capturing the essence of the era's complex social dynamics.

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