了不起的盖兹比

TheInevitableDeathofGatsby

Abstract:IntheGreatGatsby,FitzgeraldfinishedthenovelbyGatsby‟stragicdeath

peranalysthecaus

ofGatsby‟sinevitabledeathinthreedifferentaspects:Daisy,TomandGatsbyhimlf

torevealwhytheyledtoGatsby‟sdeathandwhyGatsbywhoaddictedtohis

AmericanDreamisdefinitetodoominthechaotic1920s.

Keywords:Gatsby‟sdeath,Daisy,Tom,Gatsbyhimlf,1920s‟socialenvironment

Introduction

rald.

NarratedbyNick,ittellsastoryaboutawesternYoungman,Gatsby,whoheldthe

AmericanDreamtightly,triedallhifforttowinhislovebuttragicallyended

rald,influencedbyhisownupper-classlifeexperience,

vividlydepictedGatsby‟sstruggleprocesstogetintoDaisy‟scircleandtherespons

y,despiteallhiffortandenthusiasm,

GatsbyneverreceivedanyrealretributionfromDaisy,thesymbolofAmerican

Dream,andhadalwaysbeenlookeddownuponandfinallytrappedbyTom,anupper

Nick,Gatsbywasunabletoethat,beingalfishandindifferent

upper-classgirl,Daisywillneverabandonherluxuriouslifeforhimortrulyconsider

ingtothesamecircle,

people,likeDaisyandTom,willnotallowGatsbystepuponevenalittleinchofthe

upper-classsociety,ore,due

toDaisyandTom‟sirresponsibilityandindifferenceandGatsby‟sunabilitytoe

throughthem,theherowillinevitablybecomeascapegoatofDaisyandshotdead

perwillanalythethreefactorswhichcaud

Gatsby‟sdeathandrelatedthemtothesocialenvironmentofthe1920storeveala

muchmoreprofoundmeaning.

——WhoStartedGatsby’sDeathClock

UnderthedelineationofFitzgrald,Daisyisprentedasantypicalupper-class

women——,wholookslikemostofFitzgerald‟s

femalecharacters,isirresponsible,asno

oman,wholovesherlfmost,will

GreatGatsby,itwasDaisywhoshutthedoorofGatsby‟sdreamanditwashercrime

thatdirectlyledGatsbytodeath.

DaisydidnotloveGatsbytrulysoshewaswillingtotakeGatsbyasascapegoat

isyandGatsbyreunitedinNick‟shou,Daisywasnot

sonwhysherestartedherrelationshipwithGatsbywas

that,ononehand,shewantedtorevengeherhusband‟sbetrayal,ontheotherhand,

shewasattractedbyGatsby‟asadoubtwhetherDaisy

ore,theirreunionwasnotbadonanyrealfeelings

onDaisy‟,when

Gatsby‟srealidentitywasrevealedbyTomGatsbydeniedeverything,Daisyonly

“drawingfurtherandfurtherintoherlf”andWhenTomaskedthemtoleave,Daisy

“lookedatTom,alarmednow”.Daisy‟sbehaviorshowedthatshewasafraidthatTom

point,onlythingshecaredwas

thatwhethershecouldmaintainherupper-classlifeandsheconcernednothingabout

ouldneverabandonherownwell-beingforGatsbybecau,in

esnce,,afterthecaraccident,Daisywasrelievedtogetridofthe

crimeandletGatsbytaketheresponsibility.

Also,fromthenovel,itiasytoknowthatDaisywasanirresponsiblewoman.

irresponsibletowardhermarriagethoughherhusbandwasunfaithfultoher,,

ofcour,ly,

comparedwithGatsby‟swhole-heartedloveanddevotiontoher,Daisywasvery

tsbyaskedhertotellTomthatsheneverlovedhim,

shesaid“Iloveyounow-——isn‟tthatenough?Ican‟thelpwhat‟ve

himonce——butIlovedyoutoo”.Daisyonlyconsideredthisaffairasanexpress

ofherunsatisfiedmarriageandneverthoughtabouttheirfutureandgettingmarried

withGatsby.

MainlyduetoDaisy‟slfishnessandirresponsibility,sheescapedhercrimeof

sreason,

ore,thiscanbeinterpretedthatDaisy

themaincauandshouldtakemostofthe

fterthisaccidentthatGatsbywenttodeathgradually.

ery

ironicbecauDaisyreprentedGatsby‟sAmericanDreamanditwasDaisywho

destroyedGatsby‟slasthopeandputhimintodisillusionandadangeroussituationto

raldhereemphasizethatDaisy,duetoherownsocialclassand

herlfishness,willneveracceptGatsbyandtheinnocentGatsbywillonlydiein

pursuitofsuchanindifferent,hor‟screationofthisplot

pointedouthowimpracticalandunachievabletheAmericanDreamisandwhata

destructive,tragicconquenceofGatsby‟saddictiontoitwillbe.

Daisy,asymbolofGatsby‟sAmericanDream,wasalsoatypicalexampleofthe

rommiddleandupperclass

nmoreimportant

thanthelackofopportunitywasthegeneralassumptionthatawoman„sonlyreal

thewomenpaidmuchattentiontotheman‟sfamilybackgroundtowhomtheywere

plainswhyDaisywillnevergiveupher

marriagewithTomthoughTomwasunfaithfultoherandwhyshewassoterrified

whensheknewGatsby‟keshewasahopeforGatsbyto

entertheupper-class,Tomwasthepersonwhocanmaintainhersocialclassandher

,forthissocialreality,Daisycanonlybeafailedhopeoran

ehecanneverwinDaisyandhisdreamcanneverbe

achieved.

Besides,asawomanin1920s,Daisywasgreatlyinfluencedbythesocial

1920swasaphrabetweenWorldWarIandtheGreatDepression.

DuetotheFirstWorldWar,elopment

oftheeconomyandtechnologyimprovedAmerican‟smateriallifebuttheirspirit

-worship,indifference,lfishness,irresponsibilityandhypocrisy

insuchasociety,Daisy‟slfishness,irresponsibilityand

,whatevertroubleshemet,Daisywouldonlycare

aboutherlf,getridofherresponsibilityandcontinuehermeaninglessanddulllife

sherlf,‟slove,enthusiasmandsacrifice

edwithherowninterest,shecouldnotcarelessabout

Gatsby‟illmercilesslyputGatsbytodeathtosaveherown

life.

IITom——WhoPushedGatsbytoDeath

IfDaisywasthemajorcriminalwhowasresponsibleforGatsby‟sdeath,Tom

‟srevealingoftheinformationmayemtobean

edGatsbytodieandtherearetwo

reasonstoexplainhismotivetokillGatsby.

First,hiswife,Daisy,Tomwas

unfaithfultoDaisyhimlf,hefeltinsultedbyhiswife‟e

book,thereasonwhyTommarriedDaisycanbefoundout：Daisywasprettyand

ore,betweenTomandDaisy,theremaybenotrue

tance,Daisyoncetold

Nick”It‟llshowyouhowI‟vegottentofeelabout—,shewaslessthanan

poutoftheetherwithanutterly

abandonedfeeling,andaskedthenurrightawayifitwasaboyoragirl”.Foraman,

likeTom,dthemandthat‟

reasonwhyTomisangryaboutDaisyandGatsby‟saffaireisthathefelthis

posssionwasrobbedbyothersand,asaman,ork,

afterGatsbyforcedDaisytosaythatsheneverlovedTomandDaisyheisted,Tom

isy

repeated“You

lovedmetoo?”Tomsaid“Eventhat‟salie,there‟rethingsbetweenDaisyandmethat

you‟llneverknow,thingsthatneitherofuscanneverforget”.Fromhiswords,Tom‟s

personalitywasrevealedthathewasveryarrogantandbossybecauthoughthere

mighthavebeenspecialmemoriesbetweenhimandDaisy,hecannotreachthe

rwords,thispersonalityofTom

annot

sufferthatGatsbywassharingDaisywithhimandheneededtodispoofGatsbyby

Wilson‟shands.

Second,bornasanupper-classman,TomhatedGatsbyandhopedhimtodie.

TheGreatGatsbyisabookaboutGatsby‟‟sfinal

purpowastobecomeapartoftheupper-classwhileTomwhowasbornwithagold

ter6,whenTomand

DaisycametoGatsby‟sparty,Tomsaid”whoisthisGatsbyanyhow?Somebig

bootlegger?......Ididn‟thenewlyrichpeoplearejust

bigbootleggers,youknow.”Fromthetwontences,anofcontemptwas

‟sfamilywaxtremelywealthyandbelongedtotheupper-class,he

anassumedfeelingsuperiorthanthelowerclass.

Therefore,hecannotallowotherpeoplewhodidnotbelongtohiscircletobreakthis

sbywaxactlythiskindofperson

‟yes,Gatsby‟sstruggletogetintothe

ntedGatsbytodieandWilsonwas

aperfecttool.

oneofthonovelsthatsotruthfullyreflectedtherealityoftheirtimethattheyare

ovel,Tom‟s

longperiod

ofdevelopment,socialclasshastakenintoitsformandthedifferencebetween

ersocialclassmembers

spidthe

ore,tobecomea

sucha

highsocialclasspersonandcontemptwasapartoftheshapedsocialvalueand

lhisclassmemembers,hecannotacceptGatsbyandwashappy

toethatGatsbywasshotdead.

IIIGatsby——WhoSacrificedHisOwnLifeforDream

BesidesDaisywhoputGatsbyintoadangeroussituationtodieandTomwho

triggertheprocessofhisdeath,Gatsby‟sownblindnessisalsoacrucialcauofhis

ealdoncesaidthat”That‟sthewholeburdenofthisnovel——the

lossofthoillusionsthatgivesuchcolortotheworldthatyoudon‟tcarewhether

thingsaretrueorfalaslongastheypartakeofthemagicalglory.”Gatsbywho

engagedhiswholelifeandenergytopursuehisdreamlosthisabilitytoewhether

hisdreamisrealizableornot.

First,GatsbylovesDaisyandhethoughtthathiswhole-heartedlovewillwin

Daisy‟enDaisytoldhim

thatshelovedTomandshelovedhimtoo,Gatsbystillholdtightlyofhisbeliefof

ehebelievedDaisy‟slove,

GatsbywaswillingtotaketheresponsibilityofDaisy‟ghtthat,

thoughhehadcheatedDaisyabouthisfortune,Daisywillforgivehimifhesacrificed

ter8,before

hisdeath,GatsbysaidtoNick“Ofcourshemighthavelovedhimjustforaminute,

whentheywerefirstmarried—andlovedmemoreeventhen,doyoue?”Evenat

thispoint,GatsbystillcouldnotethenatureofDaisyandstilldidnothavethe

isinnocenceandignoranceof

DaisythatGatsbylosthislifeforanillusion.

Second,Gatsbydidnotethat,likeTom,Daisywouldnotaccepthimasa

sonwhyDaisyagreedtobetogetherwithGatsbywas

thatshethoughtGatsbywasfromtheupper-classandcouldgiveherastable,safeand

hthedescription

oftheirreunion,Daisy‟xcitementaboutGatsby‟swealthwassoapparent“They‟re

smesadbecauI‟veneverensuch—suchbeautiful

shirtsbefore”.Obviously,fromtheverybeginningtotheend,allDaisy‟sgood

impressionofGatsbywasdependonthethoughtthatGatsbywasamemberofher

circleandheownedalargeamountoffortune,whichexplainswhy“shewasdrawing

furtherandfurtherintoherlf”whenGatsbytriedtodenyeverythinganddefendhis

henwasfrightenedandalarmed

becauifTomabandonedhershewilllostnotonlyherfinancialsupportbutalsothe

identityasanupper-classman‟swifewhichprovidedherwithdignityandrecognition.

ThoughGatsbywasrich,hebelongedtothelowerclassnottomentionthathiswealth

ore,ifDaisyhadknewGatsby‟srealsocialstatus,shemightnot

evengiveaglimpofhimand,ofcour,amanlikeGatsbywhocamefromthe

lowerclass,willneverbeacceptedbyawomanlikeDaisywhocamefromthe

houtthewholestory,Gatsbyhopetobeanupper-classmancan

r,Gatsbyhimlfdidnot

knowit,heheldhisdreamtillthelastmomentofhislifeandhopedthatDaisywould

edwithGatsby‟sinabilitytoperceivetherealtruth,Nicksaw

llyknewthatpeoplelikeTomandDaisywereindifferent,

lfishandirresponsibleandthedreamtobecomeamemberofthemcanneverbe

ore,unlikeGatsby,Nickdidnotholdhisdreamtotheendand,unlike

Gatsby,hedidnotdiethoughhemightliveindisillusiontherestofhislife.

ThemajorthemeofTheGreatGatsbyisthat,inthe1920s,AmericanDreamcan

‟sdeath,tosomeextent,istheresultofhisown

nrealizethenatureofwhatkindofpeopleDaisy

andTomwere,aidthattragedyisshowingthe

wascreatedbyFitzgeraldas

ore

whenhisbeautifuldreamwasdestroyedbypeoplelikeDaisyandTom,thetragic

effectwanlargedandGatsby‟sinsistenceonwhatheispursuingintensifiedthe

killfulmanipulationofthecontrast,Fitzgeraldsharply

criticizedthecrueltyoftheAmericanupper-class,thetruenatureofAmericansociety

andthesorrowofadreampursuer.

Conclusion

ComparedwithNick‟sretreatfromtheEast,Gatsby‟sdeathwasamuchmore

edlikeashockingbell

whichalarmedpeoplethetruththatAmericawasnolongertheparadiinwhichman

ietywhereall

peoplewereaddictedtomaterialenjoyment,Gatsby‟sdiligenceemedridiculous

likehimweredestinedtodiebecautheupper-classpeoplelike

mplytookadvantageofhimandthrew

ownblindnesstotheworldonlyledGatsby

walkingtothehellthatDaisyandTomhadcreatedforhim.