Reunion In The Great Gatsby Essay

Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to portray the personal failure in life in order to demonstrate how some people are dealt a worse hand in life than others. Gatsby, the protagonist of the story, is in love with a girl named Daisy, however she is married to a man named Tom. After a confrontation between Tom and Gatsby, Daisy and Tom return home. Meanwhile, Gatsby hides in the bushes outside their house so he can make sure that Daisy is safe. Nick, the narrator of the novel, observes as Gatsby watches over Daisy “standing there in the moonlight - watching over nothing” (Fitzgerald 145). As Gatsby waits outside Daisy’s house, he believes that she will choose him over Tom, but unfortunately he is in a hopeless situation and Daisy will break his heart. Nick further describes the dinner Tom and Daisy share to have “an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together” (Fitzgerald 145). While Gatsby stands there, he is unaware of Daisy’s betrayal as she shares an intimate dinner with Tom. Furthermore, as Gatsby fights for the love of his life, he is has no idea that the circumstances that are beyond his control since Daisy’s true love is Tom. As Tom and Daisy

The juxtaposition between Gatsby at his ‘enormous house’ and Gatsby at Nick’s house shows that Gatsby can only be comfortable in his own environment. This is previously shown when his mask slips in the car ride to New York in chapter 4. Fitzgerald uses only two settings for chapter 5 in order to draw parallels between the change of scene and the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. At the start of the chapter - where Nick, Daisy and Gatsby are gathered in Nick’s house – the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby seems incredibly awkward and both characters seem extremely tense and nervous to be re-united and this is shown by Gatsby’s ‘abortive attempt of a laugh creating an uncomfortable sense of pity for Gatsby. Gatsby previously tries to make Nick’s house as close to his own as possible ‘trim the grass quote here!’ proving that he knows his mask will slip at Nick’s house. However, when Gatsby invites Nick and Daisy over to his house his relationship with Daisy gradually becomes stronger and Gatsby becomes far more relaxed. Gatsby becomes the romantic at his mansion, ordering music to be played; it is not ironic that Kilspringer plays the love nest.

Fitzgerald furthers this claim through flashbacks with Gatsby presenting Daisy with an ideal illusion as well. Once Gatsby attempts to change his past, Gatsby’s true remembrance of Daisy becomes misconstrued in the very same way. Nick describes Gatsby’s struggle with coping with the non-Platonic reality of the present as “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams- not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (98). Gatsby instills Daisy with an idealized perfection associated with his biased memories of the past; however this view decays away as Gatsby begins to realize that Daisy’s

Gatsby himself, or Jay Gatsby. In the beginning of the novel Gatsby is seen stretching out his arms as Nick narrates, "He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way...and distinguished nothing except a single green light" (Fitzgerald 20). Upon the horizon where the light shone was his form of desperation; finding happiness with his former lover Daisy in an attempt to relive the past five years. Gatsby was compelled to achieve his goal once and for all but he was unable to find it sensibly within his reach. Gatsby's desire to be with Daisy can inarguably be labeled as “quiet desperation” in consideration only Nick and Jordan were aware of his ulterior motives for reinventing himself and taking means necessary to win her over. When Daisy was just in his reach almost satisfying his life, she abruptly slipped from his grasp. The effect of his desperation becomes pure destruction thus leading ultimately to his own corruption and downfall. As Nick states, “He looked—and this is said in all contempt for the babbled slander of his garden—as if he had ‘killed a man.’ For a moment the set of his face could be described in just that fantastic way” (Fitzgerald 134) he expresses an unrecognizable change in Gatsby as he’s devoured by his longing for a lost love. His agony induced transformation altered his internal being, subsequently contributing to his demise and taking his

When someone comes off too eager for something they desire, sometimes the satisfaction won’t meet the expectations they primarily had. The thrill to chase that dream has vanished and has now turned into a bland, dull thought. Gatsby’s memory of Daisy had changed and then builds her up to more than she actually is. He then proceeds to market Daisy as something completely different. The tendency for Gatsby trying to lie to himself about his memory of Daisy has faded and is now trying hopelessly to revive his past feelings about Daisy. “He had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity”(Fitzgerald 92). The cumbersome attitude of Gatsby towards

After five years of planning, Gatsby believed a reunion with Daisy would be best in order to rekindle their lost relationship. As Nick, Gatsby’s neighbor, was about to leave his home, he noticed the “expression of bewilderment,” (95) which had come back into Gatsby’s face after being reunited with Daisy. By using “bewilderment” in the sentence, Fitzgerald is able to convey the idea that Gatsby is confused as to where he and Daisy stand through his diction. This helps the reader understand that Gatsby himself is lost in his own fantasy. Due to his bewilderment, he seemed almost unenthused by her. Daisy did not live up to the “colossal vitality” (95) of Gatsby’s illusion of the past five years. Diction is shown here and helps the reader identify that nothing can ever be good enough for Gatsby through his own confusion, creating uncertainty with the reader. As Gatsby was mentally consumed by the thought of Daisy for a majority of his day, he hoped that the day they reunite would be picture perfect; the way he had always planned it to be. This helps the reader understand that Daisy couldn’t live up to the same expectations Gatsby has in his fantasy. Unfortunately, it was apparent that “no amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart” (96). By using “fire” and “freshness”, the contradicting words imply that whether negativity such as Daisy’s husband, Tom, or positivity such as Nick’s willingness to have Daisy over

In The Great Gatsby, Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship is portrayed as obsessive, materialistic, and ineffective. Gatsby displays the quality of obsessiveness within the relationship by consuming himself with the desire to bring back the image of Daisy he fell in love with and his romance with her that had existed in the past. The intensity of Gatsby’s obsession is displayed when Gatsby invites Daisy and Nick over to his house. Nick observes that Gatsby “had been full of the idea so long, dreamed it right through to the end, waited with his teeth set, so to speak, at an inconceivable pitch of intensity. Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an overwound clock” (Fitzgerald 92). Nick’s examination of Gatsby obsession reveals that Gatsby has had this intense

He “nearly toppled down a flight of stairs...and.. was running down like an overwound clock”(59). Fitzgerald’s description of Gatsby’s actions present him to be excited like a kid on Christmas and unable to believe the happiness he’s experiencing. He’s As Nick gets ready to leave, he sees an “expression of bewilderment [that] had come back into Gatsby’s face”(61) and realises that there “must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams-not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of [Gatsby’s] illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. [Gatsby] had…[decked] it out with every bright feather that drifted his way”(62). Over the past five years, Gatsby grew to expect much more from Daisy than what she can actually offer. As Gatsby got wealthier, he added on more to his idealisation of Daisy till it reached a point where his perfect image of her is completely beyond who she actually is. Fitzgerald puts this into play later in the novel when the situation flips and Daisy cannot meet Gatsby’s expectations.

Through Gatsby, Fitzgerald displays a wistful tone by illustrating Gatsby's yearning to start over, contradicting the compelling nature normally associated with the “Roaring 20’s.” For instance, Gatsby’s regretfulness is shown in his “want[ing] to recover something, some idea of himself,” contrasting the glamorous and thrilling view of the “Roaring 20’s” (110). This reveals how Gatsby longs for a chance to be with Daisy once again. In addition, a wistful tone is established by Gatsby’s longing to start over. Nick notices that Gatsby’s “life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place” he could find the missing piece he was searching for (110). This description of his life signifies that

Firstly, Fitzgerald uses imagery through the entire chapter to show the audience how the character Jay Gatsby accomplishes his dream of reuniting with Daisy. At the start of the chapter the author describes Gatsby as being somewhat nervous and aloof. The author writes; “Gatsby looked with vacant eyes […] peering toward the bleared windows from time to time as if a serious of invisible but alarming happenings were taking place outside. Finally, he got up and informed me, in an uncertain voice that he was going” (Fitzgerald, pg.84). The quote describes the fear that many people have when trying to face their dreams by describing the characters eyes, his nervous actions of looking out the window, and finally the character trying to escape the situation. The author then goes on to describe some of Gatsby’s actions as seeming bored and then the character coming back with a new light once he accomplishes his dream.

Nick comes to realize that Daisy is unhappy from her separation from Gatsby, and feels pressured to make a difficult decision. This is shown through the author's description that, “She was feeling the pressure of the world outside, and she wanted to see him and feel his presence beside her and be reassured that she was doing the right thing after all.” (Fitzgerald 151) The use of polysyndeton and the length of the sentence presents a sense of uneasiness in Daisy. Repetition of the conjunction emphasizes her restless mind and desire for someone to assist her in her decision.

For example, Fitzgerald descriptively paints Gatsby’s flashback with emotional diction like “perishable”or “incomparable”. These words tag this emotional moment with an innocent and truly passionate tone and describe the moment to be fleeting yet extremely precious to both him and Daisy. The scene Fitzgerald creates induces a “mysterious excitement” in Gatsby, thus, revealing his pure, unadulterated mood. The words signify a truthful love for Daisy, not yet corrupted by his obsessions. Additionally, the use of vivid imagery continues to build upon the pure intimacy of the moment. Fitzgerald carefully illustrates how “Daisy blossomed for [Gatsby] like a flower”. This descriptive imagery of the blossoming flower shows how passionate and pure the moment is for Gatsby. Only the exquisiteness and simplicity of a flower finally spreading its petals expresses Gatsby’s feelings. In fact, he refuses to climb “to a secret place above the trees” where he “could suck on the pap of life”(110), and, instead, he opts to remain with Daisy. This location above the trees describes a heavenly place which Gatsby knowingly ignores because of his love for Daisy. This powerful imagery and diction reveals the true innocents and beauty of Gatsby’s initial dream of Daisy. The moods which Fitzgerald creates from these two scenes differ greatly to reveal the change of Gatsby’s

F. Scott Fitzgerald the author of the “Great Gatsby” portrays the uncomfortable feelings throughout Gatsby and Daisy's relationship. Fitzgerald implies this by using diction, literature, and syntax throughout the scene. The author's purpose is to make the reader understand the discomfort and nerves between the relationship by using literary devices.

When a person’s greatest hope does not come true, it can not only leave them stuck and unsure what to do with their lives, but cause emotional damage as well. Putting all the eggs in one basket means that if the person loses the basket, he or she loses everything they essentially live for as well. Obviously, this leaves him or her in the lowest depths of despair. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald once again uses the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy, this time to demonstrate how much hurt a broken dream can cause. Within the first hours of being reunited with his former love, Gatsby begins to suspect that the situation will not fall perfectly into place the way he imagined. Nick, after attending this awkward reunion, reflects, “There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams -- not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything... No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart” (103). Although Daisy still appears as beautiful and charming as ever, Gatsby’s false image of her after several lonely years expands so much larger than life that the real Daisy plainly disappoints Gatsby. Fitzgerald strongly warns against the pitfalls of hope - once a person fixates on an idea, such as Gatsby did, reality cannot compete with the power the idea has over the person, leading to a delusional and unsatisfactory life in actuality.

Throughout the passage, Fitzgerald further develops the characterization of Gatsby and Daisy and depicts their relationship.