Academic Decathlon Literature Practice Test

Max Perkins looked for a strong, convincing center to the novel. In the first draft, Gatsby’s inner life and motivations weren’t fully formed—his backstory, dreams, and the forces shaping his choices needed clearer definition. Because the character’s depth anchors the story’s themes of ambition, illusion, and the American dream, Perkins pressed to make Gatsby more concretely drawn: a definite past, a visible motive for Daisy, and a more tangible emotional arc. When Gatsby’s character becomes fully realized, the book’s emotional resonance and moral dimension come through, guiding the ending and the narrative's power. The other aspects—prose style, an unsatisfying ending, or an exotic setting—weren’t the primary concern Perkins identified; he focused on shaping Gatsby himself so the novel could truly endure as a character-driven work.