Death In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, has deeper meanings beyond the story. Fitzgerald uses the story to explain and give his opinion on a multitude of themes. In the novel, the lower class who chase their vision of the American dream end up dead; pursuing the dream is not attainable for the lower class. The first example of this is Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle is married to George Wilson but is unfaithful in her marriage and has an affair with Tom Buchanan. She believes she is not truly happy in her marriage with George, which causes her to need an affair. “A moment later, she rushed out into the dusk, waving her hands and shouting — before he could move from his door, the business was over” (Fitzgerald 137).

Myrtle believed it to be Tom and ran out into the road, hoping to flag him down, but was struck down, killing her. Her death was much different than Gatsby and her husband, George Wilson, but the causes of their deaths are all related. Jay Gatsby, the name-sake of the story, is a mysterious character at the beginning of the book, but as Nick becomes closer to him, we see how he is as a person and who he is. James Gatz, also known as Jay Gatsby, grew up a lower-class citizen in North Dakota. While working on Lake Superior, Gatsby gets a job caring for Dan Cody’s yacht. Cody gave James his nickname, which was Jay Gatsby. He taught him how to become a person of high class, which was Gatsby’s dream. When the story takes place, Gatsby is one of the wealthiest people in New York. His version of the American dream, riches, and love differed significantly from Myrtle and George Wilson’s. He achieved riches but lacked what he wanted most, Daisy Buchanan. Jay and Daisy are in love when Gatsby serves in World War I. After Gatsby goes on his tour, Daisy moves on and marries a man of old money, Tom