The narrator comes from the Midwest. The excerpt describes one of the reasons he and many others moved to the big Eastern cities, especially New York: ambition. Life in the Midwest seemed small and limited compared to the bustling metropolis, which offered more possibilities for advancement, and the desire for wealth is one of the themes in <em>The Great Gatsby</em>. As Sinatra, would later sing, "If I can make it there I'll make it anywhere".
