Why Is Daisy Important In The Great Gatsby

One could have their whole life handed to them. Someone could have a wealthy childhood, be married into one of the richest families in America at the time and still not be happy. After years of expensive houses and cars someone could still not be satisfied with her life and make selfish decisions to try to make herself happy but hurt others in the process. In the end the only person who matters is yourself. Someone who did more than just cared about herself was Daisy Buchanan. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald an almost perfect scenario is set up: the 1920’s when many people were drowning in money, parties and alcohol. The reader learns about some of the richest characters and some of the poorest. One important character

in the book is Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is a young woman who marries a wealthy, ignorant man. Daisy is portrayed as the perfect wife when described at the beginning of the novel. Daisy’s selfishness and ignorant decisions lead to the death of not only her husband's mistress Myrtle Wilson but also her own lover Jay Gatsby. Daisy was just a vacuous socialite who cared only about herself, and did not mind ruining the lives of those around her.
Daisy Buchanan’s mess that she got herself into began with her awful marriage.

Daisy’s relationship with Tom was not a loving marriage it was an abusive, superficial act to benefit both parties. Their relationship problems began before they were even married; on the night of Daisy and Tom’s wedding, Daisy received a note from Gatsby so she threw a fit wanting to call off the wedding. “She groped around in a wastebasket she had on the bed and pulled out the string of the pearls. “Take ‘em down-stairs and give ‘em back to whoever they belong to. Tell ‘em all Daisy’s change’ her mind. Say: “Daisy change’ her mind!” (Fitzgerald 76) Daisy married Tom knowing she was still in love with Gatsby. Why would someone drag one of their old lovers into their new marriage? Daisy was too selfish to be honest with Tom and not marry him knowing she wanted to be with someone else. Daisy was not honest with her husband either when she began seeing Gatsby. This was the real start to when Daisy’s decisions lead to the death of Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby. Daisy would sneak over to Gatsby’s house and see him behind Tom’s back. “I wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip. Daisy comes over quite often- in the afternoons.” (Fitzgerald 114) When Daisy began seeing Gatsby there was an obvious change in Tom but Daisy never thought to address it. “Who is this Gatsby anyhow?” demanded Tom suddenly. “Some big bootlegger?” (Fitzgerald 106) If Daisy had taken the time to make her affair less obvious or to

reassure her husband then he maybe wouldn’t have framed Gatsby for killing Myrtle.
Another way Daisy’s selfish decisions lead to the death of Gatsby was Daisy leading Gatsby on.

If Daisy hadn’t made Gatsby think that they were in love again and going to be together forever then Gatsby wouldn’t have been blamed for the murder of Myrtle Wilson which later resulted in Gatsby being shot by Myrtle’s husband George. Daisy flirted with Gatsby “I’d like to just get one of those pink clouds and put you it in it and push you around.” (Fitzgerald 94) This was the first time Daisy had been to Gatsby’s mansion and she is clearly being flirtatious with him knowing she has an aggressive husband that would do awful things to him if he had found out that she was there; let alone flirting with him. Daisy would openly do things with Gatsby in front of Tom like talk close or dance. “Gatsby and Daisy danced. I remember being surprised by his graceful, conservative foxtrot.” (Fitzgerald 105) Daisy even kissed Gatsby while having a husband who already was suspicious of something going on. “Then he kissed her. At his lips’ touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.” (Fitzgerald

111)
Not only was Daisy selfishly dating Gatsby for her own entertainment and feelings but she was dragging Gatsby into a toxic situation that would later get him killed. Daisy knew Tom had bad intentions with Gatsby but let him go into the city with Tom because she was too lazy to argue. “Alright,” Tom broke in quickly, “I’m perfectly willing to go to town. Come on- we’re all going to town.” (Fitzgerald 118) Daisy could have easily intervened and vetoed the trip to the city but instead let the uncomfortable group go. Gatsby also tried to tell Tom what was happening and encouraged Daisy to do the right thing and tell Tom what has been going on. When the group arrived in the city after spending hours drinking and chatting the conversation takes a confrontational turn when Tom begins interviewing Gatsby with loaded questions. After some heated exchanges Gatsby finally tells Tom what he was really waiting to hear. “Your wife doesn’t love you,” said Gatsby. “She never loved you. She loves me.” (Fitzgerald 130) If that isn’t enough for Tom want to get revenge on Gatsby, Daisy then is too selfish to make a choice. Daisy makes both Tom and Gatsby even more angry by saying she loves both of them and that she doesn’t know what she wants.
Daisy’s selfishness did not end there. Daisy was also dishonest with the police, her friends and family just to cover her reputation. Daisy was selfish enough to get behind the wheel of a car without being positive she was completely capable of driving. Daisy’s lack of sense cost the life of Myrtle Wilson. “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.” (Fitzgerald 137) This was the moment when Daisy hit Myrtle with Gatsby’s yellow car. If Daisy had just stopped the car and explained that it was an accident then Gatsby wouldn’t have been assigned the blame but instead Daisy kept driving, “wavered tragedy for a moment, and then disappeared around the next bend.” (Fitzgerald 137) A caring human would stop to see what happened but Daisy was too selfish and just continued driving. “Daisy’s failure to assume responsibility for herself or for her actions culminates in her decision to allow Tom to believe that it had been Gatsby, not she, who was driving the car that killed Myrtle.” (Parr) Because Daisy didn’t stop to tell the police that she was the one who hit Myrtle, it gave Tom the opportunity to finally get revenge on Gatsby for having an affair with his wife. When Tom realized that Gatsby was not there to defend himself because Daisy didn’t stop the car, Tom said that it was Gatsby who hit and killed Myrtle. “I’m a friend of his.” Tom turned his head but kept his hands firm on Wilson’s body. “He says he knows the car that did it… it was a yellow car.” (Fitzgerald 140) Even after Tom and Daisy went home she was still too selfish to admit to what she had done. “What if Daisy had never suggested going into town that fateful day; what if Gatsby had just pulled over the yellow car, hopped into the driver’s seat and explained to the police that Myrtle’s death was all a big accident—” (Baker) This whole situation could have been avoided if Daisy had just been smart and thought about what was happening instead of only thinking about herself. Because Daisy let everyone believe that Gatsby was the one who hit Myrtle, George went on and killed Gatsby. George went to Gatsby’s house and snuck to the pool area where Gatsby was about to swim. George shot Gatsby then shot himself, “It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete.” (Fitzgerald 162) Daisy technically killed George as well because he shot himself from sadness after she killed his wife.
Daisy Buchanan could have made so many simple changes to her selfish ways and it would have saved lives. Daisy’s selfish decisions such as having an unhealthy relationship, leading Gatsby on and not admitting to hitting someone with a car lead to the death of Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson. “she’s a woman of “vicious emptiness,” of “criminal amorality,” a “destroyer” and “femme fatale,” the “villain-heroine” who stands as both “Dark Lady and Fair, witch and redeemer.” (Baker) Daisy is by far the most ignorant, selfish character from the novel but went on with the rest of her life but her own lover Gatsby and husband’s mistress Daisy did not get off the hook that easily and had to pay for their mistakes.