The Great Gatsby - Daisy's Role |
In one of the greatest works of the Twentieth Century, "The Great Gatsby" by F.Scott Fitzgerald, there are many dynamic and round characters which greatly add to the story's theme. One character, Daisy Fay Buchannon, is made essential by way of her relation to the theme. With her multi-dimensional personality and relation to the conflicts, she becomes needed in order to convey the meaning. Not only this, but she is also an important part of the plot.
Daisy Buchannon is a round and dynamic character with many different sides to her personality. Early on in the book, she is portayed as sweet and innocent. Her white and seemingly floating dress appeals to Nick in this way. She grew up as "the most popular of all the young girls in Louisville." Even then she dressed in white. Daisy also keeps a daughter around as a show toy. Whenever company comes over, she beckons for the little girl to come and put on a little act for everyone. This is signifies her life. She is kept in the closet until it's time to show off for company. Daisy becomes radiant and personable. When everyone has gone, she is a bored housewife, of no importance to the world wondering aloud what she is going to do with the rest of her life. She appears to be bored yet innocent and harmless. Yet her innocense is false. Simply a materialistic young girl and has little mind of her own is underneath all of that covering. Daisy rediscovers her love with Gatsby because of his nice shirts and large house. Daisy has been well trained in a rich family. She has grown up with all of the best. When Gatsby failed to contact her, she went off and married another man, without evening having heard word from Gatsby. All of these many and round characteristics add complications to the plot and dimension to the meaning she adds to the book.
The afore mentioned characteristics also help to create some of the main conflicts. Daisy was involved in the conflict between her and Tom. Tom had a mistress and Daisy was upset by it. Another conlfict is her love affair with Gatsby. Her appearent sweetness and innocence allow Gatsby to fall in love with her. But her impatience and ingorance of true love or the meaning of truth or compassion allow her to flawlessly marry Tom, without a sober thought of Gatsby. He falls for her, which leads up to the futher conflict. The conflict is, whether or not she will fall in love with Gatsby. Gatsby is still in love with her after five years. He hopes and dreams that she is too. This creates another conflict: Gatsby's dream. When Gatsby was seventeen, he dreamed of being rich and powerful. When he ment Daisy, his dream changed. His goal was to see if he could reach his dream. This conflict helps to add up to the main theme.
The way the conflicts created by Daisy help the theme are numerous. The most significant way is that she is the central corruption of Gatsby's dream. The dream began as a simple bid for happiness. Yet Gatsby was corrupted by money. He wanted money. He believed that money would make him happy. When he became rich, his dream was then centered upon Daisy. Daisy was the only thing (or at least he thought) between him and happiness. This personifies the meaning being conyed by Fitzgerald. That the American dream has been corrupted by money. Another theme is that everything is not as it appears. Daisy appears to be sweet, innocent, and intelligent. While underneath her "white dress" lies a corrutped innerself. She is crude and showy, all an act to attract people to her. This theme is displated in almost every character. Everyone appears to be someone they're not, just as people in the society of the 1920's. With prohibtiion and the extremely active nightlife of the "Roaring 20's," everyone had something to hide. This is displayed in Gatsby, who is involved in the drug trafficing business -- almost a mobster. Yet he appears to be simply a smart business man. Daisy herself is a good example, and adds greatly to the meaning of most of the meanings.
All in all, Daisy contributes and is essential to the story through her personality, conflicts, and themes. Being a three- dimensional character, she is an excellent addition to the novel and greatly increases the meaning. Without her, the story would lack many certain elements which are crucial to the theme. |