The Great Gatsby: Forces of Corruption The theme of human corruption, its sources and consenquences, is a coomon concern among writers from Shakespeare through J.D Salinger. Some suggest that it attacks from outside, while others depict corruption occuring from within the individual. In the case if The Great Gatsby and it's protagonist's fate, Fizgerald shows both factors at work. The moral climate of the Roaring Twenties, Daisy Fay Buchanan's pernicious hold on him, and Jay Gatsby's own nature all contribute to his tragic demise. First, the loose morality of Dan Cody, Gatsby's unfortunate role model, and superficial people who flock to Gatsby's parties