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Carrissa asked this question about The Great Gatsby:
At the end of the novel, only Tom and Daisy remain together, unscathed by the novels many tragedies and disappointments. Knowing what you do about these two characters, why do things turn out this way? What allows Tom and Daisy to escape much of the pain of what they contributed to?
K Jenkins Daisy has her finger broken by Tom, has Tom's multiple affairs painfully exhibited in front of her and her house guests and is fully aware that Tom is…moreDaisy has her finger broken by Tom, has Tom's multiple affairs painfully exhibited in front of her and her house guests and is fully aware that Tom is a racist: she is thus physically abused, emotionally abused and intellectually abused by her husband. Gatsby tricked her and lied to her about his true identity and betrayed her into thinking he was someone other than a criminal. She turns to Gatsby for an escape from Tom's cruelty. When she discovers that Gatsby is actually Gatz and that he is a bootlegger and a criminal - she feels betrayed and leaves the hotel in New York devastated that another man has lied to her. She is not jailed for the murder of Myrtle, and "gets away" with that portion, but she does not return to Tom "unscathed" as you say. Don't forget, she genuinely loved Jay Gatsby it was her parents who would not let her go to Gatsby at the train station to see Gatsby off to battle. She did not destroy George or Jay's lives - Tom did. Sure Gatsby "dared to dream" but at the expense of reality. Such as the fact that he was impacting Daisy's life 5 years later and utterly lying to her about his identity. Daisy was just a trophy for him. Daisy may be financially privileged but her experience isn't anything like Toms: her parents manipulate her, Jordan uses her, Gatsby only wants her because she is popular and Tom only married her for her money.(less)
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The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
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