Who Is To Blame For Jay Gatsby's Downfall

The chain of reactions that occurs in the West Egg and East Egg after the mysterious Jay Gatsby moves in next to Nick Caraway ends in the fatal shooting of Gatsby. The actions of Jay Gatsby throughout the summer of 1922 were those of an arrogant and obsessive man, and his untimely demise reminds the reader that consequences can be fatal. His selfish behavior and the obsession he holds for Daisy is a catalyst for a chain of events that ends with his murder. Although George Wilson pulled the trigger on Gatsby, Jay might as well have held a gun to his head instead. Wilson would not have decided to shoot Gatsby if not for the death of Myrtle, which stemmed from a long-lasting sequence of poor decisions on Gatsby's part. So yes, in a literal sense,

After Myrtle Wilson gets fatally hit by a car that is thought by the majority to be driven by Gatsby, Nick urges him to leave town. While Nick advises Jay to, “go to Atlantic City for a week, or up to Montreal” (Fitzgerald 113), he makes the active decision not to go out of obligation to Daisy. Nick tells Gatsby to leave town in hopes of keeping him out of trouble with the law, but even if this was not the case Gatsby would have escaped death if he had taken Nick’s advice. Gatsby only faces this dilemma because he takes the fall for Daisy and does not expose her for being the driver of the car that fatally hits Myrtle. While all of these decisions are irrational, Gatsby rationalizes them with his obsessive love for Daisy. Even though the series of wrong decisions made by Gatsby throughout the novel were made from a place of love, they were made to ensure the safety of a woman who would never love him the way he loves. The narcissistic traits that Gatsby exhibits throughout the entirety of the book end up in his death. While having pride in oneself isn't inherently a negative trait, the arrogance and pride that Gatsby conveys is what could be considered a fatal