Nick Carraway-Personal Narrative

Gatsby’s claim to love Daisy is nothing more than wanting to complete his collection of the grand prize being a trophy wife. It became apparent to Nick that Gatsby wanted to repeat the past in order to win the award of a perfect woman. While reminiscing, Nick realizes Gatsby’s desire was that, “He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’ After she had obliterated four years with that sentence they could decide upon the more practical measures to be taken. One of them was that, after she was free, they were to go back to Louisville and be married from her house- just as if it were five years ago” (Fitzgerald 109). Gatsby’s relentless need to ‘get the girl’ blinds his ability to comprehend Daisy’s feelings of the situation. His want to shatter the Buchanan’s marriage

I have often been told that I am irrational, and every time I deny it. Though, this time around I am afraid I have succumb to that label; and not only myself, but my dear friend John Laurens as well. I must say, it was folly on my part to call Charles Lee out on his bluff, but I’ve had an itch on my tongue to blurt it out since Monmouth. It’s as clear as day that the man is a traitor, but how does a great man such as Washington himself blind to the fact? I have tried to reason with him on multiple accounts, and regardless of the swearing he emits, he refuses for me to do anything to him.

The rekindling of this epic “love” tale begins when Gatsby buys a house directly across the bay from Daisy, her husband, and child. They do not know it yet, but Jay certainly does. Every night he walks outside and stares through the fog at the green light on Daisy’s dock. Some would consider these gestures endearing and romantic, but with all of that left aside it still seems as if he is stalking her. He is always searching for her everywhere he goes and is intrigued by the mentioning of her name. She is married to Tom Buchanan, a descent from old money, and is living quite lavishly. She hardly remembers Gatsby even exists until Jordan Baker mentions him at dinner. When Daisy hears Jay’s name a sudden bolt goes through her and she flooded with memories of the past. Everyone at dinner can see how this has affected her, including her husband. Nick, who is unaware of the situation, is surprised at what he has seen.

Nick is visiting with his cousin, Daisy, after traveling to New York from the west. Prior to the given quote, Nick describes his travels and tells Daisy that, while stopped in Chicago, a dozen people had sent their love for her through him. To this comment, Daisy unnecessarily asks if they missed her. In response, Nick only reassures her with an exaggeration that gives off the impression that the place is empty and sorrowful without her presence. Delighted by the comment from Nick, Daisy insists that she and Tom go back.

Through the use of powerful diction and irregular syntax, Fitzgerald creates feeling of unfulfilled potential. Fitzgerald uses clear, piercing phrases such as “Daisy tumbled short” and “colossal vitality of his illusion” to show how unreachable Gatsby’s dream had become for both parties involved. Fitzgerald’s strong word choice illustrates the magnitude of the change happening in Daisy and Gatsby’s relationship, and how Gatsby and Nick are both feeling anticlimactic with the aforementioned change. Gatsby has been hoping and dreaming of having Daisy’s love again for nearly five years, and Nick has planned this meeting for the two to act as a catalyst for the rekindling of a flame Gatsby and Daisy once had. In other words, Gatsby and Nick both have their hopes up and some investment in the reunion. Daisy on the other hand “tumble[s]” in and is excited and joyous. She had not dreamed of this, planned on this, or hoped for this like the

While visiting the Buchanans, and Daisy’s best friend Jordan Baker, Fitzgerald chooses to reveal Nick’s vivid descriptions of the three, though strongly focusing on Daisy and Jordan. Showcasing the tenacious feelings and developing relationship Nick has with Daisy, we can observe and take note of the love he possesses for her. From his depiction of her “glowing voice” accompanied by “thrilling words” to her “lovely…[face] with bright things in it”, it is clear to see the emotional connection Nick yields (Fitzgerald ???). Waxing and waning throughout the novel, the relationship begins to alter alongside Nick’s depictions of Daisy, transitioning from her previously mentioned “glowing and singing voice” in the beginning of the novel, to the new voice of greed he becomes made aware of (Fitzgerald ???). “I’d never understood before. It [her voice] was full of money” Nick explains, “that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it” (Fitzgerald ???). It becomes evident to all that the love-struck Carraway has hidden from readers Daisy’s true personality, and does not share aspects of her true self until well over half-way through the novel once he becomes aware of them himself. Thomas E. Boyle claims this exact notion: “How else can we account for

“In his blue gardens men and women came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” (Fitzgerald 39). In his character, his relationships, and his gatherings, Jay Gatsby epitomized the illusion of a perfect romance. When Gatsby and Daisy met in 1917, he was searching for money, but ended up profoundly falling in love with her. “[H]e set out for gold and stumbled upon a dream” (Ornstein 37). Only a few weeks after meeting one another, Gatsby had to leave for war, which led to a separation between the two for nearly five years. As “war-torn lovers” Gatsby and Daisy reach the quintessential ideal of archetypical romance. When Gatsby returned from the war, his goal was to rekindle the relationship he once had with Daisy. In order to do this, he believed he would have to work hard to gain new wealth and a new persona. “Jay Gatsby loses his life even though he makes his millions because they are not the kind of safe, respectable money that echoes in Daisy’s lovely voice” (Ornstein 36). Gatsby then meets Daisy’s cousin, Nick Carraway, who helps to reunite the pair. Finally being brought together after years of separation, Gatsby stops throwing the extravagant parties at his home, and “to preserve [Daisy’s] reputation, [he] empties his mansion of lights and servants” (Ornstein 37). Subsequent to their reconciliation, Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband, begins to reveal sordid information about Gatsby’s career which causes Daisy to

When Gatsby reveals to about his relationship with Daisy, Nick’s relationship with Gatsby takes a full u-turn as it rapidly advances their association from simple acquaintances to close friends. Nick’s outlook of Gatsby undergoes a similar transformation. When Nick learns of the previous relationship between Gatsby and Daisy, Gatsby’s actions make sense to Nick. The mansion, the extravagant parties, and the green light were all in the efforts for making Daisy notice him. Gatsby lives his life for the past life that he lived. He spends his life seeking the attention of his love, Daisy, and as Nick explains, “He wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was…” (Fitzgerald 110). Gatsby sought out the American dream in order to win over the love of Daisy which creates a different perception of himself to Nick. Nick, now knowing Gatsby’s intentions worries about Gatsby’s possible rejection, and then warns him that, “[he] wouldn’t ask too much of her, you can’t repeat the past.” (Fitzgerald 110) But Gatsby, blinded by love, strives to win Nick’s married cousin’s heart. Nick perceives Gatsby as a man dwelling on the past

All of this told by the narrator Nick Carraway who was also Daisy’s cousin. At the end of the day, all those friends from his glamorous parties never

In the summer of 1922, I was planning to have a party in my mansion. I had decided to invite everyone from West Egg and East Egg to the party. Everyone was welcomed and many guests that I had never met showed up. When guests came to the party, they wondered over my Rolls-Royce, swimming pool, a live orchestra, and buffet tents in the garden. I didn’t care for their behavior and didn’t mind if they spent their time drinking. I just stood upstairs watching them and looking for my love, Daisy. I always searched to see if she was in attendance at the parties. I couldn’t resist the obsession of finding Daisy. I was no longer that poor young man. Now I could claim I came from a wealthy family and I

Not long after this revelation, Nick travels to New York City with Tom and Myrtle. At a vulgar, gaudy party in the apartment that Tom keeps for the affair, Myrtle begins to taunt Tom about Daisy, and Tom responds by breaking her nose. As the summer progresses, Nick eventually garners an invitation to one of Gatsby’s legendary parties. He encounters Jordan Baker at the party, and they meet Gatsby himself, a surprisingly young man who affects an English accent, has a remarkable smile, and calls everyone “old sport.” Gatsby asks to speak to Jordan alone, and, through Jordan, Nick later learns more about his mysterious neighbor. Gatsby tells Jordan that he knew Daisy in Louisville in 1917 and is deeply in love with her. He spends many nights staring at the green light at the end of her dock, across the bay from his mansion. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties are simply an attempt to impress Daisy. Gatsby now wants Nick to arrange a reunion between himself and Daisy, but he is afraid that Daisy will refuse to see him if she knows that he still loves her. Nick invites Daisy to have tea at his house, without telling her that Gatsby will also be there. After an initially awkward reunion, Gatsby and Daisy reestablish their connection. Their love rekindled, they begin an affair. After a short time,

It was terribly awkward seeing and talking to his past- Daisy. Nick let the two have their time to talk to each other, after several hours he found them amusingly talking very happy with each other. Outside, the rain has stopped, and Gatsby decided to invite Daisy and Nick over to have him tour them around his mansion. They dance, swim, exchange conversations, laugh, drinks and at the middle of Jay’s joy to show her his possessions, Daisy cried. Gatsby then narrated how he spend the night thinking about Daisy while staring at the green light that casts over the lake and in front of his mansion. On the other hand, Nick had this ideas if Daisy still feels the same way to Jay. For a moment, as they two reminisce their love for each other, Jay’s

The Reality of Grandeur Wealth carries an immeasurable value. Trilling’s comment, although not directly aimed at The Great Gatsby, is still applicable because of its broader motif. Jay Gatsby first-handedly experienced the psychological effects of reality and illusion in relation to questions of social class as he battled with his identity and his attempts to woo Daisy Buchanan. It was irony, as the discrepancy between expectation and reality slowly but surely began to show itself. Who Gatsby was and who he wanted to be were two different people.

As I stepped onward onto the scorching New York streets, Daisy’s hand in mine, I glanced back at the illustrious structure of the Plaza Hotel, in utter disgust of the confrontation which occurred moments prior. How dare that Tom Buchanan disenfranchise me and my business? How dare he disrespect me in front of my one true love: Daisy. My mind soon drifted to her as she released her hand from mine and approached my yellow coupe. She gazed at the ground with lost apprehension. I fetched my keys from my coat pocket.

Daisy’s sudden, simple respect for the truth is startling to the reader because Nick’s perceptions of her throughout the novel are so very limited to her superficial manner … her stubborn honesty … is a logical outgrowth of her inner struggle to resolve conflicting needs. It is a brief, futile attempt to declare emotional independence (Fryer 54).