In the opening scene of The Great Gatsby Jay Gatsby is introduced as a successful and wealthy man who has become self-centered and old age after losing his wife and their fortune in a business venture Gatsby is on a journey back to his youth where he spent his time with his best friend F Scott Fitzgerald and his love for Daisy under the bridge Gsby's journey begins with his encounter with Daisy's neighbor who becomes his new neighbor and begins to remind him of his past relationship with Daisy Gatsby's self-centered behavior and his pursuit of Daisy lead him to his own destruction as he fails to appreciate the simple pleasures of life and ends up in a dying state The novel follows Gatsby's journey through his life from his youth to his death as he struggles to find meaning and purpose The novel also exploits topics of class wealth and the power of love Ultimately Gatsby's story serves as a reminder of the importance of cherishing the person before one's eyes and the power of love to change one's life for the better