The Great Gatsby Ethical Analysis

A Society Lacking Ethics

Like God observing the world, we are the observers of The Great Gatsby. According to German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s two categorical imperatives, Daisy and Jay were unethical. Kant’s categorical imperatives state; ‘Act as if your action could be elevated into universal law’ and. Based on the principles of Kant, Daisy and Jay were unethical in several ways, according to Kant’s two categorical imperatives. Daisy used people emotionally and lacked responsibility, and Jay was manipulative towards the people around him. The Great Gatsby is a great example of a society that does not abide by Kantian principles.

The eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg are perhaps the most important symbol in The Great Gatsby. The eyes can be taken as the eyes of God or even as us, the observers. We are observing the characters in what they do and analyzing them as an example of what is wrong or what is right. In this case, we are observing Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. We are observing their conducts and deciphering whether their actions are wrong or right.

First of all, Daisy Buchanan was unethical

by Kant’s standards in several ways. One way was in that she was a parasite off of other people’s emotions. Daisy claimed to love both Jay Gatsby, and her husband, Tom Buchanan. She however, would not pick Jay after and saying she would, enabling his codependent ways. She played off of Jay’s emotions and used him as means not ends. Also, if everyone used everyone emotionally, no one would know the truth. Everyone would be liars. Daisy Buchanan also lacked responsibility. When Myrtle was ran over, Daisy had Jay take the blame. She used him to take the fall for her, which is irresponsible for ones actions. Daisy is the roundabout reason why Jay died. If she had not ran over and killed Myrtle or took the blame for doing so, George Wilson (Myrtle Wilson’s husband) would not have shot and killed Jay out of anger. If everyone lacked responsibility for their actions, the world would be a selfish, chaotic world.

Daisy is a perfect example of Kant’s categorical imperative ‘Act as if your action could be elevated into universal law’. Daisy’s husband, Tom, cheated on her, she cheated on her husband, and Myrtle cheated on her husband. All of these occurrences make the principle come true. Act as if cheating is elevated into universal law. Take Daisy, Tom, and Myrtle as a small study group of that universal law. Each of them cheated on each other and their fates did not end well.

Jay Gatsby is a better example of Kant’s categorical imperative ‘Always treat people as ends to a mean, not means to an end’. Jay was able to manipulate people to get what he wanted; therefore, he was using people as means to an end. He was not trying to spread good will for everyone, he was manipulating people to get what he wanted. There were two things Jay really wanted; Daisy Buchanan, and to be rich. Sure, his intentions may not have meant to be unethical. In his mind, he believed what he was doing was right. Bootlegging to be rich, manipulating his friends, and doing everything he could to get the love of his life (even if it meant doing unethical things), was okay to Jay. It was helping HIM achieve what he wanted, regardless of how it affected other people. Just because he did some unethical things, does not necessarily mean he is a bad person. Daisy became the way she is because of her mother. Jay became the way he is because he wanted the best for himself.

Jay had his ways of manipulating people to get what he wanted.

He manipulated Nick ask Daisy to tea and keep it a secret. He manipulates Daisy to keep seeing him, even though she is married. He is good at getting what he wants, as is seen many times throughout the movie. Jay is rich and is able to use money however he wants, so he buys luxurious things that he does not personally want or use, but buys them to impress Daisy. That is a small way that Jay manipulates Daisy. If everyone manipulated each other, like most characters in The Great Gatsby do, no one would have any true intentions and things would not work. For example, it did not end well for anyone in the movie because they all manipulated each other. Daisy ended up where she always ends up; unhappily stuck with her husband. Nick ended up insane, and constantly questioning others motives. Jay ended up

dead.

Therefore, Daisy and Jay were unethical.