What Do They Want? - Critical Essay of The Great Gatsby

Abstract

This paper examines the theme of love and romance depicted in the novel The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Through the characters’ relationships with each other as well as their own interpretations of love, the truth of pursuing love is discussed. Through Daisy Buchanan’s affair with Gatsby and her ultimate decision to stay with Gatsby, we can see how societal norms hold many people back in crucial decisions. Tom’s obsessive and cruel love to other women represents the corrupted power in society, and how that can lead to broken relationships. Gatsby’s idealisation of  Daisy into what he believes her as, not what she is, can represent how love can be so hard to overcome in someone’s mind and heart. When combined, we can see how these characters reveal that truth of love: it’s there, but there are many more important things. If it’s given, treat it well. Ultimately, this essay explores the concept of love, relationships, dreams, and romance that are shown through the events in The Great Gatsby.

Essay: What Do They Want?

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a timeless classic regarded as one of the best literary works in history. The novel follows a young man named Nick Carrawawy and his time spent in New York City in two wealthy neighborhoods called West Egg (for the new money) and East Egg (for the old money). As Nick spends more time in NYC with the famous millionaire Jay Gatsby as his neighbor, he also becomes more involved in the inner lives of people enjoying these luxurious neighborhoods. Among the social classes and statuses that Nick explores, he also learns about the love and romance that occurs between the characters. The many different types of love in this book - obsessive, materialistic, and romantic - are all examined through the lenses of social class and the American Dream. Through the interactions between the characters and their backgrounds, Fitzgerald investigates how love is defined with social norms and how it can become corrupted and unrealistic.

A major romance role in this novel is played by none other than Daisy Buchanan. Born into a wealthy family and married off to Tom Buchanan, a man from an old money family with wealth and reputation, Daisy lacks nothing a girl would ever dream of. When Nick sees Gatsby and Daisy together though, he immediately knows that those two had some intense history. The two previously had an affair, but when Gatsby left to fight in World War I, he lost his love. Daisy ended up marrying Tom, and Gatsby was left fighting for Daisy to come back. When she sees him, she feels emotions for him, but now, she has another factor (Tom) to think about. Daisy, apart from just pure lust, also has the social status to weigh in. “He was not a typical member of the aristocracy, not a scion of an established family, but a self-made man with all the ambition, drive, and shortcomings that came with it” (Fitzgerald, Chapter 4). Since Gatsby lacked the old money pedigree and she was more concerned about social status, she ended up choosing Tom. Daisy did love Gatsby so much, she would have gone with him before the war, but now that she had the experience of old money, she wasn't ready to sacrifice everything for love. “Her marriage to Tom is based on wealth and social status, providing her with a comfortable lifestyle.” (eNotes). Daisy was never ready to give everything for love, as she viewed social acceptance and stability of her reputation as her number one priority. Her love for anyone would never be true, as it would always be bound by social expectations.

Tom also has his own problems in his romantic relationships, though. As we can see from the introduction of the characters, Tom is a man with a good social background, born into an old money family with connections and money. He’s privileged as can be, which results in a bit of a conceited personality. His love is materialistic, and not exactly focused on the other parties’ feelings. Tom views the ladies he engages with as property, but not even live property. He views them as little dolls, things he plays around with and displays as reminders of his power, money, and status. Tom doesn’t really put any effort into conversing with the women; if they agree, then he uses them as a tool. “She’s not leaving me!” (Fitzgerald, Chapter 7). This quote is an example of how Tom views his women: They are not people, but rather objects that he uses to flounce money and power. His affair with Myrtle Wilson, as a surface paradox, would be a wealthy man seeking a crude mistress, but the hidden meaning behind this seemingly shocking match is undeniable. Myrtle, being born from a lower-class family is vulgar, submissive, and willing to do anything to align herself with upper-class society. Tom, by being with her, can assert his own masculinity, his dominance and power. To Tom, Myrtle was simply a psychological tool that he uses to assure himself of his “greatness”. In a sense, Tom can be described as insecure, seeking women lower than him to prove that he is good. His love, unlike Daisy’s toward Gatsby, is fake, and simply a smokescreen for his true feelings.

Lastly, we have the main character, Gatsby, and his love story. His initial love for Daisy was passionate and strong, as he saw her as both a partner for life and a gateway to his dreams of a wealthy man with assets and a good reputation. He was hopeful, young, and inexperienced. After the war though, the blow of reality hit him hard. He had made his money through illegal means, and his Daisy was still off with Tom. However, being headstrong as he always is, Gatsby was unable to accept the truth and thus was stuck in time, repeating to himself over and over again that he would make the perfect happen. He would go back in time to repeat his affair with Daisy, he would bring her into his arms no matter what it cost. “His idealised view of love led him to become incredibly hopeful and naive, as he hides behind the veil of his new-money wealth, hoping to gain his lost love.” (EssaySauce). Gatsby didn’t just wait there for Daisy while improving his life, he was literally stuck, as if glued to the spot, unable to move until Daisy came back to rescue him. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay. It’s an elaborate charade to win her back, based not on who she is now, but on the person he wants her to be—someone who can fulfill his idealized image of the past.” (Fitzgerald, Chapter 5). Gatsby created a new version of Daisy, turning her into a symbol, a symbol like white moonlight. She represented the perfect life, and the fulfilled societal dreams of Gatsby. His fantasy overrode the reality, which ultimately caused his demise. He confused a dream for a person, which portrays the theme of love being a mere mirage for some individuals. 

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a truly an ageless novel that explores love and romance through many different perspectives. Daisy’s innocent yet restrained love represents how we are always held by social norms, sacrificing what we love in order to be accepted and respected. Tom’s materialistic love represents the corruption of power and wealth, the effects of what having a high reputation can be. Gatsby’s tragic, idealized love is symbolic of an unreached dream, a lost hope, and a mirage that will never go away. All three characters have their own flaws as well as their benefits, and each one of them experiences love on a different level, which creates a balanced and dynamic theme for readers to interpret and explore as they move through the novel. The romance in this book emphasizes the empty pursuit of love in a corrupted and materialistic society, one that focuses purely on social class and wealth to classify people instead of their true character and personality. 

Reference:

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Great Gatsby

eNotes. The Great Gatsby Themes: Love - eNotes.com

EssaySauce. Idealisation of love: The Great Gatsby & Wuthering Heights | EssaySauce.com