The idea of ​​tragedy has existed since the Greeks. It has always been an important part of literature, from Shakespeare's plays to modern works. Thousands of authors have written amazing tragedies, including the famous American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald in his novel The Great Gatsby. The Great Gatsby contains many tragic heroes, but the novel is truly the tragedy of George Wilson. The story of George Wilson is truly tragic because he is a good person, he loses everything and his only part in his downfall is his confidence. George Wilson is one of the few characters in the novel who can actually be considered "good." He is hardworking, faithful and humble. George lives and works in his small auto repair shop, which is "one of three stores" on Main Street and "one store was for rent and another was an all-night restaurant" (Fitzgerald 24-25). The Valley of Ashes is a desolate environment with very little wealth, so keeping a business afloat requires a lot of dedication. An auto repair shop is even harder to keep afloat because very few people in the Valley of Ashes own a car. Despite his hardworking attitude and ability to keep his business alive, George Wilson is not arrogant. In fact, it is quite the opposite; he is very humble. George knows that he is “one of those confident guys” who doesn’t want to “think bad things about anyone” (158-159). Throughout the novel, humility is rarely seen in any characters other than George. He knows he's not smart and admits he's overconfident, which tragically leads to his demise. He knows his place in society and does not pretend to be someone else. This unparalleled humility precisely proves his good nature. He knows he's overconfident and he knows he always sees middle of paper......the only major test appears. He trusts Tom. He asks Tom to tell him who killed Myrtle but Tom doesn't know who hit Myrtle. Tom thought that Gatsby "ran over Myrtle like you would run over a dog and never even stopped his car" (178), so he places the blame on Gatsby, and George, as confident as ever, believes him and finishes his tragic tale of disappearance without taking revenge on those who really caused his pain. The idea that such an honest and humble man could be corrupted is truly tragic, which is further emphasized by his total loss, the fact that his only flaw is trusting people, and that in the end he never takes revenge. George Wilson is truly tragic because of his good nature, his complete and utter loss, and the fact that his only contribution to his downfall was his confidence. Works Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Scribner: New York, 2004. Print.