The Great Gatsby - Essay Example

 I agree with Nick when he says to Gatsby “They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald, 154). Nick, as the narrator, could observe the traits of Gatsby and his acquaintances. Daisy, Tom, Myrtle, Jordan, and even George’s motives are based on self centeredness. Materialistic does not even began to describe this group. Not only are they motivated by money, but by pleasure as well. On the other hand, Gatsby is only motivated by one thing; his love for Daisy. Nick understands that Gatsby’s unsavory business was untaken to become suitably rich for Daisy. Gatsby’s grandiosity stems from trying to get Daisy to love him. His willingness to break up a family with a young child is for Daisy. The parties Gatsby throws are for Daisy. Everything Gatsby does is for the love of Daisy. Gatsby is better than the rest of his crowd because of his selfless motive of love. Nick is an outsider in Gatsby’s group. He comes from the Midwest. This makes him not only an outsider, but an individual that is objective. Although Nick dated Jordan, in the end it was a superficial relationship. In the end Jordan laments: ‘Nevertheless you did throw me over,’ said Jordan suddenly. ‘You threw me over on the telephone. I don’t give a damn about you now, but it was a new experience for me, and I felt dizzy for a little while.’ (Fitzgerald, 177) So even though Nick socialized with Gatsby and his acquaintances, even dating Jordan, he would always be an outsider. This lack of bias is the first reason for my approval of Nick’s evaluation of Gatsby. Daisy, Tom, Myrtle, Jordan, and George were all motivated by selfishness. Daisy wanted monetary gain. That is why she married Tom. Gatsby revealed this by exclaiming: “She never loved you, do you hear? he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me.’ (Fitzgerald, 130) Money was more important than love. However, I think Daisy was too shallow to love either Gatsby or Tom. She liked the attention both men gave her. In the end, Gatsby would not have been a threat to Tom and Daisy’s marriage unless she allowed it. The greater responsibility was Daisy’s, because she was breaking her vows. Gatsby had never vowed to the marriage, so should not be held responsible. Tom was materialistic as well. He wanted to live the good life. Tom treated Daisy like a trophy. He did not love her enough to remain faithful. Myrtle, his mistress, also did not make him happy. After drinking Tom breaks Myrtle’s nose in an argument. Nothing seems to make Tom happy. I think he is the saddest of all of the characters, due to the fact nothing would ever please him. Jordan is another typical rich socialite of the time. She plays golf. Although she dates Nick, she never expresses a great love for him. Jordan sets up the liaison through Nick between Gatsby and Daisy. She strikes me as a gossip and a troublemaker. Obviously she was not a good friend to Daisy. If she would have been a good friend, Jordan would have counseled Daisy to remain faithful to her husband or at least divorce him before meeting with Gatsby. Jordan got to be in the thick of a drama she helped to create. Myrtle and George were also very selfish. Myrtle did not respect any marriage vows, hers or Tom’s. The drinking, partying, and carousing were all that Myrtle cared about. On the other hand, George must not have been too attentive to Myrtle and her needs. If he had been, then the outrage over Myrtle and Tom’s affair would have not had such fatal results. George was also selfish by killing Gatsby and then himself. He did not think about Myrtle or justice; it was all about his pain and grief. Suicide is the most selfish act an individual can commit. Although George killed Gatsby after Nick’s comment, the whole personality was present in George before the event. George was the type to kill someone and then commit the cowardly act of suicide. He was too selfish to go into jail. Gatsby’s motives are driven by his passionate love for Daisy. “‘He’s a bootlegger’ said the young ladies” (Fitzgerald, 51). If Gatsby was a bootlegger in a dry environment, then he must have amassed a fortune. The drive to have money was in order to buy a mansion across from Daisy. Then he threw parties in the hope Daisy would show up at one. The goal of being a bootlegger was to obtain enough money for Daisy. Money was more important to Daisy than love. Gatsby understood her well. In order to have her love, Gatsby had to not only be wealthy, but filthy rich. Gatsby’s affected mannerisms and propensity for telling untruths about himself were to impress Daisy. If he made himself sound more important, maybe in Gatsby’s mind, Daisy would come back to him. The richer, more powerful, and appealing Gatsby appeared, the better chance he had of obtaining Daisy. He could not be honest with everyone, or reveal his illegal business adventures. Thus Gatsby started to lie about himself. Maybe he believed his cover story, maybe not. That Gatsby loved Daisy was the only truthfulness about Gatsby. Gatsby’s willingness to break up Daisy and Tom’s marriage was due to his love for Daisy. That a child was involved did not matter. After all the work Gatsby did to gain riches for Daisy, a child would not have stood in his way. The sanctity of marriage took a back seat to a stronger emotion. This pure emotion was love. If Daisy was willing to have an affair with Gatsby, then she was not thinking of her own child. Why should Gatsby think of child not his own? Marriage and a child would not deter Gatsby from his ultimate goal, Daisy’s love. All the parties Gatsby hosted were in order for Daisy to show up. He did not care for these parties. Gatsby stayed very aloof from all the partygoers. Many of his guests never met him. All the guests whispered about the mysterious Gatsby. These guests were not Gatsby’s friends. They came to drink his liquor and party at someone else’s expense. I do not believe Nick would have been introduced to Gatsby if he was not Daisy’s cousin. The only thing that would have drawn Gatsby out would have been the arrival of Daisy to one of his parties. It did not matter if she showed or not, the parties were for her. Daisy, Tom, Myrtle, Jordan, and George were all motivated by a self centered requirement to please their needs first and foremost. Whether this crowd was trying to socialize, be rich, or having sexual pleasure, they wanted to fulfill their own needs first. Gatsby acted out of the purest emotion; love. He loved Daisy. This love caused his death. So I do agree with Nick when he states passionately “They’re a rotten crowd…You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (Fitzgerald, 154). Work Cited Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Schribner, 1999. Read More