Who is Amory Blaine? It seems, in some ways, that Amory constitutes the quintessential portrait of American youth, still struggling between individuality and the desire for acceptance. But we also get glimpses of situations in which he seems to be the embodiment of America itself – of the old European heritage, grappling with its uniqueness in a world where, to survive, it must fit in. Fitzgerald described the novel as a "quest novel". ” which focuses on Amory's journey toward self-understanding. The three main elements that influence Amory on his path to self-realization are conventions, women, and money. This is what makes him a purely American character. These three elements are indeed what advance the American personality: individuality against convention, the quest for fulfilling romance, and the American dream in the form of personal success and importance. Amory's arrogance and selfishness are also a mark of his purely American nature, for the American way of life is, in essence, a solitary way of life, whose journey focuses on personal fulfillment, the self himself, personal individuality and importance in a societal context. Fitzgerald's "This Side of Paradise" is less of a story line and more of a sketchy portrait of Amory and her quest to understand the world. The story is told by an experienced third-person narrator who follows and complements Amory's point of view, occasionally introducing his own thoughts into the narrative. Amory is at the center of the story, just as American youth are at the center of his. It's a purely American approach to life - that is, you are the star, everyone else is just secondary supporting characters to your main story. The portraits of the other character in the novel in the middle of a paper...... do a job he hated. Identity Critics debate whether or not Amory knows himself by the end of the book, or if it is just a fleeting state of self-awareness. Much like the average American, Amory does not know who he is, but rather who he wants to be, who he should be, and what others consider him to be. ConclusionsAmory is essentially a prototype of the lazier side of the young virile American, therefore a semi-negative archetype of the American. Self-centered, focusing on popularity more than hard work, Amory seeks wealth and validation while avoiding adhering to social norms. His individuality and otherness, as well as his stubbornness to move forward against all odds, make him a true stereotypical American, despite his egocentrism and his many other faults. The novel is Amory's quest for his own identity. Whether he succeeded in the end is still debatable.