Why Did Gatsby Change His Name?

Gatsby changed his name to escape his past and reinvent himself as a wealthy and sophisticated man. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel "The Great Gatsby," Gatsby is originally named James Gatz and comes from a humble background in North Dakota. He changes his name and creates a new persona as a wealthy entrepreneur in order to fit in with the upper-class society of the East Coast. Gatsby's name change represents his desire to leave behind his past and create a new identity for himself.

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