Character Analysis

Character Analysis Based on Chapters 5-7

Bushra Rizvi 

               The first character I'd like to talk about that was very crucial in these chapters is Gatsby himself. From the start he would always seem like the sneaky type being labelled "the rich one with the huge mansion" but ever since he came in contact with Nick, his whole wealth revolves around one goal he must achieve in his life which is to win Daisy with his empowering money. Before Nick and Gatsby never had any connections nor knew each other at but were just neighbors in West Egg, ever since Gatsby found out that Nick was Daisy's cousin he knew that he could use Nick as a stepping stone to reach his love after five years of anticipating that they'll be together when Gatsby would return from war. This shows how he makes connections to people most of the time only if necessary for example how his wealth is based upon working for that drug trafficking business, he's a part of it even if it's not right just for the money. Gatsby the same way gets in contact with Nick and Nick being the really easy going nice guy to use, Gatsby gets a hold of him because he knows he can't just invite Daisy over alone. Nick helps Gatsby so much in getting Daisy to come over and they can finally reunite after years. Although Gatsby has all this power and wealth that gives him that confidence and strong vibe that makes him who he is, but when he starts to see Daisy again there's a lot of character change. He gets jittery around her and freaks out a lot telling Nick how it didn't go well, resembling a young boy putting their life towards this crush of theirs. For example as Nick described one of his anxious moments: "He followed me wildly into the kitchen, closed the door, and whispered: "Oh God!" in a miserable way. "What's the matter?" "This is a terrible mistake," he said, shaking his head from side to side, a terrible, terrible mistake." (Fitzgerald 102-103). This is really surprising to hear from such a stable man from all of West Egg proving his love for Daisy as he shrinks in power when it comes to her. Gatsby does have a kind side to him as in return for Nick's support to get Daisy to him he offers Nick this business to work in as he knows that he doesn't have a lot of money and even gets ones of his people to mow his lawn out of kindness. "Well, this would interest you. It wouldn't take up much of your time and you might pick up a nice bit of money. It happens to be a rather confidential sort of thing." (Fitzgerald 97).  Gatsby takes Nick under his wing when it comes to his money so he can help with his living by offering this job, not shoving some bills to his face in return. This clearly shows the softer friendlier side of Gatsby towards Nick. Finally, when it comes to opening up to Tom about the truth about him and Daisy he remains calm but when Tom wounds his ego and says that Daisy loved Tom as well he doesn't hesitate to yell and prove him wrong. "Your wife doesn't love you," said Gatsby. "She's never loved you. She loves me." "You must be crazy!" exclaimed Tom automatically. Gatsby sprang to his feet, vivid with excitement. "She never loved you, do you hear?" he cried. (Fitzgerald 147). Even afterwards when Daisy has returned home Gatsby doesn't hesitate to stay outside her house and wait until she's asleep so that he knows Tom didn't hurt her. Basically Gatsby is really whipped by Daisy and will do anything to make sure she's okay and he can have her again like they planned five years ago. This is the main reason for his everlasting wealth, to lure Daisy. 

             Tom is the second character I'd like to analyze because he is the most patient character by far in this story. In these three chapters when Tom gets highly suspicious of Gatsby and Daisy and it all comes crashing down as the truth opens up from them in front of him he still manages to remain his ground. Tom being Daisy's husband obviously gets annoyed easily as he has had to put up with his obnoxious wife Daisy for years which from Nick's perspective makes it seem normal when Tom gets a little rage on from small situations. Tom has hated Gatsby from the start as he claimed that he was lying about ever going to Oxford and labelled him a "big bootlegger". Even the way Daisy has acted around Tom when Gatsby would be over too he still didn't jump to conclusions immediately. Even when Daisy started resisting to hide her affection for Gatsby, Tom shocked still didn't knock him out. "She had told him she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His  mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he had just recognized her as someone he knew a long time ago." (Fitzgerald 135). It's really surprising he didn't yell because most men even to this day would knock the other man out either physically or verbally for doing such a thing with his wife. Tom's patience gets tested even more as Daisy shamelessly doesn't stop to flatter Gatsby even more with Tom her husband standing right there. "You resemble the advertisement of the man," she went on innocently. "You know the advertisement of the man-" "All right," broke in Tom quickly, "I'm perfectly willing to go to town. Come on- we're all going to town." (Fitzgerald 135). Personally I admire Tom for not making a fool of himself as he sees the two literally flirting in front of his eyes. This man even has the decency to let it slide when their all going to New York and Daisy stubbornly tells him she's going to be in the car with Gatsby and he'll go in a separate car. Although Tom seems really light and isn't making a fuss out of the situation, when the truth exposes that Daisy loves Gatsby he loses it. Anyone would be hurt if in the position of Tom but he expresses his love for Daisy and that she can't deny that she loves Tom back as well. This is a very surprising turn as basically all the time throughout this story Daisy and Tom seem to have been annoyed with each other, but after all he still did love her. "The trouble is that sometimes she gets foolish ideas in her head and doesn't know what she's doing." He nodded sagely. "And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time." (Fitzgerald 148). This goes to show as much as Tom's lack of emotions are evident on his face he still has a really soft spot for Daisy as he does indeed love her. In comparison to both Gatsby and Tom, Daisy allows that soft loving feeling to pry out of their thick emotionless hard shell because they both love her. 

              Last but least, who I'd consider an influential character for these chapters is Daisy. Not in any way anyone should look up to her when it comes to decisions but one of the most important characters, without her no story. From the start Daisy has been obnoxious and in public the one that can put on the best mask to fake her personality and become likable to all. There's one thing her eyes are always set on though which is wealth. "Her voice is full of money," he said suddenly. That was it. I'd never understood before. It was full of money-" (Fitzgerald 136). Even Gatsby knows that the dazzle of a mansion is what catches her attention, which is what he's exactly using to lure Daisy to him. Tom is even aware of her craving for money and to have people of high status at her place. "I know I'm not very popular. I don't give big parties. I suppose you've got to make your house into a pigsty in order to have any friends- in the modern world." (Fitzgerald 146) Tom exclaims. Just like how there was a surprising turn that Tom admitted his love for Daisy when it seemed like he had none for her the same goes for her. She has that motive to leave with Gatsby but doesn't have the shamelessness to the point she's going lie about not loving Tom at all. "Even alone I can't say I never loved Tom," she admitted in a pitiful voice. "It wouldn't be true." (Fitzgerald 149). 

                 Character Analysis: Chapter 8-9   By: Priyana Jeyanathan

Nick Carraway:
     I am worried about Gatsby. After Myrtle's death, I am frightened that people might suspect that Gatsby was driving the yellow car which killed Myrtle. After I spoke to Gatsby, I realized how much he loved my cousin, Daisy. Daisy loved Gatsby too, but after Gatsby left to go fight in the war, Daisy met Tom. Lets just say that this was a huge mistake. Gatsby and Daisy deserve each other, and I know deep down inside that Daisy loves Gatsby more than ever. Before I left to go to work, I wanted to give Gatsby a compliment that I was meaning to tell him. "You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together."(Fitzgerald 164) When I went to the office to do my work, I couldn't focus. Jordan asked me to go on a date, but I refused. I hope that Gatsby will leave West egg so he won't be in danger anymore. I didn't expect any of these traumatic events to happen. I came to West egg to experience and learn all about the bond business. Instead, I did everything that I wouldn't imagine that i'll ever do. With all of the secrets that Jordan, Gatsby, and Daisy told me, I was surprised with how wild they were, and how quiet and tolerant I am. Gatsby died, he is gone, killed by Wilson who shot himself after Gatsby died. Tom was the one who told Wilson that Gatsby owned the yellow car which killed Myrtle. Gatsby took the blame, he would never kill anyone. Tom says that Gatsby deserved to die. "I couldn't forgive him,or like him, but I saw that what he done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confusing. they were careless people- Tom and Daisy." (Fitzgerald 191) I couldn't believe how selfish and horrible my own cousin was. Gatsby was my friend, and I was the only true friend to him. As always, I am tolerant with other people. "I shook hands with him; it seemed silly not to, for I felt suddenly as though I were talking to a child." (Fitzgerald 191) Gatsby was a good person.This outrageous adventure in West Egg is something that I will always remember. Goodbye West Egg, hello Minnesota. 

Jay Gatsby:
     Daisy, She doesn't love me anymore. She'd rather be with that lying, cheating, horrible man, Tom. I've always loved her. I loved her for her youth and vitality, I idolized her social position, wealth, and popularity. "Nothing happened. I waited, and about four o’clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light." (Fitzgerald 157) Daisy would rather be with a man who cheated on her, lied to her, and never truly love her, than to be with me who loved her more than anything in the world. "I don't think she ever loved him.  You must remember, old sport, she was very excited this afternoon. He told her things in a way that frightened her- that made it look as if  I was some kind of cheap sharper." (Fitzgerald 162) I wanted to take the blame for Myrtle's death because Daisy was the one who killed her, and I didn't want her to get in trouble. When I die, I know that Daisy wouldn't show up to my funeral.I know that Tom wouldn't let her go anyways. I will always love her though, I'll do anything for her. "I have an idea that Gatsby himself didn't believe it would come, perhaps he no longer cared. If that was true he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price of living too long with a single dream". (Fitzgerald 194) Nick was a great friend to me, and a true friend. Right now, before I am found for Myrtle's murder, I just want to go into the pool for the first time and enjoy possibly my last day of living. 

Daisy Buchanan:
     I killed Myrtle, the women who Tom was cheating with. She needed to be gone anyways. Gatsby took the blame for my fault, and I didn't ask him to so why did he?  Gatsby loved me, but I love Tom now. He is the one for me. "You threw me over on the telephone. I don't give a damn about you now, but it was a new experience for me, and I felt a little dizzy for a while." (Fitzgerald 195) Jordan is mad at me, and I don't know what I have done wrong. Gatsby made a choice that I have not made him decide to do,and it is not my business to let him take the blame. "Tom and Daisy- they 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 made." (Fitzgerald 191) Tom and I are very wealthy, so why not take advantage of it? We are allowed to make our own choices without anyone else's irrelevant opinions getting in the way of the choices we are about to make. Sure I loved Gatsby once, but Tom is my husband, and I will always love him more than anyone else.Their a rotten crowd" (Fitzgerald 164) I care about people who only loved me for who I am. Gatsby loved me for my wealthiness, and lied to me about his background. Tom was honest, loving, and caring. He made one mistake, but I love him, and I will never let him go. Farewell, Gatsby. 

                                                                                                                                                                      5/12/15                         

              Characters Analysis Chps 2-4 - Akunna Nwaogu

Nick

Nick Carraway, the protagonist of The Great Gatsby, is a  sensible and conservative man. He lives a quite ordinary life before meeting Gatsby, as he was raised in a small town and works in the bond business.  It is evident that Carraway is looking for adventure and freedom in the fact that he moved to a prosperous and flashy city in New York. “Across the courtesy bay the palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water, and the history of the summer really begins on the evening I drove over there to have dinner with the Tom Buchanans.” (Fitzgerald 7)

In chapter 2 when Tom take Nick and Myrtle to an apartment downtown to meet up with some friends, Nick is clearly uncomfortable and tries to get out of having to go along with them. “I wanted to get out and walk southward toward the park through the soft twilight, but each time I tried to go I became entangled in some wild, strident argument which pulled me back, as if with ropes, into my chair.” (Fitzgerald 29) He is unfamiliar with the scandalous and erratic lifestyle that his acquaintances live. Although Nick does not agree with some of the morals and ethics of the wealthy East Egg, he is entranced by the different way of life and the romantic side of it all. “ I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” (Fitzgerald 29)

Nick is an honest and nonjudgmental character ;he is the type of person people look for as a friend.”Everyone suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (Fitzgerald 47)  When he realizes that Jordan may have cheated in golf tournament he doesn’t bring it up, instead he keeps the information to him himself and writes: “Dishonesty in a woman is something you never blame deeply” (Fitzgerald 46) He is sympathetic towards the actions and feelings of others because he is intellectual and uses his knowledge and experience to justify why people are the way they are.

Gatsby

Jay Gatsby is a popular, rich, dapper, and obsessive man, who is the center of The Great Gatsby. At first Gatsby seems to be mysterious and enchanting because all the reader really knows is that he is rich and throws great, big parties, other than that there are just rumors and empty spaces filling his identity.”I was not alone — fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor’s mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars.” (Fitzgerald 19)

In chapter 4 a layer of Gatsby unidentified character is pulled off and the reader gets new insight into his life before he came to the East Egg. Jordan reveals a lot about Gatsby’s character with immensely helps the reader to understand his motives and reasoning. He is madly and obsessively in love with a woman he hasn’t spoken to in years, it is quite romantic and disturbing at the same time. “Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay.” (Fitzgerald 61) The fact that he asks Gatsby to plan a tea with Daisy so that he can reunite with her shows that he has a hard time letting things go and becomes strongly attached to familiarity.

Gatsby does some pretty strange and questionable things, and basically everything that he has done to become so wealthy is in the seek for Daisy’s love and attention. He buys a massive mansion just across the bay from the Buchanan’s house, throws loud and wild parties, drives expensive and flashy cars, and strangest of all he stretches his hand out towards the green light at the Buchanan’s dock. He is completely and utterly in devoted to getting Daisy back.

When Gatsby goes to lunch with Nick her finds an old friend named Meyer Wolfsheim. Gatsby does business with him, but it is not at this point clear what kinds of things that do to make so much money. It leads the reader to think that Jay is involved in shady and illegal business, which makes him seem deceitful and phony.

Daisy Buchanan

Daisy is the love interest of The Great Gatsby, she is beautiful, cynical, shallow, and (of course) wealthy.”You see I think everything’s terrible anyhow..And I KNOW. I’ve been everywhere and seen everything and done everything.”(Fitzgerald 16)The character of Daisy lacks substance and attraction, which makes her same like a bore. Daisy is a negative person maybe she is this way because of her failing marriage or a lack of excitement in her life. “I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” (Fitzgerald 16) Daisy doesn’t understand what it means to be a mother and she treats her baby as if it is a toy you can play with whenever your bored.

Despite her good fortune and status, Daisy is bored with her life and uncertain of what she will do in her the upcoming years as an adult. She is bitter towards life and chooses to not do anything beneficial to turn around the bad. All Daisy yearns for is attention and self-gratification.