Examples Of Evil In The Great Gatsby

The American classic, The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, depicts a time of great excitement during the Roaring Twenties, The Jazz Age. The story is a first hand account of Nick’s illustrious yet mysterious neighbor, Jay Gatsby, at the climax of his life with everything to lose. As good and evil battle over the heart of long sought after love interest, Daisy Buchanan, the inevitable occurs and the hero is once again vanquished by the evil and undeserving who conspire against him. Fitzgerald employs the power couple, Tom and Daisy, to illustrate the fact that the affluent, and in this case evil, will always prove themselves both treacherous and victorious in the end. Not long into the novel, Tom not only shows his true colors but boasts of his wrongdoings. If choosing to completely ignore the fact that Tom is a devout racist, “The idea is if we don’t look out the white race will be-will be utterly submerged.” (Fitzgerald 13) which is, in and of itself, a valid depiction of his flawed character. He chooses to …show more content…
After her fantasy of leaving her husband for Gatsby is viciously trampled, Daisy decides that Tom must also end his affair. The way she goes about doing this is excessive at the very least. Driven by emotion Daisy makes the conscience effort to hit and kill Myrtle in the street. After first attempting to avoid the pedestrian she deliberately goes out of her way to run this woman down, “Well, first Daisy turned away from the woman toward the other car, and then she lost nerve and turned back.” (Fitzgerald 143) Whether out of hatred or coincidence Daisy ran down Tom's mistress in the street and refuses to stop afterward. Finally showing her true colors Daisy turns on her would be lover and, with the help of Tom, frames him. Sadly Gatsby honestly believes his feelings are reciprocated and would give his life to protect her rather than admit the