People naturally strive to achieve what they cannot possibly attain. Through The Great Gatsby, Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald expresses the idea that people, with the exception of a willful minority, will never be satisfied with what they hold, will forever desire what they cannot grasp, and never know when to stop.
Nick Caraway is a member of this volitient minority. Money is not of major significance in Nick's life. This liberates him from the need to impress others, much unlike Gatsby, Jordan, Tom, and Daisy. Jay Gatsby trusts Nick with his secret past because he is quiet, he is a good listener, and he reserves judgment. Despite his tendency to reserve judgment of others, Nick says "I am one of the few honest men I have ever known." Daisy Buchanan, Nick's cousin, has an aura of charm, wealth and sophistication surrounding her. Daisy, however, is truly a careless and shallow person.
The grave of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda Fitzger...
The cover of the first edition of The Great Gatsby...
The Great Gatsby (1926 film)Daisy describes her aloofness when she says "I've been lying on that sofa for as long as I can remember". Daisy and her husband, Tom "â¦smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had madeâ¦". Before he had to leave for World War I, Daisy fell in love with Jay Gatsby. When he had to leave for the war, Daisy promised Gatsby that she would await his return. However, she chose to marry Tom Buchanan, a young man who could promise her a wealthy lifestyle.
Even though Daisy broke her promise and married another, Jay Gatsby views Daisy Buchanan as the very image of perfection. His entire motivation for achieving his wealth and living in West Egg is the hope that he may...