Who Was Responsible For Gatsby's Death

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George Wilson shot and killed Jay Gatsby. That makes him completely responsible for Gatsby's death right? Not exactly. Jay Gatsby's delusions and greed caused him to go on a path of guaranteed self-destruction that he is responsible for. Gatsby developed his desire for material wealth when Dan Cody showed him how easy it was to acquire such wealth.(Fitzgerald 98-99) Ever since then Gatsby has taken any means necessary in order to acquire material wealth and high social status. He met Daisy while he was a high ranking officer in the US army during World War One. Daisy to Gatsby is just another material possession for him to acquire. However, Daisy takes a large sum of money to win over. She likes social status, and while Gatsby was in the army he had that social status, but when Gatsby's leave is over, Daisy marries Tom. Gatsby's delusion of status led him to believe that her marrying Tom will have no effect on his relationship between himself and Daisy, but Gatsby doesn't have the status to acquire Daisy. Gatsby then goes on a path of self-destruction to try and win her over. He throws parties and buys expensive things in attempt to win over Daisy, but because of his residence in West Egg and his inability to fit in with East Egg residents, …show more content…

He didn't however and kept pursuing Daisy in secret arrangements and going as far as telling Tom that she never loved him. Tom easily crushes him and drives home with Daisy in Gatsby's car. Daisy is at the wheel when they drive by Wilson's garage. Myrtle runs to the car to drive away with Tom, but she is run over and killed by Daisy.(Fitzgerald 131-136) Tom tells Wilson that he saw Gatsby's car as that car that ran his wife over, and Wilson then shoots Gatsby. If Gatsby had just stopped his pursuit of Daisy, none of this would have happened. But his own delusion and ambitions led to his

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