Daisy and Gatsby were in a relationship some time ago. Jordan Baker explaines the affection between these two people on page 75, and it is clear that they were in love. When Gatsby went off to war, a change came over Daisy. She had some trouble with her family, but then seemed to go back to normal. I think it is clear her personality changed at the loss of Jay Gatsby when he went overseas. By the February after the summer he left, she was already engaged to a man she had presumably only known for about five months. It is my opinion that Daisy did this because, after Jay left, she came to realize that love can be a fleeting thing. She married Tom because she didn't want him to leave her, the way Jay did. Unfortunetely, Daisy mistook security for love, which resulted in her leading an unhappy life with Tom.
In chapter 5, Jay Gatsby, obviously returned from the war and living across the Sound from Daisy, not to her knowledge, makes up his mind to re-connect with Daisy after many years. At first, their meeting is somewhat awkward, but after some time, the two seem to go right back to where they left off. Nick describes Daisy's reaction to Jay as "unexpected joy" (p. 89) and Jay as "literally glow(ing)" (p. 89)
Later, when Gatsby is showing Nick and Daisy all the nice things in his home, Daisy unexpectantly bursts out crying. She claims it is because she has never seen such beautiful shirts as the ones Gatsby owns, but there is obviously a different reason. It think Daisy was crying because she had come to the realization of what she had missed; the opportunity lost when she went off and married Tom. Daisy was filled with grief because she knew that she would have been much happier wit hGatsby, if only she had waited.
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4 comments:
I just don't see Daisy really loving Gatsby. And the same for Gatsby to Daisy. They both are fake people that want what ever they fancy at the moment. Daisy loves Gatsby until he leaves for the war, then its to Tom. Now that Gatsby is in again she wants him back? i don't see that as love. Gatsby is off too, theres just to many questions about him for him to be a moral character only wanting Daisy.
Katie, your reading of the "shirt scene" (which can be rather baffling) is right on.
Dr. No
I really liked your analysis of Daisy's marriage to Tom as a way to find any sort of attachment at all after Gatsby is gone. She definitely doesnt seem to have many strong feelings toward Tom but instead simply wanted someone to live with and keep her company that wouldn't get up and leave like Gatsby, with hi air of mystery.
The key word to describe Gatsby's love for Daisy is "fantasy," but to Gatbsy fantasy is his reality. Love is an absolute for Gatsby, while Daisy is more fickle. Gatsby's love for Daisy is so strong that he would almost literally wait forever, but Daisy is a material girl. She wants companionship--and someone from her own social class.
Dr. No
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