Obsession Vs. Love In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Anaya Clark

Ms. Campione

English

20 March 2023

Unknown

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald we are introduced to the idea of obsession vs love. Most people that read The Great Gatsby consider Daisy the antagonist of the story because of her betrayals in the book. Daisy should not be considered an antagonist of the story, but rather Gatsby’s ambition and obsession with bringing his dream to life is the real antagonist. He created false perceptions of Daisy that fit the perfect life that he wanted. Throughout the book, Gatsby continues introducing the idea of the perfect future with Daisy. Which ended up getting him killed.

If Gatsby's obsession didn't blind him to reality, he would've seen Daisy wasn't perfect. While describing

All of the work that Gatsby did was for the future that he imagined with Daisy. When Tom and Gatsby are arguing over Daisy, Gatsby says “She never loved you, do you hear?” he cried. “She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart, she never loved anyone except for me”(130). When Gatsby is screaming at Tom he is saying that Daisy had never loved Tom while they were married and that she had only loved him. Gatsby speaks in desperation. Gatsby telling himself that Daisy never loved Tom. This means he can continue to believe that Daisy will forever be his. He convinces himself that Daisy will leave Tom and run back to the life that they once knew. After one of Gatsby's parties Nick and Gatsby are talking when Gatsby and Nick say “you can't repeat the past, cant repeat the past he cried incredulously why of course you can!” In the scene, Nick is talking to Gatsby after one of his parties and states that you can repeat the past. Gatsby responded with why of course you can. Gatsby's response shows his obsession with getting back what he once had with Daisy no matter what. Gatsby's words show that in order to comfort himself and Nick he had to get his former love back. If Gatsby can't repeat the past then all the work he did would be for nothing. To repeat the past would accomplish his goal of getting Daisy

Nick states “I called up Daisy half an hour later after we found him calling her instinctively and without hesitation. But she and Tom had gone away earlier that afternoon and had taken baggage with them” (126). Nick was calling Daisy to let her know that Gatsby was shot and killed. When Nick called a housekeeper stated that Tom and Daisy had left that afternoon and taken everything with them. Meaning that Daisy would not be coming to Gatsby's funeral even after all that he did for her. Daisy not showing up for Tom shows that the love that she said she had for him wasn't real. She just loved his money. Gatsby had to be alone on the day of his funeral because Daisy did not come to his