Relationships In The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper
Kyle Kincaid
March 3, 1999
Literature
The Relationships of The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is a tragic story of the American dream. This dream differs
among the characters in the story. For Jay it is money, power, and Daisy. For Nick it is
success, and happiness. For Daisy it is fun, love, and other people’s money. The
characters use their relationships with each other to reach their dream. Jay uses Jordan
and Nick to have Daisy. Jay uses Wolfshiem to get money and power. Their
relationships also take a great toll on their lives. Tom’s affair and Daisy’s affair cause the
death of Jay and George, and Nick regrets ever moving to West egg.
The relationship I chose from The Great Gatsby is the one between Jay
Gatsby and Daisy Buchannan. The relationship started before the story; “We’ve met
before,” (chapter V, p91). According to Gatsby, “Five years next November,” (chapter
V, p92). Gatsby couldn’t marry Daisy and left her to amass his own fortune. He would
later move across the bay from Daisy, “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be
just across the bay,” (chapter IV, p83). He threw extravagant parties hoping Daisy would
attend one. He himself does not participate but watches from a distance. When Daisy
never shows up, he asks around if anyone knows her and so meets Nick Caraway,
Daisy’s cousin. Throughout the story, Jay is convinced Daisy still loves him. Jay cannot
accept that the past is gone and done with. While rushing from Gatsby’s mansion, Daisy
accidentally hits Myrtle Wilson in Gatsby’s car (chapter VII, p144-145). Infuriated,
George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband, kills Gatsby (chapter VIII, p169) thinking it was
Gatsby in the car then commits suicide (chapter VIII, p170).
The next relationship I will write about is between Jordan Baker and Nick
Carraway. This relationship attempts to be constructive but is disastrous to everyone
except Jordan and Nick themselves. Jordan acts as a “matchmaker.” She connects Nick
and Jay and Daisy and Jay. Therefore, she indirectly was a cause of Jay’s death and
influenced Nick’s feelings at the end of the story. Nick regarded Jordan as a friend and
Jordan may have had a crush on him. She is a careless person, letting life speed past her
as seen in this conversation between Jordan and Nick.
“You’re a rotten driver, either you ought to be more careful or you oughtn’t to drive at all.”
“I am careful.”
“No you’re not.”
“Well, other people are.”
“What’s that got to do with it?”
“They’ll keep out of my way, It takes two to make an accident.”
“Suppose you met somebody just as careless as yourself?”
“I hope I never will, I hate careless people. That’s why I like you.”
(chapter III, p63)
It is humorous that Jordan states that she is careful, when she actually isn’t. Also
this conversation hints at Jordan’s feelings for Nick.
People’s dreams can cause them to act inappropriately. Misunderstandings can
kill and we are tempted to ask whether friendships and relationships are worth their
negative consequences. If Nick never met Gatsby its possible the story would be
different, Gatsby would probably have lived and things would have been better. If any of
the characters had different relationships such tragedy would have not happened. This
happens often in real life and the moral I interpreted is choose your friends wisely.