Amory Blaine's "Mirrors" in Fitzgerald's "This Side of Paradise"

        In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel This Side of Paradise, Amory Blaine searches for his identity by 'mirroring' people he admires. However, these 'mirrors' actually block him from finding his true self. He falls in love with women whose personalities intrigue him; he mimics the actions of men he looks up to. Eleanor Savage and Burne Holiday serve as prime examples of this. Until Amory loses his pivotal 'mirror,' Monsignor Darcy, he searches for his …

…attracted to his victims ('victims' because Amory is, essentially, a parasite) because they are attractive like him; he then emulates their personalities, flaws included, according to his own whims of who or what he desires to be like. Amory spends a significant portion of his life flailing on 'this side of paradise.' Only when Amory loses his critical 'mirror,' Monsignor Darcy, and must discover his identity, can he reach his 'paradise.' 1454 words.