Gatsby is a young man in his thirties, who emerged from a poor childhood in rural North Dakota to become fabulously wealthy. However, he achieved this objective by participating in organized crime, notably by distributing illegal alcohol (Boot legging). From his early youth, Gatsby despised poverty and longed for wealth and sophistication. Although Gatsby always wanted to be rich, his main motivation for making his fortune was his love for Daisy Buchanan, whom he met as a young military officer in Louisville before leaving to fight in World War I in 1917. Gatsby immediately fell in love with Daisy's tastes in luxury, grace and charm, and lied to her about his own background in order to convince her that he was good enough for her. Daisy promised to wait for him when he left for the war, but she married Tom Buchanan in 1919, while Gatsby was studying at Oxford after the war trying to gain an education. From that point on, Gatsby has dedicated himself to winning Daisy back, and his acquisition of millions of dollars, his purchase of a huge mansion to his specifications on West Egg, and his lavish weekly parties are only attempts to attract her.