Gatsby Essay

“And as I sat there brooding on the old, unknown world, I thought of Gatsby’s wonder when he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock. He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it. He did now know that it was already behind him, somewhere back in that vast obscurity beyond the city, where the dark fields of the republic rolled on under the night”. F. Scott. Fitzgerald pg.180. The Great Gatsby is a novel about a wealthy, careless society with a brutal underside. In this society there are no morals, and the only goal is to achieve power no matter what the cost. Throughout this novel we see what the destruction of love can do.
The destruction of love affects many characters throughout the story, such as George Wilson. Myrtle Wilson, George’s wife, is fooling around with Tom. After finding out what Myrtle was up to, George locked her in the upstairs bedroom. After a heated argument Myrtle dashes out into the street waving her hands at the oncoming car, Myrtle was struck, and died. “A moment later she rushed out into the dusk, waving her hands and shouting, before he could move from his door the business was over.” pg. 137. Myrtle loved Tom, but the feeling was far from mutual. Myrtles love murdered her.
Tom Buchannan, Daisy’s husband, has two mistresses throughout this story. He has Daisy, and Myrtle Wilson. Given the situation Tom is in he will not come out completely happy, he must lose one if not both of his women. When Myrtle was hit by the car Tom was in shock, he had just lost his mistress. After the bystanders at the scene describe the automobile that murdered Myrtle, Tom recognized that vehicle, as Gatsby’s. Little ...

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... that money Gatsby builds a house beyond belief, and throws extravagant parties frequently in hopes Daisy will show up. Gatsby is living in the past, he cannot come to terms with the fact that Daisy has indeed moved on, and whatever they had is long since gone. “Can’t Repeat the past? Why of course you can!” pg. 110. When Gatsby says this we know he will stop at nothing to achieve Daisy’s love. To Gatsby, Daisy’s love is to die for, and ultimately leads to his demise. Love, destroyed Gatsby, Love, Murdered him.
Love has a crippling effect on every character in this novel, especially J. Gatsby. Love can indeed be a good thing at times. But F. Scott Fitzgerald shows us that love can sometimes do more harm than good. Love can complete your life, or, love can destroy it.

Works Cited

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Scribner, 1925. Print.