Final answer:
F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays his characters as individuals with their own unique stories rather than representing larger societal archetypes. In 'The Great Gatsby', Jay Gatsby's transformation from a vague contour to a substantial man exemplifies this individuality in the context of the 1920s.
Step-by-step explanation:
In F. Scott Fitzgerald's works, such as 'The Fitzgerald Reader', he portrays his characters as individuals, representing their own unique stories rather than larger societal archetypes. This can be seen in the description of Jay Gatsby's transformation from a vague contour to a substantial man in 'The Great Gatsby'. The line emphasizes Gatsby's individuality and distinctiveness in the context of the 1920s. Fitzgerald's portrayal of Gatsby through the eyes of a flawed narrator also adds to the individual and universal nature of his character's rise and fall.