In chapter 8 Gatsby reveals even more about the beginning of his relationship with Daisy. He speaks of his past and how in love he was with “the first ‘nice’ girl he had ever met”, yet the way he speaks of Daisy is akin to the way one would speak of a prized possession. To him Daisy is no more than another material item, the crown jewel of his wealth. This is corroborated by his conversation with Nick on page 148. Here, Gatsby is supposed to be describing his love for Daisy, but what he really ends up talking about is Daisy’s beautiful house and the fact that many other men had loved Daisy before him. When he says “It excited him, too, that many men had already loved Daisy-it increased her value in his eyes.” He reveals that when he says he loves Daisy, he is merely saying that he loves the concept of Daisy. He does not see her as a human being, but rather a priceless object that would complete his collection of priceless objects. Because she is the crown jewel, he can never let her go. This is why he decides to stay in West Egg even after the death of Myrtle. In these two chapters, Gatsby is killed and his funeral is arranged by Nick. No matter how hard Nick tries to find guests to attend Gatsby’s funeral, he is barely able to get 10 people. The people who had once attended Gatsby’s parties every week were now nowhere to be found. They were like parasites feeding on his generosity, but as soon as it ended, along with his life, they had no more reason to be associated with him.
A very significant motif throughout the novel is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock which is discussed thoroughly by Nick at the very end of the novel. Throughout the book, this green light had always represented Gatsby’s dream, Daisy. On the very last page of the book Nick speaks of the way Dutch Sailor’s must have felt when they experienced the American continent for the first time. They must have experienced much the same emotions as Gatsby had when he first arrived at West Egg: “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.” The Dutch Sailors and Gatsby represent the same thing in Fitzgerald’s eyes. They represent me who have worked extremely hard to attain the opportunity that lay before them. They are so close to their dream, yet they can never obtain it. Gatsby in himself is a representation of the self-made man. He came from humble beginnings, but through hard work he was able to make a name for himself. Yet, the self-made man despite his perseverance and success seems to be bogged down by the European-like aristocracy. True American capitalists like Gatsby cannot seem to break into the European social hierarchy that has invaded America’s shores. In the end this aristocracy not only didn’t accept Gatsby, it also killed him. In essence, the message Fitzgerald is trying to convey through his novel is that the American dream, or the green light, that Gatsby believed in with such conviction has been killed by the European-modeled aristocracy of the United States.
A very significant motif throughout the novel is the green light at the end of Daisy’s dock which is discussed thoroughly by Nick at the very end of the novel. Throughout the book, this green light had always represented Gatsby’s dream, Daisy. On the very last page of the book Nick speaks of the way Dutch Sailor’s must have felt when they experienced the American continent for the first time. They must have experienced much the same emotions as Gatsby had when he first arrived at West Egg: “He had come a long way to this blue lawn, and his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.” The Dutch Sailors and Gatsby represent the same thing in Fitzgerald’s eyes. They represent me who have worked extremely hard to attain the opportunity that lay before them. They are so close to their dream, yet they can never obtain it. Gatsby in himself is a representation of the self-made man. He came from humble beginnings, but through hard work he was able to make a name for himself. Yet, the self-made man despite his perseverance and success seems to be bogged down by the European-like aristocracy. True American capitalists like Gatsby cannot seem to break into the European social hierarchy that has invaded America’s shores. In the end this aristocracy not only didn’t accept Gatsby, it also killed him. In essence, the message Fitzgerald is trying to convey through his novel is that the American dream, or the green light, that Gatsby believed in with such conviction has been killed by the European-modeled aristocracy of the United States.