Bad Decisions In The Great Gatsby

Title Parties. Booze. Celebrities. Beautiful Women. Drinking. These are all aspects of the lives of all the characters in 1920’s New York City. Yet, all of this is not always the case for the lives of Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom. In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, regret leads to rash decisions as shown through Gatsby’s feud with Tom, Daisy’s relationship with Gatsby, and the climax of the novel. The feud that Gatsby has with Tom throughout the entire novel shows that regret can lead to one making rash decisions. In the book, Fitzgerald writes, “‘I know your wife,’ continued Gatsby almost aggressively,”(102). This quote comes whenever the two are talking at a party and Gatsby almost just blurts it out. This is the start to the two taking shots at each other in the novel trying to prove to the other that they love Daisy the most as Gatsby regrets having lost her once already. Also, Tom insists in the book, “‘I’d like to know what he does...And I think I’ll make a point in finding out,”(108). This is the first time in the novel that Tom brings up the fact that Gatsby may be a part of some very shady business. After he does the research to this he

In the climax Gatsby and Tom argues over who Daisy truly loves and who she will end up with as both characters regret the way she’s been treated and ultimately ruin Daisy and Gatsby relationship. Gatsby states in this harsh argument, “Daisy is leaving you,” (133). This expresses how hostile the usually calm and proper Gatsby can be due to how much he regrets having already lost Daisy once. Daisy then tells Gatsby with obvious reluctance, “I never loved him,” (132). She tells this as she is forced and almost scared of Gatsby. This expresses that due to regretting not convincing her to stay before, he will now be rash and basically force her to stay. This is how the climax of the story shows that regret leads to rash