Is Jay Gatsby great?

Like the novel itself, Jay Gatsby's greatness encompasses several layers. Perhaps the best way to discuss Gatsby’s greatness is to look at the novel’s title. The term “the great” could easily refer to a showman or illusionist—such as the Great Houdini. In fact, Gatsby is an illusionist. His parties are examples of his showmanship; he has his charm and money, but once Tom is able to pull off Gatsby’s mask at the novel’s climax, it looks like he could have “killed a man.”
However, Gatsby’s singular-mindedness could also be an example of how the man truly did great things. Near the end of the novel, Gatsby’s father shows Nick a book with Jay’s childhood 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily routine and his ”general resolves” to make him a better person. In fact, Gatsby’s discipline throughout the novel is what turns him from a poor boy growing up destitute to one of the wealthiest men in Long Island. Sure, he says he did everything for Daisy, but she is ultimately what he sees as the end goal. It’s Gatsby’s resolve that makes him great, in a way.