The Great Gatsby Essay, Research Paper

Defined by a book of current literary terms, a climax is “the arrangement of a

series of ideas or expressions in ascending order of importance or emphasis;

the last term of the arrangement; a culmination.” Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald

during the roaring 20’s, The Great Gatsby provides a look into the upper class

circle of the East and West Villages of New York City. Known as East and

West Egg in the novel, Fitzgerald, through the eyes of bachelor, portrays a

cynical view of the high social society and the morality which it lacks. This

scarcity of ethics ultimately causes the downfall of their hollow world in a

clatter of broken hearts and mislead minds. The climax of The Great Gatsby

takes place in a New York Hotel suite when, after many hints toward the

reason for Gatsby’s company, the true nature of his presence is revealed to

Tom Buchanan. Ever since Jay Gatsby returned from World War I, which

swept him away from his boyhood love Daisy, he has made every indirect

effort to make contact and rekindle her love for him. Even with the knowledge

that she is married and leads a separate life from his, Gatsby, without regrets,

lives his life for her. When, at long last, he has the chance to interact with

Daisy, he capitalizes on it immediately. With the assistance of Jordan Baker

and his neighbor Nick Carraway (Daisy’s second cousin), Gatsby arranges a

meeting with Daisy. At this meeting the two hearts are reunited and again

would be one, if not for the plate glass barrier of Daisy’s marriage to Tom

Buchanan which separates them. Originally held apart by a young boys’

ineptitude to provide for a wealthy girl, Daisy is now held back by a seemingly

insincere knot of matrimony. This keeps the all important bonds of love to be

formed between the two former lovers. Tom, a wealthy man with family

history, is enlightened to the existence of this perennial relationship in a slow

weave of events which explode into the climax of the novel in a New York

Hotel Room during a visit by Jay Gatsby. The spark that ignites the climax

tinder box is a question posed by Tom to Gatsby. “‘What kind of a row are you

trying to cause in my house anyhow?’ They were out in the open at last and

Gatsby was content.” The openness further shows itself as the scene quickly

progresses into an blitzkrieg of words, the opposing forces Tom and Gatsby.

“I’ve got something to tell you, old sport,__” began Gatsby. But Daisy guessed

at his intention. “Please don’t!” she interrupted helplessly. “Please let’s all go

home Why don’t we all go home.?”… “She never loved you, do you hear?” he

cried. ” She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting

for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone

except me!” At this point Jordan and I tried to go but Tom and Gatsby insisted

with competitive firmness that we remain__ as though neither of them had

anything to conceal and it would be a privilege to partake vicariously of their

emotions. (137-8) Insults and accusations are slung as the too assault each

other in a humanely cruel way until, when at the height of the climax, Daisy

breaks apart. The two suitors are torn from their opposing member and focus

on the revealed pain felt by the object of both their affections. “Please don’t.”

Her voice was cold but the rancor was gone from it. She looked at Gatsby.

“There, Jay,” she said__but her hand as she tried to light a cigarette was

trembling. Suddenly she threw the cigarette and the burning match on the

carpet. “Oh, you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love you now__ isn’t

that enough? I can’t help what’s past.” She began to sob helplessly. ” I did love

him once__but I loved you too Gatsby’s eyes opened and closed. “You loved

me too he repeated?”… “She’s not leaving me!” Tom’s world suddenly leaned

down over Gatsby. “Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal

the ring he put on her finger.”(139-40) A knock out punch, the argument soon

sided itself and Tom emerged the victor from a slowly dissipating cloud of dust,

Daisy his spoils. The argument drones on, a monotone buzz of accusations, but

the outcome had already been decided and the words from that point on would

be swallowed by Gatsby in a big gulp of false pride. This scene in which

Gatsby and Tom face off is the climax of the novel because all the events of

the book lead up to that one point with a constant drone of anticipation, and the

events following it, drift harmlessly towards the conclusion. From the beginning

of the novel and Gatsby’s wonderfully extravagant parties, to the initial meeting

of Daisy and Gatsby and the blossoming friendship between Jay and Nick, the

book surmounts to that single defining moment in the hotel room in which the

main characters can be seen in a shrewdly perforating light. The events which

follow the fight in the hotel are also interesting, but unimportant in the end.

Gatsby never lost hope that Daisy would come to him, but as soon as this hope

and care arrived back to his heart, unanswered, the events that followed were

no longer of importance. Once Daisy’s love and trust in Gatsby died, so did his

soul, his body was only an earthly reminder of his existence until Wilson took

that also. From the moment when Daisy admitted her love to Tom was true,

and that Daisy’s heart was merely a shared possession of his and Tom’s,

Gatsby lost the true hope and was left with the care of a desperate man which

he so vividly personified.