James Gatz—that was really, or at least legally, his name. He had changed it at the age of seventeen and at the specific moment
that witnessed the beginning of his career—when he saw Dan Cody's yacht drop anchor over the most insidious flat on Lake Superior. It was James Gatz who had been loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey and a pair of canvas pants, but it was already Jay Gatsby who borrowed a rowboat, pulled out to the Tuolomee, and informed Cody that a wind might catch him and break him up in half an hour. Which themes does this passage best convey? A. People should be themselves because the truth will reveal itself; deception can have painful consequences. B. Good luck comes to those who are ready for it; ambitious people will go to great lengths to gain status. C. Perception often falls short of reality; changing one's identity can be as simple as changing one's name. D. The American Dream is about always remembering who you are; ambition is a dangerous motivator.
The answer is metaphor. a comparison that DOES use like or as (i.e. sweet as sugar, like a deer in headlights) is a simile. a direct comparison (i.e. life is a journey, her voice was music to my ears) is called a metaphor.
