Fight Over Daisy in F. Scott Fitzgerald´s The Great Gatsby

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F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, portrays the pursuit of Daisy as a mere contest between Jay Gatsby and Tom Buchanan. In the plot of the Great Gatsby, the idea of true love during the Jazz Age is defunct, and the social ideals of the American Dream show the aristocratic, materialistic lifestyles of the upper class in society. Tom and Gatsby’s fight for the “golden girl” represents the idea of materialism than true love. Gatsby and Tom’s quarrel for Daisy illustrates their fight over Daisy’s image of success and glamour by showing their economic power than contending for her true love. Throughout the different sources Gatsby uses to attract Daisy, one of them is his luxurious and materialistic spending to gain Daisy’s attention. Gatsby’s materialistic livelihood is for Daisy’s affection, Gatsby tells Nick, “Well, suppose we take a plunge in the swimming-pool? I haven’t made use of it all summer” (82). When Gatsby invites Nick over to his house, Gatsby surprises Nick, and Nick refers to his house as the “World’s Fair”. All of Gatsby’s materialistic possessions are for Daisy’s attention because he wants the unattainable “golden girl” for the idea of what she represents: class and old money. Also Gatsby does not use most of his possessions for his own benefit, but for Daisy’s sake. However, it is ironic how the one time he enjoys his wealth, he dies. Gatsby represents the perfect gentleman because of his reputation in the Jazz Age society, however, his unknown source of money becomes a skeptical inquiry for many. Jordan expresses to Nick, “Well, they say he’s a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm’s. That’s where all his money comes from” (32). Jordan hears of rumors about Gatsby’s past, and this shows that everyo... ... middle of paper ... ...and compares it to his affluent livelihood. Just as Daisy says about her daughter that a girl can just be a beautiful little fool, this foreshadows Daisy’s life as she has ruined her relationship with Gatsby. In the end, when Gatsby dies, his funeral shows the artificial affection between Daisy and himself, and his forgotten legacy in society. Fitzgerald’s life is quite proportional to the story he creates. He shows the obstacles in his life that deal with love affairs, while trying to climb the social ladder to enhance his image. The overall moral in this story shows that materialistic possessions can not buy someone’s love in a deep and affectionate way. After all, Daisy is just a dainty, exquisite flower, lacking depth of human character, and is a trophy for Gatsby and Tom’s conquest. Works Cited Fitzgerald, Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004.

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