As many differences as many people all over the world have from one another. We all share one passion. We all share a common love. Which is money.
However, people who are older and wiser tend to focus on things that they classify as happiness. Making money seemingly meaningless. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the character Jay Gatsby was an ill man. His desires and wants prevented him from living the “good life.” As he was not so old nor wise. Having all the money someone could want and living the American dream, money could not fill his heart with happiness.
Gatsby has blatantly voided his death to dwell over someone who was a taken woman. While living his life in a lovesick daze he found an outlet. Although, he couldn’t have her, seeing Mrs.
Buchanan was great enough for him. Money being the center of many people’s lives, it can still leave a person with a void in their empty heart. Jay Gatsby grew up with a poor family, eventually, turning himself into a millionaire. Which we learn is from criminal activity.
No one in New York knows much about him but he is very well known for being the rich man with the mansion, who throws lavish parties every weekend. With the hopes that, Daisy would show up. With all of his luxury cars, fancy food, live band, and huge swimming pool. Jay would spend a lot of money to look good for her. As they say “Imagination is the only weapon in the war against reality.” Jay Gatsby spent so much time living in a world of fantasy, filling it up with an imagination of his own. After meeting in Louisville, Daisy and Jay knew in that very moment that they were in love with each other. After, separating due to Jay leaving to war, Daisy, promised to wait for Gatsby’s return.
Eventually, she decides to marry to a wealthy man, Tom Buchanan. Returning from war, five years later, Gatsby knew that Daisy was still the love of his life. Ignoring that Daisy is now married with a child. In the hope that, he will win the heart of Daisy Buchanan back. Moving to an entire new city where Daisy now resides just to be across the bay from her and doing anything to make enough money to impress her. This includes buying a mansion, his yellow Rolls Royce, and expensive clothing.
The saddest thing in the world is loving someone who used to love you. After leaving Mr. Gatsby, with multiple hopes that Mrs. Buchanan will come back to him, Daisy has proven that she is in love with Tom and will continue to be with him. There were several times when Daisy has showed that through out the book. From the encounter between Jay and Daisy, they began an affair. Which lead Jay to trying to force Daisy to tell Tom that she does not love him and no longer wants to be with him.
After realizing, that she can’t tell him that she ends up driving home with Tom. As well as, when she said “I love you now, isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s in the past. I did love him once, but I love you too.” That shows right there, that her love is for both men, Gatsby and her husband, Tom. The love is never reciprocrated.
Jay was obsessed with her and blinded by love. Not only has she said that but she’s kissed him when her husband was nearby but not in the same room, just so that her husband can hear. As if she was using Jay because her husband was having an affair. Gatsby became an ill man with his obsession. Everything in his desire to please Daisy, but not himself. He was no longer who he was at the beginning. His insecurities of not being good enough for her had really gotten to him.
From war to criminal activity. Without Daisy there was no Gatsby. Visioning Daisy to be a perfect angel, while skipping past her flaws. She was a gold digger, who tore him apart without her love. Focusing so much on love, he torn himself down. Jay is not mentally or emotionally okay. Trying so hard to fit in, yet, not allowing himself to stick out. Led to him having no real friends in reality.
Wealth is what brought him to be able to connect with people, who do not really care to connect with him. The dream of being loved by Daisy was not coming true and it was making him depressed. All he had was hope, which was being destroyed. The thought of being able to make the past present again, was unrealistic and it was killing him thinking he could. Being stuck on the past and not being able to move forward continued to break Jay.
Money does not buy happiness, his world was in shambles. Taking the blame of the murder of someone for the one you love is an example of how love can make you do crazy things. As his, Gatsby’s, body floats around his swimming pool.
George Wilson is dead on the concrete and Daisy is to be the blame of three deaths. Rewinding back, to when Daisy ends up hitting Myrtle with her yellow car, that was mistakenly, thought to be Jay’s yellow Rolls Royce. He never admitted that it was Daisy and not him. Myrtle’s husband, George, who is grieving in a horrendous way decides that he is going to kill Gatsby for her death of his wife and the belief of the two of them having an affair. A normal funeral is known to be filled with multiple people who are sad and crying.
Yet, Mr.Gatsby’s funeral was very few people, not including the main person he would want to show up; Daisy Buchanan. No one truly cared about Jay, including her. Using him is all they cared for. If it wasn’t for his wealth that he flaunted and his lavish parties, that he did all for Daisy, he would be irrelevant. To lose who he originally was, to have all the money he could possibly want. As well as, buy expensive things to impress someone who doesn’t even show up to the funeral was all a waste. If nothing saves us from death, may love at least save us from life.
With money being the center of Jay’s life, it did not make him happy. Having money was meaningless. He was an obsessed ill man, who would do anything for love and to be loved. With all the money and no love from the girl of his dreams, his heart was still empty. While doing everything in his desire to please Daisy with materialistic things, meanwhile, she is showing signs of not caring for him.
Mr. Gatsby ends up dying a lonely, broken hearted man for her mistake.
