Topic > Gatsby's Superficial Love: His Obsession with Daisy's Wealth

In The Great Gatsby, one of the most important features of the book is the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy. This relationship is what begins and ends the book, as each event is triggered by Gatsby's obsession with Daisy and his desire to rekindle their love. He moves to West Egg to be close to her and dies protecting her and her reputation. However, this love may not be what it seems on the outside, a man longing to reconnect with a past love he has never forgotten. In reality, Gatsby never truly loved Daisy for who she is, but for what she represented. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Daisy is the embodiment of the rich and what comes with it, which is what Gatsby has been seeking since his childhood. His values ​​are clear, as when Daisy and Gatsby meet again for the first time, Gatsby is eager to show her his mansion and, more specifically, his clothes. "He opened for us two enormous patent cabinets which contained his suits, his dressing gowns and ties, and his shirts, piled like bricks in piles a dozen high... He took out a pile of shirts and began to throw them, one for one, before us.” (Fitzgerald 92) His purpose in doing this is to establish his superficial image and his wealth interest in his appearance and demonstrating his wealth is obvious. His way of “throwing” shirts is to show his carefree ways with money. The motive behind Gatsby's criminal activity is to do the same thing, which is to get the money that will put him on the same level as Daisy and feel worthy enough to be part of that upper class Tom confronts Gatsby about his illegal business and calls Gatsby a "common swindler", which shows that earning money through that business. it won't make it never part of the "real" upper class. Yet, this is the only way for Gatsby to have enough to match those with old money, like Tom and Daisy. Having old money also brings security and luxury. “He might have despised himself, for surely he had taken her under false pretenses. I don't mean to say that he had exploited his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person more or less of the same class as hers - that he was fully capable of caring for her. In reality, he had no such facilities: he had no wealthy family behind him, and he was susceptible, at the whim of an impersonal government, to being shipped anywhere in the world. (Fitzgerald 149) He wants to live the life of someone who is part of the upper class and convince him that he is just like the old money people since he had "deliberately given Daisy a sense of security." He could only be fully satisfied if he had that wealth. “She disappeared into her rich home, into her rich and full life, leaving Gatsby – nothing.” (Fitzgerald 149) Gatsby felt that he was left with “nothing,” without the things that Daisy represented. “His porch was illuminated by the acquired luxury of the splendor of the stars; the wicker of the sofa creaked fashionably as she turned to him and he kissed her curious and lovely mouth. He had caught a cold, and it made his voice hoarse and more charming than ever, and Gatsby was keenly aware of the youth and mystery which wealth imprisons and preserves, of the freshness of many dresses, and of Daisy, shining like silver , confident and proud above the fiery struggles of the poor. (Fitzgerald 149-150) The porch has the “luxury of the splendor of the stars” and its voice, 1925.