• Home Page
  • Destruction In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Destruction In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Improved Essays
Show More
The destruction of others relies on the will of one man. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, he takes the reader back to the United States during the roaring twenties. During this time people were very careless and rebellious. All people wanted to do was get rich and buy expensive things and always party. Two of the main characters in this novel are Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Gatsby loves Daisy but daisy is married to another man named Tom Buchanan. Daisy is a beautiful woman who loves the attention from people. Jay Gatsby on the other hand just loves Daisy and is willing to buy her the world so they can be together. Gatsby tries to win her back throughout the novel. Daisy is a self-absorbed, vacuous socialite whose decisions …show more content…
Gatsby is extremely in love with Daisy Buchanan, but his problem is that he puts too much faith in love and Daisy puts too little (Marling). Gatsby puts all this faith in Daisy that she has always loved him and that she never loved Tom. But in the end of the story when Tom and Gatsby approach her with this claim she crumbles and tells them that she did love Tom at one point and that she can’t lie saying that she never loved Tom (Fitzgerald 132). In this instance Gatsby shows to the reader that he has put all of his faith in Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him but when she says the opposite it crushes Gatsby and ruins his plans to run away with her. Another example of how Gatsby put too much faith in Daisy was on the way home from the city. He let Daisy drive them home but on the ride home she hits Myrtle Wilson and kills her. Then they kept on driving until they made it home. Then Gatsby is explaining to Nick what happened from their point of view and Gatsby says, “Yes…but of course I’ll say I was” (Fitzgerald 143). Gatsby is so in love with her that he is willing to take on a murder for her. Gatsby believes that romance belongs to the present but to a past transfigured by imagined memory and to the illusory (Ornstein). Gatsby is desperately trying to recreate the past when Daisy was his and they didn’t even know who Tom Buchanan was. Daisy realizes this and …show more content…
She takes everything she can from him and then leaves him to stay with Tom. Daisy and Tom moved to a house on long island sound and across the bay is where Gatsby lives. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.”(Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby had bought that house so that he could be close to Daisy and she would always be in sight. He does this so that when the opportunity comes he can easily meet her. Gatsby also does this because he wants her to come to his house. To do this he throws the enormous parties hoping that she would walk in one day. (Fitzgerald 79). Gatsby throws lavish parties and spends all this money on Daisy hoping that she would wander back into his life. When Daisy and Gatsby finally meet and Daisy’s decision to keep seeing Gatsby even though she is married to Tom causes Gatsby to stop throwing the parties and keep up appearances. Gatsby also fired his servants and staff because he “wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip. Daisy comes over quite often” (Fitzgerald 114). Gatsby is almost getting rid of his luxuries so that Daisy will keep seeing him and they will not have to worry about anyone telling a reporter or worse Tom. Gatsby is putting too much faith in love and Daisy is putting too little (Ornstein). Gatsby has devoted his whole entire life to finding Daisy and having her love him the same way he loves her. In this

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    Comparison Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby And A Streetcar Named Desire
    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Comparison Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby And A Streetcar Named Desire

    He was so infatuated with the idea of calling Daisy his own, that he failed to realize that Daisy has already moved on without him. In addition, due to the constant concern of the past and of wanting to repeat it, Gatsby becomes a prisoner of own thoughts and dreams. Throughout the novel, Gatsby’s objective was to embrace Daisy into his arms and to never let her go. However, the reality of Daisy’s circumstances does not allow that to happen. When Gatsby finally rekindles with Daisy and they both admit their love to each other, they were faced with the situation of confessing to Tom of their love for each other. When Daisy was faced with the challenge of telling Tom for her love of Gatsby, she bursted into tears and confusion and said,” “Oh you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now—isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. “I did love him once—but I loved you too” (Fitzgerald 101). This quote shows evident proof that Daisy is confused on whether she wholeheartedly loves Gatsby or Tom. Gatsby all his life tried his hardest to grasp onto Daisy’s love and to keep it forever; however, he failed to realize that Daisy has already moved on without him and that she made a commitment with another man. This proves that Gatsby is putting in a lot of effort into something that was never real, and that is never going to be real either. Furthermore, when Tom speaks of…

    • 1213 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Compare And Contrast A Raisin In The Sun And The Great Gatsby
    • 1286 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Compare And Contrast A Raisin In The Sun And The Great Gatsby

    Ever since Gatsby returned from war, he is eager to go back to Daisy and the relationship that they once had. But, what Gatsby refuses to accept is the fact that Daisy has changed and has a whole new life. "Oh, you want too much!" she cried to Gatsby. "I love you now – isn 't that enough? I can 't help what 's past." She began to sob helplessly. "I did love him once – but I loved you too” (Fitzgerald 132.) In the five years that Gatsby is gone, Daisy finds another love in her life, Tom Buchanan, a wealthy man from East Egg.What Gatsby fails to realize is that that love cannot be undone. Because Daisy will not accept Gatsby as the only love in her life, Gatsby’s dream is being put to a stop. Tom is a man who refuses to let others get the best of him. " 'Go on. He won 't annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over” (Fitzgerald 135). Tom knows that he has the upper hand and that whatever relationship Daisy and Gatsby have is over. After this Daisy is still with Tom and Gatsby will never have all of her love. All Gatsby really desired in life was Daisy’s love, and when he never got it, his dream was…

    • 1286 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    The Pursuit Of Happiness In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Pursuit Of Happiness In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

    This woman, for whom Gatsby so desperately longs, loves not for love itself, but for monetary security: to take an example, Daisy behaves notably emotionally upon seeing a collection of shirts Gatsby owns during a visit to Gatsby’s mansion, “‘They’re such beautiful shirts,’ she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. ‘It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before’” (92). Gatsby knows he can only win back the affection of Daisy by proving to her that he is richer than Tom. He correctly discerns Daisy’s immense adoration of physical objects—she goes so far as to cry into a mound of Gatsby’s shirts, yet she barely shows any grief for his death. Gatsby, on the other hand, takes his love for Daisy unnecessarily far: although Gatsby had sought to become wealthy before meeting Daisy, their acquaintance, out of all to be considered, drives Gatsby the most to attain richness. Although Gatsby’s wealth successfully appeals to Daisy, he exhibits distressing difficulty in winning back her love. In a scene at the Buchanan residence that took place after the heated argument in Chapter 7, Fitzgerald illustrates, “[Daisy and Tom] weren’t happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale—and yet they weren’t unhappy either. There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together” (145). Daisy’s decision reasonably follows from her characterization. She ultimately makes the choice of remaining with Tom rather than Gatsby, and the reader can realize the justification for her decision when her desires are taken into account. Tom, who lives in East Egg, has wealth embedded in his family name, whereas Gatsby comes from humble roots. Thus, Tom provides much more financial security for Daisy than Gatsby, and by staying with Tom, Daisy has a lower risk of losing…

    • 1214 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Examples Of Obsession In The Great Gatsby
    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Examples Of Obsession In The Great Gatsby

    One day for a lunch at the Buchanans, Gatsby was invited at Daisy 's request. Since it was too hot that day, they went to a hotel in New York City where the tension started to rise. At the hotel Gatsby attempts to force Daisy to tell Tom she never loved him. Daisy goes on to say, “Oh you want too much!” She cried to Gatsby. “I love you now isn 't that enough? I can 't help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. “I loved him once-but I loved you too” (Fitzgerald, 132.) Daisy is overwhelmed by the fact Gatsby is not satisfied she is leaving her husband, she feels like he is asking too much of her by having her tell Tom she never loved him. Gatsby doesn’t care that he is asking too much of her as long as he gets the pleasure of hearing her tell Tom she never loved him and feel the joy of finally being with her. He wants so much from Daisy that he is unable to realize how much of Daisy he already has and be grateful for it. The facts point to Gatsby’s obsession because he is playing mind games on himself by believing that Daisy never loved Tom and forcing her to say she never loved Tom makes him…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Destruction In The Great Gatsby
    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Destruction In The Great Gatsby

    Gatsby since before he departed to war was willing to settle down for Daisy, but as we have read that Daisy was not willing to do the same for him. Even though they have their history together Daisy moved on and did her own life. Gatsby does so much for Daisy he throws brassy loud parties in hope of Daisy one day wandering in. Everyone knew about Gatsby he rose high economically. His name was in the mouth of everyone and what he bought and his ponderous parties. Everyone seems to attend his crazy parties, everyone but Daisy. When Gatsby asked Nick to invite his cousin Daisy for tea as Gatsby showed up mysteriously as Daisy believed. When Daisy saw Gatsby she was in shock and could not believe that Gatsby was there in front of her face to face. They both sat in the couch staring at each other without a word (Fitzgerald 89). This demonstrates how Gatsby is willing to still settle down for Daisy but she’s still indecisive about settling down with him. Gatsby exceeds too much from Daisy as she said, he wants her to confess to Tom that she never loved him. In-reality though she tells Gatsby that she once loved him but she also loved Tom. We have Gatsby who swears that Daisy only loves him but didn’t stay with him because he used to be poor, but then we see that Daisy did love Tom at some point humiliating Gatsby. Tom…

    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Love Leads To Destruction In The Great Gatsby Analysis
    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Love Leads To Destruction In The Great Gatsby Analysis

    Some people will do anything for love. Some people build themselves with love as a end goal , while others make one life changing decision for love. In the Great Gatsby, Gatsby and George are two men who let love control them. Love leads to destruction when that love the basis of one’s decisions is one theme seen in the Great Gatsby. This theme is demonstrated through both George and Gatsby 's actions.…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    What Is Lack Of Morality In The Great Gatsby
    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What Is Lack Of Morality In The Great Gatsby

    Because Tom spends most of his time in New York “working”, Daisy feels like there is a part of her missing. To fill this hole, she starts cheating on Tom with Gatsby, who she used to love. Their love never truly went away and when they are reunited, the sparks fly again. Gatsby finds out that Daisy did not wait for him while he was at war because she found out he was not rich and wanted more. Gatsby knows Daisy married Tom just for his money and thinks that she never truly loved him and tries to get Daisy to admit it. When Daisy will not admit it, Gatsby decides to take matters into his own hands. “She never loved you, do you hear?... She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me...”(Fitzgerald 131). Myrtle and Daisy do not care about their morals; they just need to get what they want.…

    • 734 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Analysis Of Daisy Buchannan In The Great Gatsby
    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Analysis Of Daisy Buchannan In The Great Gatsby

    The first time Gatsby sees Daisy in over 5 years Nick believes that “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams”(Fitzgerald, page 95). Although Daisy is aware of Gatsby’s dreams of being together again and moving back to Louisville to continue where they left off, she has no interest in staying with him for long but does not let him know she won’t leave her husband. She knew that she could never be the Daisy Gatsby had once loved and still fantasizes over but she does not admit this to herself and watches him continuously bend over backwards for her. Daisy used Tom for a life of luxury and for his place in society, while at the same time got a deep and sincere love and appreciation from Gatsby. Gatsby’s whole life revolved around her, Daisy realized this and instead of doing what is best for Gatsby and letting him go, she plays along with it continuing to get all she could out of it. The author writes of Daisy, “She had told him she loved him and Tom Buchannan saw” (Fitzgerald, page 119). Daisy flirts with Gatsby in front of her husband making Gatsby think she is now in love with him and is ready to tell Tom. Daisy uses Gatsby to make Tom jealous. Daisy doesn’t care how this will affect…

    • 1270 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Characteristics Of Tom In The Great Gatsby
    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Characteristics Of Tom In The Great Gatsby

    Gatsby, however, is a redeemable character. He thinks not just for himself, but for Daisy. Everything Gatsby does is for Daisy, whether it being throwing a party or moving to a certain place. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.” (78) He is determined to have a happy ending with her, which sometimes comes off as creepy or delusional, but it is still a step up from the dolt Tom. The most deadly flaw Gatsby has throughout the novel is that he is in love with what Daisy was, not the present Daisy. He is in love with a girl who was, not the girl who is. He believes it all will turn around and the brighter past with return, but it is all hopes and dreams that never become reality. Nonetheless, Gatsby is more clever than Tom and has a mysterious atmosphere surrounding him, which makes him more interesting, though this can be exploited. Tom, however, is more out there than Gatsby, who would rather stick to the back while Tom wants to be the center of…

    • 632 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Examples Of Daisy In The Great Gatsby
    • 1117 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Examples Of Daisy In The Great Gatsby

    Tom has suspicion of Gatsby. He does research on him to find out who he really is. He grew this suspicion when he saw Daisy and Gatsby growing closer. He didn’t like the idea that she was spending more time with him. Before, after and during a party Daisy ditched Tom to by with Gatsby. Tom gets mad and had enough of it. He tells Gatsby that he’s not going to stand there and watch him practically make love to his wife. So then Gatsby had enough and tells him the whole situation between him and Daisy. Gatsby ends up telling him that Daisy doesn’t love him but he is proven wrong. Daisy ends up confessing and saying. “‘Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom,’ she admitted in a pitiful voice. ‘It wouldn 't be true’” (Fitzgerald 133). This whole time Tom and Gatsby are argueing over Daisy. Gatsby claims that Daisy never loved Tom but Tom thinks the opposite. Tom reminds Daisy of their wedding and of are their special moments, questioning her if she loved him during those moments. Gatsby is so caught up into thinking that Daisy has always loved him, even during the 5 years without each other. At first Daisy denies that she loved Tom but then she admits that 's she 's lying and that she actually did once love Tom. This breaks Gatsby and puts him in shock, almost speechless. This even made him question Daisy about her love towards him. His fantasy lead him to having a dilution. only thinking that Daisy only had eyes for…

    • 1117 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    What Is The Great Gatsby's Destruction
    • 1223 Words
    • 5 Pages

    What Is The Great Gatsby's Destruction

    Gatsby meets the love of his life just before leaving for the war, though at the time it was only meant to be a casual relationship. As Gatsby falls deeper in love he realizes he would do anything to be with her. While talking to Nick he states: “Well, there I was way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I didn’t care” (Fitzgerald.143). Gatsby has ambitions and aspirations to become wealthy and live a luxurious life and after meeting Daisy, these goals become intertwined with wanting her affection. After he leaves for the war Daisy gets married to a well-to-do man named Tom Buchannan leaving Gatsby five years to build his empire and accumulate enough wealth to, in his eyes, sweep Daisy off her feet. When Jordan is telling Nick Mr. Gatsby’s story she states: “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay” (Fitzgerald.76). Here it is realized the amount of devotion Gatsby has for Daisy. At one point Jordan also points out that the reason he throws these parties is for Daisy. Jay hopes that Daisy would wander into one of these parties and bump into him though this is not entirely true. He throws these parties, not only to attract the attention of Daisy, but also to show off his wealth to her. He wants her to realize that he has the means to support her and their future. Gatsby has smaller dreams of amassing…

    • 1223 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Innocence In The Great Gatsby
    • 1530 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Innocence In The Great Gatsby

    To quote James E. Miller Jr, “it is his tragedy that his vision of transcendence come to focus on an object that is enchanting on the surface, rotten at the core” (Miller 2). In essence, Daisy appears to be the romantic dream that Gatsby portrayed her as, but in actuality is the terrible person that ruins him. Unfortunately, he just happened to get involved with the wrong girl. As explained in The Great Gatsby, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast restlessness” (Fitzgerald 179). Daisy was someone who ruined others and didn’t care at all about the ramifications of her actions. Gatsby innocently got caught up in her path of destruction and his love for her disallowed him to see who she really was. This deception was especially true when Gatsby tried to take responsibility for the death of Myrtle, even though it was Daisy’s doing. When Nick asked if she was driving, Gatsby answered, “’Yes…but of course I’ll say I was’” (Fitzgerald 143). This shows even after Daisy admitted her love for Tom, her grip on Gatsby was too tight for him to accept how things really were. This defense of Daisy is what eventually got him killed by Myrtle’s husband, showing that he was ready do anything to protect this girl, who in reality would never do the same for him. Daisy, as a person, was detrimental to the fate of Gatsby, and he fell victim to his own…

    • 1530 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Daisy's Mistakes In The Great Gatsby
    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Daisy's Mistakes In The Great Gatsby

    Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby with extreme precision and purpose. Every word he wrote played an important role in conveying the destruction of Gatsby, Tom, and Myrtle through Daisy’s fraudulent acts. Fitzgerald reveals the harsh reality that it’s not often that one will come across a true, completely authentic person. He explains how the majority of the upper class allow themselves to cause such disarray, only leaving the consequences in the hands of others. Throughout the novel, it becomes apparent to Daisy that her careless decisions are the main attribute to the raze of the people closest to her. Daisy is a self-absorbed vacuous socialite whose decisions lead to the destruction of Gatsby, Tom and Myrtle. Through murder, heartbreak, and lies Daisy Buchanan destroys…

    • 1498 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Theme Of Destruction In The Great Gatsby
    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Theme Of Destruction In The Great Gatsby

    As Jay Gatsby attempts to win over his golden girl, he is oblivious to the fact that he is hurting himself and the people he cares about along the way. Not only is Gatsby blind to not see the incongruity of his goal, but he fails to realize that the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan, has other aspirations for her ideal life that Gatsby will never be able to fulfill. Much like the way Gatsby thinks and acts, Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson struggle to be mollified with what they already have. These naïve hopes of a textbook life cause all of the key characters in The Great Gatsby to cause hurt and destruction. Throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fictional novel, symbolism is utilized to further articulate the reoccurring theme that…

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Women's Rights In The Great Gatsby
    • 1118 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Women's Rights In The Great Gatsby

    Gatsby and Daisy were in love, however, she never saw Gatsby as an option for marriage, because he was yet to be rich, so she moved on to Tom. Because Daisy came from old money, it was expected of her to marry in the same social tier, but Gatsby never gave up hope. Everything he did after he met Daisy to become successful was for her. When they were reunited it was apparent that Daisy was the one in control of Gatsby, even if that wasn’t necessarily her intention. Gatsby was much more concerned with impressing Daisy than she was impressing him. He has relived the moment so many times and Fitzgerald showed the discombobulated state Gatsby was in when he said to Nick, “This is a terrible mistake… a terrible, terrible mistake,” in which Nick comforted him saying, “You’re just embarrassed, that’s all,” adding in that “Daisy’s embarrassed too,” to encourage him. Gatsby was so concerned of Daisy slipping through his fingers once more, that he mulled over the situation and worked himself up. Once Tom found out about their affair he was desperate to gain Daisy back, not wanting to lose her to a once poor “Mr. Nobody”. New money in the Twenties was a lower class than old money. Although new money constantly tried to prove their wealth and raise their social tier, they were incapable of passing old money because they were raised not raised with a sophisticated lifestyle or family. In order to keep Daisy, Tom informed her know about all the dishonest business Gatsby was involved in. Daisy is shocked with this news and goes back to the comfort of Tom when she says, “Please, Tom! I can’t stand this anymore.” Then, Tom exercises his supremacy when he suggests Daisy and Gatsby drive home together next stating, “Go on. He won’t annoy you. I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.” Which does not discourage Gatsby because he is so blinded by his love for, or…

    • 1118 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2023 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings