Blog Entry 11: The Great Gatsby

I enjoyed reading the beginning of the novel because I love it when an author begins a novel with a story or an anecdote. Beginning like this captivates the reader and urges them to read on in order to see whether the main character learns from this anecdote or not and how it affects their life. I like how the author gives background information about the main character and portrays Nick Carraway as honest and from a good family. Each of the characters in this novel have some sort of conflict that controls their actions and their interactions with the characters around them. The connections between them surprised me as I read as well. Jay Gatsby is in love with a married woman, Daisy Buchanan, who is Nick Carraway's cousin. Jordan Baker, who is Daisy Buchanan's friend, becomes Nick's lover. Myrtle Wilson, who is married to George Wilson, is having an affair with Tom Buchanan, who is Daisy Buchanan's husband. The ending was wonderful because all these characters meet but unfortunate because one of them dies. Even though Gatsby and Mr. Wilson do not really interact with each other, they connect in that they love women who love Tom Buchanan. In the end, Daisy rejects Gatsby and remains with Tom because she realizes that having a relationship or love affair outside of marriage was a dumb fantasy. She realizes that she would not be happy with Gatsby and that Tom is her husband and her duty. Myrtle is an interesting character. I believe that she was with Tom just because she wanted the fantasy of falling in love. She married a dumb man, George Wilson, and was just looking for something better, someone to love her. Unfortunately, Tom obviously does not truly love her and uses her for his desires but then again this view can be argued through the way he claims to cry and mope after her death, at least that is what he tells people around him. The character that I dislike the most in this novel is Tom because he is, quite bluntly, a sexist pig. He cheats on Daisy with Myrtle, knowing that Daisy knows because Myrtle even calls him home but when he finds out about Daisy and Gatsby, he gets angry and confronts Gatsby and his wife about it. I find it sad that Daisy listens to what he says about Gatsby and does not realize the gravity of what her husband has done to her. I had no difficulties reading this novel. I really enjoyed it!