Period 5
April 25, 2013 The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a 1920’s novel about the upper class and how the rich lived. One of the main characters, Daisy Buchanan, is a wealthy woman that illustrates how people would think in the Jazz Age. This story takes place in West Egg and East Egg. The West Egg consists of the new riches, people who earned their money. The East Egg consists of old riches, money that is passed on in generations. Nick is Daisy’s cousin and is considered as the neutral character, being involved with everything. The story is told from his point of view and coincidentally Nick was Gatsby’s neighbor. Gatsby was a big part of Daisy’s past and once they reunite, after many years of being apart, they start an affair. As the summer unfolds, Gatsby and Daisy's affair begins to grow and they see each other regularly. Daisy found it to be appropriate for Tom was as well having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Then one day Tom and Gatsby meet and Gatsby confronts Tom about Daisy, and tension is evidence of their brawl. Daisy, being the oblivious person she is, continues to talk and ease the tension by offering to go to the city. The group agrees and they are on their way. On their way back, Daisy and Gatsby are with one car and Tom, Nick and Jordan are with another. Tom’s car comes to a stop in front of the Wilson’s garage when they see that Myrtle was killed. Tom was devastated then furious for he knew that Gatsby was the one that did it. When they returned home Daisy confronts Tom and then Gatsby tells Nick that he was not the one driving but he will take the blame. Gatsby takes the blame and one afternoon he is found dead in his pool and Wilson’s body not far behind. The one to blame for this whole mess is Daisy and she could care less. She is untrustworthy, oblivious and high and mighty. Women cannot be trusted in Fitzgerald’s novel. Daisy is an example as to why women aren’t trusted and are diabolical. “As he left the room…‘You know I love you,’ she murmured” (Fitzgerald 116). This quote represents the fact that Daisy cannot be trusted. Daisy is confessing her love to Gatsby when she indeed doesn’t love him like she used to. She is giving Gatsby false hope when saying she will leave Tom for him and having no intention to do so. She is using him and abusing his trust to get back at Tom. “ ‘Was Daisy driving?’ ‘Yes,’ he said after a moment, ‘but of course I’ll say I was.” Daisy is not to be trusted because she allows Gatsby to take the blame for her mistakes. She is the one that kills Myrtle but permits Gatsby to take the blame. She is perfectly content with blaming another for her mistake. Women cannot be trusted but neither can men. Once one has power and money, it controls their lives. Daisy had everything one can desire: money, looks and men falling at her feet but that still wasn’t enough. “Wild rumors…say good-by to a soldier who was going overseas….In June she married Tom Buchanan of Chicago, with more pomp and circumstance than Louisville ever knew before.” (Fitzgerald 75) She fell in love with Gatsby when he was on his way to war and she promised to wait for him. That promise was forgotten when she met the rich and powerful Tom Buchanan.