Great Gatsby Essay The Domino Effect. The Domino Effect can be defined by the following: the cumulative effect produced when one event sets off a chain of similar events. The choices that people make in life seal their fate; whether that outcome physically or mentally affects them. Those outcomes,” hit the next domino” creating momentum for another event to happen and the cycle continues. Similarly, the domino effects of decisions can be compared to a Rube Goldberg machine. Where every move or decision triggers the next until the final movement is made and the fate from the first choice is present and happening. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the use of ignorant decisions becomes present when one poor judgment leads to the next …show more content…
As a wealthy and powerful man, he can exert his influence over others and manipulate situations to his advantage. As evidence, Fitzgerald writes, "It was the man in the car. She ran out to speak to him and he wouldn't stop" (Fitzgerald, 143). This quote highlights Tom's culpability in the unintentional hit-and-run accident that kills Myrtle. Moreover, Fitzgerald further emphasizes Tom's responsibility when he writes about Tom's arrogance and how much more it was pronounced when he stood among the rubble of his mistress's tragedy (Fitzgerald 157). Tom's choices had just hit his final domino and the fate he had been building up to was finally set. At this moment his choices with his wife had led a bystander to be hurt. If Tom did not cheat on his wife Daisy or allowed her to drive home with Gatsby, Myrtle would still be alive. Thus, through both his actions and attitudes, Tom Buchanan bears significant responsibility for Myrtle Wilson's death in The Great …show more content…
In a conversation between Gatsby and Tom, Tom asks, “Was Daisy driving?” “Yes,” he said after a moment”(Fitzgerald 110).In this quote, the reader becomes aware that Daisy, Tom's wife, is behind the car's wheel that kills Myrtle. Previous texts state that Daisy felt overwhelmed before getting into the car and believed driving would calm her nerves. So Daisy drove home, however as Daisy was speeding through the valley of ashes Myrtle came out of the house and towards the car. To further explain Myrtle runs out because she believes the car to be Tom as he had driven by in it earlier that day. Daisy continues speeding down the road and runs right over Myrtle without slowing down. Though it is evident that the text states that Daisy ran over Gatsby, It was Tom's actions and attitude that sealed her fate. Tom insists that Daisy rides with Gatsby home, he says, Go on. He won’t annoy you. I think Gatsby has concluded that his presumptuous little affair is over (Fitzgerald 104). The fight previous to driving home, Tom and Gatsby fight over who has Daisy's love. Tom is so overconfident that to prove his point that Daisy and Gatsby are through he sends them home together. Failing to remember that they had switched cars on the way over. As a result of this, he also fails to realize the possible actions of his mistress. The novel also explains the great