coming back to Princeton

Most definitely, Amory has changed for the better. After graduation, Amory faces endless miseries including war, failed love attempts, and loss of his close supporters such as Darcy. As he goes through misfortunes, Amory gets more close to what he has been trying to find, the fundamental Amory. However, change for Amory is extremely slow but steady. While he was in Princeton, Amory constantly try to fit into convention and attracts attention from other people. Even after he fails to do so by failing on his make up exam, Amroy can not take off his mask and realize who he is. When he admires Burn's idea of protesting, Amroy is still not able to understand who he is. I believed that the attitude of Amory was similar to that of little children who cry and complain to their parents when they can not achieve what they want, which proves Amory's shallowness. I believe that protesting is simply a way for Amory to show his unsatisfation coming from his inability to fit into convention. Also, the fact that he submits to the idea of enlisting proves that Amory is imperfect because he would have refused to do so if he had absolutely turned himself from convention and tried to find himself.
The fact that Fitzerald describes Amory's experience with short interlude shows that Amory does not learn much from war. However, at the end of the novel, Amory goes through bigger misfortunes such as death of Darcy who has been staying with Amory as a mentor and also as a father. Without Darcy, Amory realizes that there is no one who he can depend upon in his life. Moreover Amory's financial status is even a bigger hit for him. After all this misfortunes, Amory looks at himself again and realizes that he became fundamental Amory. Moreover, after thinking about his youth, unrealized dreams, and Rosalind, Amory says "It's all a poor substitute at best" (page 206)". Amory accepts how meaningless his youth was while he wasn't really himself. Also, as he cries "I know myself, but that is all", Amory finally finds himself and accepts what has happened. Since he finds himself and accepts the past, I believe that Amory will be able to do more meaninfull things in his life because now he does not have to spend him efforts to fit into others expectations.