Examples Of Carelessness In The Great Gatsby

2003 Words9 Pages

Carelessness: Failure to give sufficient attention to avoiding harm or errors; negligence. Being careless is a poor quality that, unfortunately, many people possess. Obviously, every single person has committed an act of carelessness. It is natural for a human to do so. Seldom does carelessness result in a good outcome. When the act seems to be a recurring event, that is when severe action needs to take place. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many acts of carelessness result in bad outcomes, but unfortunately, severe action does not always take place. When Myrtle Wilson acts carelessly, she is killed. When Tom and Daisy Buchanan act carelessly, which is very often, they fall back on their money to solve their problems. The theme of carelessness represented by Myrtle Wilson, Tom Buchanan, and Daisy Buchanan is crucial for the development of the plot of this novel. Myrtle Wilson is a prime example of carelessness within the novel. She knows that Tom is a married man, and is very violent, yet, she continues to see him. Myrtle is focused on what …show more content…

It is natural for this to happen, but it is important that when the mistake is made, it is immediately rectified. Carelessness is a recurring theme throughout the entire novel The Great Gatsby. Many deaths, and unfortunate outcomes have happened due to the lack of thought some characters have before performing certain actions. In the novel, the author uses carelessness demonstrated by Myrtle, Tom, and Daisy as a way of developing the plot of the novel. When Myrtle jumps in front of a car to try to run away with Tom Buchanan, she is killed. When Tom Buchanan has an affair with Myrtle, he leads her astray for her to believe that he loves her, even though he does not, resulting in her death. When Daisy does not show up to Gatsby’s funeral, she proves to her cousin that she is nothing but childish. Based on the outcomes of the careless actions of these