Character: Meyer Wolfshiem

Introduction: Meyer Wolfsheim

Meyer Wolfshiem is a fictional character in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
He is presented as Jay Gatsby’s business associate and friend, and is known for his involvement in organised crime.
Wolfsheim is a crucial character, although his direct presence in the story is brief, as he helps establish the mysterious and illicit background of Gatsby’s wealth.

Appearance and Personality

Fitzgerald describes Wolfsheim as a small, flat-nosed Jew with a head full of bony structures and two fine growths of hair which luxuriate in ears.
Wolfsheim’s appearance mirrors his character - someone prone to deceptive actions and a high level of criminality.
He is notorious for his ruthless nature and his key role in fixing the 1919 World Series.

Connection with Gatsby

Gatsby introduces Wolfshiem to Nick as the man who fixed the World’s Series.
Wolfshiem is the one who successively employs Gatsby after he returned from the war destitute.
Through his association with Wolfshiem, Gatsby is able to attain the wealth and social stature that he uses to attract Daisy.

Symbolism

Wolfshiem is perceived as embodying the corruption of the American Dream.
He accumulates his wealth through crime and deception, contradicting the idealistic vision of honest work leading to wealth and success.
The character of Wolfshiem also suggests the presence of anti-Semitic sentiments in America during the 1920s.

Summary

In The Great Gatsby, Meyer Wolfsheim is a key character that helps unfold the storyline by providing a backdrop to Gatsby’s rise to prominence. He is symbolic of the fundamental corruption at the heart of the American Dream, hinting at the social issues prevalent during the 1920s. His character provides an in-depth critique of the materialistic and immoral society of the time.