Destruction In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Most people reflect back upon their life in dark times and consider what might have been, which will often lead to feelings of remorse or regret. These feelings eventually pass, and one will move on with their life. Sometimes, however, one has an inability to let their past go, and they become consumed with a need for what they used to have. This becomes all they truly care about, however out of reach it may be, as they neglect opportunities surrounding them to move forward, they become stuck in a toxic cycle that will ultimately lead to their destruction. Gatsby, a character in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, reflects this situation as he is consumed by a love for a woman he knew in the past and refuses to move on. Fitzgerald uses

Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy to emphasize that obsession leads to one’s downfall.

With Daisy back in reach, this is Gatsby’s chance to finally win her back. Gatsby will go to any lengths to get Daisy back. He begins his pursuit by inviting her to his house that he is so very proud of. His first move to win her over is to flaunt his money.

He shows off how great his house is and throws in, “It took me just three years to earns the money that bought it.”(Fitzgerald 90) Fitzgerald twists Gatsby’s thoughts to believe her only reason for being with him is money, this shows his unwillingness to accept reality as a result of his obsession. He carries on showing off all of what he’s amounted to. Daisy is stunned by the massive mansion Gatsby, in doubt that he could live there all by himself. Gatsby takes advantage of this in an attempt to appeal to her liking. Gatsby talks about how he doesn’t mind the space, “I keep it always full of interesting people, night and day.” His idea of Daisy in his head is still of her teenage self. It’s fair to say that she has

changed since then, but that’s what Gatsby doesn’t understand.

He fails to grasp at the fact that the past cannot be repeated. Gatsby is over obsessed with flaunting his wealth to impress Daisy and he continues his tour into his bedroom. He throws out shirts made of linen, and silk, and fine flannel, getting the type of reaction he wanted from her. She was overcome with the strong feeling of regret. She began crying over the shirts, “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen-such beautiful shirts before.”(Fitzgerald 92) Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s outward expression of enthusiasm to contrast with his true emptiness without Daisy. She regrets choosing Tom between the two man solely for money when Gatsby amounted to even more. Gatsby although, is not done trying to impress her. He decides to call upon Klipspringer to play the piano. His motive is to set the mood for romance. Fitzgerald shows Gatsby’s desperation to woo her through his harsh orders to Klipspringer., The character practically orders Klipspringer to play after he refuses. Gatsby insists, “Don’t talk so much, old sport,” commanded Gatsby.”Play!”’(Fitzgerald 95) He has an obsession with Klipspringer playing the piano because he wants everything to be perfect. Gatsby has been waiting

for this since he was a teenager. His expectations are heightened to their extent, including his expectations. Nick questions how high his expectations are. It seems too hard to fill, as this has been his aspirations in life. “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams-not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion.”(Fitzgerald 95) Gatsby’s perception of Daisy is better than she really is, he had high hopes for the reunitement which in no way she could fulfill. Gatsby had become obsessed with the perfect life they could have together. She could have never lived up to the illusion he wanted her to be which is where his downfall started. There has been this anticipation around the reunite they were going to have that he lost sense of reality in it.
All Gatsby wanted was the confrontation between Tom and himself and that’s what he got. When they all go into town for the evening is when everything got put out onto the table. Looking for a source of entertainment the group decides to make a relaxing lunch in the city, which goes the opposite of that. With Tom feeling the atmosphere that Daisy and Gatsby give off he decides to put an end to it. Although the two men have separate agendas, both vying for Daisy’s love. In the middle of conversation Tom lets it out like he’s been holding it in awhile he says, “What kind of row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?”(Fitzgerald 129) Daisy being something of a peace maker tries to intervene, but is overpowered by both of them. Gatsby is content with himself at this point, he believes that this is the turning point and dream will finally start coming true. In pursuit of Daisy he retaliates Tom Buchanan in which he admit what Tom’s been thinking the whole time. Not only does Gatsby admit Daisy loves him, but she has never loved her husband.”Your wife doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby. “She’s never loved you. She loves me.”(Fitzgerald 130) Gatsby believes that Tom is the only obstacle standing between a life for him and Daisy. Gatsby has been living off of this idea that the illusion of wealth was the reason of them not being together. He’s now fixated on the confession of Daisy’s feelings to fulfill his infatuation with the idea of Daisy. She couldn’t be who Gatsby always wanted her to be and that was his downfall. She couldn’t admit she has only ever loved him,”Even alone I can’t say I never loved Tom,” she admitted in a pitiful voice.”It wouldn’t be true.”(Fitzgerald 133) Gatsby lost hold in reality when he built a whole life around a woman who didn’t even know if he was alive. After what the basis of his life surrounded upon is what destroyed him. Although Gatsby can feel his life slipping away right in front of him, he tries to counteract. Still after his dream is tainted he doesn’t stop to get what he’s always wanted. Trying to regain power back, announces that Daisy will be leaving Tom. Daisy trying her best to have a power agrees, but is soon overpowered in the situation again. Tom decides to convey his superiority by attacking Gatsby’s own moral ethics. He reveals how he’s gotten to how successful he is now from being a bootlegger. Not only did she upset her, but this was the complete opposite of what he said he was. In his desperate attempt to become wealthy to attain Daisy, is also a reason she;s drifting further away. Gatsby now knew everything was done, Tom had won. “But with every word she was drawing further and further into herself, so he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer tangible, struggling unhappily, despairingly, toward that lost voice across the room.”(Fitzgerald 134) Gatsby has realized that his dream that he’s built of his entire life is dead. His dream has ultimately slipped away from him, forcing him to realize the truth. Fitzgerald is able to use Gatsby’s character to show the fatal mistake of living in the past. Without continuous movement we’re stuck in a toxic cycle leading to our own downfall.

Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy emphasizes that obsession leads to one’s downfall. While Gatsby is used as an example of someone who fell victim to the past, refused to move on and lost touch with reality, the audience can choose to reflect upon themselves as they read, their flaws and unhealthy behavior. As an audience we are given the opportunity to use a story’s themes to improve ourselves and the world around us. In recognizing Gatsby’s tragic flaw of obsession with the past, the audience can understand that although we may have regrets or happy moments in our past that we reminisce about, we must always be moving forward, using our past experiences as devices to improve ourselves in the future. The past can never be repeated, only used for the betterment of our future.