Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper
Defined by a book of current literary terms, a climax is “the arrangement of a
series of ideas or expressions in ascending order of importance or emphasis; the last term
of the arrangement; a culmination.” Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the roaring 20’s,
The Great Gatsby provides a look into the upper class circle of the East and West
Villages of New York City. Known as East and West Egg in the novel, Fitzgerald,
through the eyes of bachelor, portrays a cynical view of the high social society and the
morality which it lacks. This scarcity of ethics ultimately causes the downfall of their
hollow world in a clatter of broken hearts and mislead minds. The climax of The Great
Gatsby takes place in a New York Hotel suite when, after many hints toward the reason
for Gatsby’s company, the true nature of his presence is revealed to Tom Buchanan.
Ever since Jay Gatsby returned from World War I, which swept him away from
his boyhood love Daisy, he has made every indirect effort to make contact and rekindle
her love for him. Even with the knowledge that she is married and leads a separate life
from his, Gatsby, without regrets, lives his life for her. When, at long last, he has the
chance to interact with Daisy, he capitalizes on it immediately. With the assistance of
Jordan Baker and his neighbor Nick Carraway (Daisy’s second cousin), Gatsby arranges a
meeting with Daisy. At this meeting the two hearts are reunited and again would be one,
if not for the plate glass barrier of Daisy’s marriage to Tom Buchanan which separates
them. Originally held apart by a young boys’ ineptitude to provide for a wealthy girl,
Daisy is now held back by a seemingly insincere knot of matrimony. This keeps the all
important bonds of love to be formed between the two former lovers. Tom, a wealthy
man with family history, is enlightened to the existence of this perennial relationship in a
slow weave of events which explode into the climax of the novel in a New York Hotel
Room during a visit by Jay Gatsby. The spark that ignites the climax tinder box is a
question posed by Tom to Gatsby. “‘What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my
house anyhow?’ They were out in the open at last and Gatsby was content.” The openness
further shows itself as the scene quickly progresses into an blitzkrieg of words, the
opposing forces Tom and Gatsby.
“I’ve got something to tell you, old sport,__” began Gatsby. But
Daisy guessed at his intention.
“Please don’t!” she interrupted helplessly. “Please let’s all go home
Why don’t we all go home.?”…
“She never loved you, do you hear?” he cried. ” She only married
you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible
mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me!”
At this point Jordan and I tried to go but Tom and Gatsby insisted
with competitive firmness that we remain__ as though neither of them had
anything to conceal and it would be a privilege to partake vicariously of their
emotions. (137-8)
Insults and accusations are slung as the too assault each other in a humanely cruel way
until, when at the height of the climax, Daisy breaks apart. The two suitors are torn from
their opposing member and focus on the revealed pain felt by the object of both their
affections.
“Please don’t.” Her voice was cold but the rancor was gone from
it. She looked at Gatsby. “There, Jay,” she said__but her hand as she
tried to light a cigarette was trembling. Suddenly she threw the cigarette
and the burning match on the carpet.
“Oh, you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now__
isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. ” I
did love him once__but I loved you too
Gatsby’s eyes opened and closed.
“You loved me too he repeated?”…
“She’s not leaving me!” Tom’s world suddenly leaned down over
Gatsby. “Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring
he put on her finger.”(139-40)
A knock out punch, the argument soon sided itself and Tom emerged the victor from a
slowly dissipating cloud of dust, Daisy his spoils. The argument drones on, a monotone
buzz of accusations, but the outcome had already been decided and the words from that
point on would be swallowed by Gatsby in a big gulp of false pride.
This scene in which Gatsby and Tom face off is the climax of the novel because
all the events of the book lead up to that one point with a constant drone of anticipation,
and the events following it, drift harmlessly towards the conclusion. From the beginning
of the novel and Gatsby’s wonderfully extravagant parties, to the initial meeting of Daisy
and Gatsby and the blossoming friendship between Jay and Nick, the book surmounts to
that single defining moment in the hotel room in which the main characters can be seen in
a shrewdly perforating light. The events which follow the fight in the hotel are also
interesting, but unimportant in the end. Gatsby never lost hope that Daisy would come to
him, but as soon as this hope and care arrived back to his heart, unanswered, the events
that followed were no longer of importance. Once Daisy’s love and trust in Gatsby died,
so did his soul, his body was only an earthly reminder of his existence until Wilson took
that also. From the moment when Daisy admitted her love to Tom was true, and that
Daisy’s heart was merely a shared possession of his and Tom’s, Gatsby lost the true hope
and was left with the care of a desperate man which he so vividly personified.