How Does Fitzgerald Use Weather In The Great Gatsby

There was once a belief that God controlled the weather. The temperament of the weather was determined by his emotions. When God was angry “... he did not spare the ancient world when brought the flood on its ungodly people…”(Teen Study Bible, 2 Peter, 2.5). When God was feeling sympathetic and helpful he would send relief to ameliorate famines. In the fascinating and critically acclaimed novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald also explores the correlation between emotions and weather. Throughout the novel, a great array of emotions is displayed ranging anywhere from grief to joy. Fitzgerald uses the symbol of weather to convey emotions that are not stated or obvious throughout the novel. The temperament of the weather and the temperament

Despite the storyline taking place only over a short summer, the weather just like the emotional states of the characters was changing constantly. On the day of Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby’s reunion, it was initially downpouring. When Gatsby reentered after his brief panic attack he “was standing in a puddle of water glaring tragically into my [Nick’s] eyes.”(86.). The rain, streaming down Gatsby’s suit like rivers, seemed to symbolize the desperation and sadness that Gatsby had felt towards Daisy. A reader could almost imagine the lost look on Gatsby’s face and see the trembles in his hands in anticipation of seeing the dream he had desired for so long. The awkwardness and lingering sadness was almost palpable in the room and pauses between the lost lovers “endured horribly..”(86.). Both Daisy and Mr. Gatsby didn’t know what to say or do since it has been 5 years since their last encounter. As the former lovers tried to rediscover their past flame, the rain continued to fall reflecting the heartache within.

Nick dutiful noticed that “In this heat, every extra gesture was affront to the common store of life.”(115.). This observation makes the events that would unfold become more dramatic and intense due to the heat that burned like rage. Daisy and Gatsby thought that this scorching day was the best time to tell Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s cheating husband, that Daisy was leaving him for Mr. Gatsby. As the group went into the city on the hottest day of the year, the tensions between Gatsby and Tom continued to climb just like the temperature. In the hotel, room tensions boiled over and turned into a shouting match over Daisy. Tom seemingly won and sent off his wife and Gatsby by saying “You two start on home, Daisy...I think he realizes that his presumptuous little flirtation is over.”(135.). Fitzgerald symbolized the immense amount of anger and tension with the extreme heat. Nothing better represented the climactic confrontation between Tom and Gatsby than the scorching sun and harsh heat waves. Fitzgerald’s use of the hot day as a symbol of rage and competition intensified the climax of the