Gatsby and Daisy’s Tragic Love Story | Teen Ink

Gatsby and Daisy’s Tragic Love Story

May 22, 2017
By NatalieTriffo BRONZE, Park Ridge, Illinois
NatalieTriffo BRONZE, Park Ridge, Illinois
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In  The Great Gatsby, the author, Scott Fitzgerald, shows the idea of loving and chasing a woman by Jay Gatsby's actions toward Daisy Buchanan.  As a metaphor for the American Dream. Gatsby’s thoughts on Daisy are similar to the thoughts on the American dream for new immigrants. Gatsby wants the image of a perfect life, he wants to show people that he is a millionaire with a prize wife and Daisy is the only missing piece to this puzzle.  Gatsby does have true love with Daisy, however he thinks he is in love with daisy. He has convinced himself he is love with Daisy. Possibly because of their past or possible because of her image. Gatsby had a past with Daisy before he went to fight in the war. He wants to relive his past and thinks that this is a logical dream even though Nick tells him that is impossible. Using the book and databases there is information to show that Jay Gatsby is not truly in love with Daisy Buchanan. He is in love with the idea of her and this ties into the American Dream as well as reliving the past while searching for happiness.


Though the book the American Dream is not only talked about but represented in other ways. The American Dream was invented in 1931 by historian James Truslow Adams. Immigrants from all over believed in the dream. The American Dream was thought to be this; getting to the United States would be a big struggle. Starvation, sadness, sickness, depression and more were experienced on the Angel Island and Ellis Island, but it was decent. It was decent because when you got to the golden land the struggles and disease would go away. There was wealth and happiness, family unity and money. There was a reason to live and a reason to have a family. The grass is greener on the other side. Right? Right.  Well soon the people learned that wasn't exactly true. It was hard to make in here in America, in the land of promise. In was hard to get a job, the competitions was hard and people were mean. If you were lucky to get a job it was not as glamorous as expected. There were terrible conditions. Workers could be abused and had to work ridiculous hours. There were injuries in the factories and butcher shops. Kids were often forced to work and if they got hurt, they got fired and little to no financial help in recovery. People left their family and friends to try and set up a good life for their children. The left what they knew, just to suffer worse and to be alone in a new scary world. In the book there are things that refer back to the missionary of the American Dream. In a Database, titled The Great Gatsby by Anthony S. AbbottBarron in 2004 “When they neared the valley of ashes, they see more fear”. The Valley of ashes way a dark gray area of land in the book. This is gives similar feels to the dread of the failure of an American Dream. Nevertheless  the grass isn't always greener on the other side.


In many ways Gatsby and Daisy's relationship is a strong metaphor for the American Dream. Though the book the American Dream is not only talked about but shown in different ways. A perfect example is Daisy and Gatsby's relatonshipship. Gatsby think that if he can go through the chace and win her over his life will be complete. Gatsby dedicates his life to winning over his dream girl. He buys bojee clothes and a fancy house to brag about his money. He looks for a house near Daisy and Tom so they will see each other. He drives a pretty car to get Daisy's attention. He thinks if he can get her to be his girlfriend everything will be okay. If he can be with her all his problems will fade. Daisy is the key to happiness. In his eyes she is perfect. Young and beautiful. Hes view is skewed. She will take advantage of him, like she does everyone. Abbottarron in the his writing, The Great Gatsby states “Daisy lets other people take care of her in crises”. She would use Jay Gatsby.  The character know she is far from perfect. She has a strong taste for money. A quote by Abbottarron in The Great Gatsby  is “Daisy, unlike Tom, uses her money rather then her money or personality to bully others”. She is selfish and hard to deal with. She is flirty with other people but if Tom replicated her actions she would be very unhappy. Daisy has feeling for Tom and her has feeling for her. Even though neither of them have problems going outside their comfort zone. There is a happy end because they return to each other. This is explained in the book. Tom tells the truth  "And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time." (7.251-252). Tom might do this out of pure loyalty but it might be because he need a break from Daisy and her inappropriate views.  She can be hypocritical and greedy. However Gatsby doesn't see this side. He thinks she is perfect and once he gets her it will all be okay. Abbott Barron in The Great Gatsby “Gatsby worships Daisy”.  When in reality this is not the case. Things might even get worse. He will have to cater to her needs. He will be blinded by her and she will take advantage of him. Similar to the thoughts and reality of the American Dream.


Gatsby was no doubt an optimistic man. He hoped for it all. He wanted the money, the deals, the talent, the friends, the most outrageous fun parties and he wanted the girl. His parties has so many people I think he would have them just waiting for one person, Daisy. On page 63 that same thought is shared “I think he half expected her to wander into one of his parties, some night,' went on Jordan." He worked his life away for the money. He had money from when his parents died. Quite a bit. He he blew it. He wasted all his money. When he realized he would want to live without it he made it is mission to become the best known, most extreme millionaire in all of New York. No one really knows how he got his million but we can guess. Many people think it was illegally, drug money and alcohol. Perhaps business deals the help out another man. He got the money. He got himself a great house filled with the best jewels and clothes. He knew Daisy like material items he thought that maybe he could get her attention with these things. This worked but not in the way he wanted. "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." (5.118-119). He liked his shirts but seeing them just brought up past memories. Gatsby did everything he could to get her attention. He had the best parties so he had some friends and a strong reputation. He really had everything and if he didn't have it, he would buy it. Unfortunately a person cannot but true love. I think this bothered Gatsby. He wanted love. Somone to live large with. He didn't want anyone. Gatsby was so rich any girl would jump at the opportunity to have a relationship with him. Gatsby didn't want just anyone. He didn't want one of the drunk girls at his parties. He wanted the biggest and the baddest. He wanted the girl everyone wants. He wants the perfect girl to go with his perfect life. The perfect girl seems to be Daisy. She has the blonde hair, good skin and rich handsome husband and a taste from money. She was the one. She was the logical person. He knew her, even dated her. This is smart. He didn't love her. He picked her out of a many other girls. She was the perfect fit to the puzzle. Gatsby convinced himself that he loved her though facts. He go so feed up in the entire situation it ruined his life and essentially ended it. He wanted to love her. He wanted to be with her. Unfortunately it didn't work out. The two didn't have the “spark”. Gatsby tried to get her. She even put in the effort. They tried. Gatsby really tried to make it work. He made himself so nervous! In the book it states“He hadn't once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes. Sometimes, too, he stared around at his possessions in a dazed way, as though in her actual and astounding presence none of it was any longer real. Once he nearly toppled down a flight of stairs” (5.112). He wanted her so bad because he thought that she would make his world go round. Gatsby thought that she was the only thing that could bring him contentment with his life. He wasn't in love with her and her personality. How could he be? He hadn't seen her in years.


A big controversy through the book is if the love between Gatsby and Daisy is real. Gatsby and Daisy has a relationship in the past. It is possible that Daisy and Gatsby were in love at a later time. Then five years pass that things change. For Daisy at least. Gatsby built up his life while Daisy found any other man, Tom. She married him and shares a live with him. Daisy loves Tom and there is evidence in the book. Daisy got very defencive and she felt hurt if she ever thought that Tom had cheated on her or was engaging in an affair with another person. However she thought it was okay if she did these things to Tom. Daisy was an attractive young  whom iterated men. She played there game for awhile but then always when back to Tom. When she had to pick she knew she wanted Tom. They had been together for a while and they did love each other., SHe couldn't pick Jay because they were not longer in love. This is only more proof that Gatsby made up this love in his mind. He was thinking up realistically.


Gatsby was a confusing man. Form the parties, to the war hero, to the businessman. People could not understand him. That's what made him great. He was still a human. He wanted a good life. He wanted love and relationships. He selected Daiy, the logical choice, He loved the idea of her. He wanted to have her. He did everything he could to make this happen. He took it to far. He risked his life for her. He was willing to take the fall for her. Her cruel ways didn't stop him and that was then end of the truly Great Gatsby.



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