The Great Gatsby

Furthermore it is fairly important to consider that out of all the rooms, magnificently decorated and filled with materialism, Gatsby’s room, the one in which the most time was to be spent, was the least ‘polluted’ by materialism. “His bedroom was the simplest room of all”. (88) There also seems to be a sense of not belonging for Gatsby by the introduction of Mr. Klipspringer, suggesting that everything that Gatsby has created serves only one purpose: Daisy. It is fundamental that Mr. Klipspringer’s presence, as well as Nick’s expectations of hidden guests, “I felt that there were guests concealed behind every couch and table” (88), suggests that the very nature of his home, his very establishment is to house extravagant and careless parties, in which the magnitude of his status and wealth may be exaggerated, in the belief that Daisy may eventually realize his new status and fulfill his lifelong endeavor.  

Thus far Fitzgerald, through Nick, the only man to pertain to any morals, has created the idea of an unbalanced environment. Fitzgerald attempts at affirming a new balance through the reader’s realization that Gatsby’s deliberate expressions of wealth and materialism in everything he does, is clearly driven by a far nobler cause: love. Gatsby then seems to be a man willingly found entrenched in a foreign environment, driven by love and sustained by materialism.

“He hadn’t once ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes.” (88)  

This quote seems to encapsulate everything that Gatsby had hoped his materialism would attract, solely and most importantly Daisy. It can then be argued that this brings light to various positive aspects within Gatsby’s life. However materialism is Gatsby’s mediator between Daisy, a glorified dream, and Gatsby himself. Suggesting, and as proven in Gatsby’s earlier years, that without the luxury and comfort of materialism, the love he seeks may evade, as well as elude him. Bringing about the question as to whether the love Daisy may have had for Gatsby is real or not, amongst other different negative aspects.  

Although it is clear that once Gatsby assumes that there is a possibility for him to rekindle the passion and love he and Daisy shared in their younger years, he willingly sacrifices and denies all materialism:

“Sometimes too, he stared around at his possessions in a dazed way, as though in her actual and astounding presence none of it was any longer real.” (88)

The first time Gatsby actually speaks, within this extract he blurts:

“It’s the funniest thing, old sport, I can’t – when I try to- “ (89)

This suggests how he (Gatsby) has totally been overcome by the very thought of Daisy being in his house, comprehending everything he slavishly achieved and fought for, for this very moment in which she (Daisy) would understand that everything had been about her. This is the stage in the novel that Gatsby realizes he has come to the verge of his desires and dreams, finally reflecting the possibility of a happy life. At this very stage we can stop and admire the possibility of a rekindled love and the way in which this particular part of the episode as been positively amplified.

The following extract, in contrast to the extract above echoes Gatsby’s assertion in materialism, once again and its constant demand in convincing, or assuring Daisy a possibility in their existence together:

“I’ve got a man in England who buys me clothes. He sends over a selection of things at the beginning of each season, spring and fall.” (89)

 

Prior to the speaking of these words, Nick realizes the gravity of the situation in which both Daisy and especially Gatsby are embedded by defining Gatsby’s current position:

“Now, in the reaction, he was running down like an over-wound clock” (89)

This not only describes Gatsby’s condition but more over his condition in relation to Daisy and his naïve attempts at winning Daisy over and allowing himself to release a harbored dream in exchange for her love.

Lastly and probably the most severe realization is Daisy’s understanding that regardless of all the material goods that have deliberately found their ownership to Gatsby, there may never be a absolute rekindling of their past feelings and emotions. This is illustrated with Daisy’s response to the various arrays of shirts that were tossed in a final attempt by Gatsby, through materialism, to re-grasp a common emotion shared between one another:

“They’re such beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before.” (89)

Daisy’s crying “stormily” just seems to amplify this belief and her understanding in Gatsby’s life being a pitiful waste of time, perusing a dream far after it was meant to be pursued.

In concluding it is clear to say that Fitzgerald incorporated within this episode and the entire novel, both positive as well as negative aspects. But it seems that the positive aspects merely suspend the final conclusion of both this episode and the novel: delusion.