Monday, December 1, 2014

Question #2

What moral judgment does Nick make about Tom and Daisy at the end of the story? Explain using at least one piece of evidence from the text.


18 comments:

  1. Throughout the novel Nick has encountered the drama of Gatsby's and the Buchanan's life jumbled together. In the months of extravagant events and luxury that Nick experienced, he came to conclusion the true personality and morals Daisy and Tom obtained through the life of luxury. Nick has came to an epiphany that Tom and Daisy were heartless people; he refers to them as people that ¨smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they made...¨ (Fitzgerald 179). Therefore, the heartless quality each of them contains contributes to the skewed view of the American dream by acknowledging that money is power, but power can cause struggles in following valuable human morals.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jenna, I really liked the quote you chose and if I had done this question I would have chosen the same one. I agree with the point you made, and it was kind of shocking that Daisy could just move on from Gatsby like that without any feeling. I guess that was because of their money, and the class that they are from which believes that at the end of anything you can always count on money to support you. I'm glad that Nick realized this, because it is true about both of them. Good Explanation.

      Delete
    2. I like your post. It's short and quick. That's exactly how he felt. They are careless people that leave a trail of gunk behind them for someone else to clean.

      Delete
    3. I agree greatly with the statement that Tom and Daisy are very heartless and because of that they have a skewed view of the American dream. I agree, Tom is a man that never really had to do any manual labor in his life, and because of this he believes that everything can be cleaned up by others. Daisy, also a lady who was born into wealth and good looks finds herself never looking for a man but rather a man looking for her. Since these two pose a very similar outlook on life, they both show how truly heartless they both are. Since Nick thinks this way I believe you were completely correct.

      Delete
    4. I agree with Jenna because Nick drastically and obviously changes his opinion about Tom and Daisy. To me, it was blatantly obvious when at the end of the story nick ran into Tom on Fifth Avenue. Tom approached Nick while saying, "What's the matter, Nick? Do you object to shaking hands with me?" and Nick curtly replied with "Yes. You know what I think of you." (Fitzgerald 178). In the excerpt above you can tell that there is a very negative connotation with the way Nick thinks of Tom.

      Delete
    5. You bring up some really great insights about the faults that power and money can bring to a character's moral compass. Very solid use of evidence.

      Delete
  2. At the end of the novel, Nick realizes Tom and Daisy's carelessness and selfishness. "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made" (Fitzgerald 179). Tom and Daisy (mostly Daisy) created the mess in Gatsby's life. Gatsby's whole entire life revolved around Daisy and he put Daisy first his whole life. Yet, she did not really seem to care. After all the chaos Daisy had quickly made in Gatsby's life, she was never there for him in the end. Nick comments on how Tom and Daisy are at the point where their money takes care of their problems. They live in a superficial fake bubble where they no longer have to take responsibility for any of their actions and they can just coast through life messing things up and not have to worry about a single thing. Daisy, nor Tom, showed up at Gatsby's funeral. Daisy never even called Gatsby before he died. Nick never realized this about Tom and Daisy as much until the very end when he came to the conclusion that Tom and Daisy are the most selfish people he has ever met. He was disgusted in them and could never forgive them again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I completely agree with this post because I felt this way about Daisy and Tom throughout the entire novel. Tom is selfish because he only cares about himself. For example, he is arrogant and always talking himself up, and he constantly is having affairs with other woman. Daisy is careless because she doesn't give Gatsby the attention he deserves. He devotes his whole life to pleasing her and gets very little in return. She doesn't even show up to his funeral when she should have been the victim.

      Delete
    2. Great comments on the morals of Tom and Daisy. However, be careful not to use a "floating quotation." You must root your evidence in your own language.

      Delete
  3. At the end of the Great Gatsby, Nick realizes that Daisy and Tom are reckless and shallow people. It was as Nick reflects on the story of Daisy and Gatsby that he sees the truth. "And all the time something within her was crying for a decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately... That force took shape in the middle of spring with the arrival of Tom Buchanan", exposes their true character. They don't know what they want; they act without giving thought to the repercussions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree with Jada that Nick does discover this. He has been friends with them for a while now, and it has taken some time for him to realize it, but Tom and Daisy are very shallow people, like Jada said. Daisy only married Tom for his money.

      Delete
    2. I agree with Jada and Julia, Daisy made a decision without even thinking of the consequence or without thinking about anyone else. She wanted what was the best for her and the future that she would have with Tom. She married Tom thinking about HER future.

      Delete
    3. "Reckless" and "shallow" are words that perfectly capture Tom and Daisy. Be sure to root your evidence in your own language and avoid "floating quotations."

      Delete
  4. At the end of the story, Nick morally judges Tom and Daisy as careless people. When Nick runs into Tom in front of the jewelry store Nick shares this thought, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made..." (Fitzgerald 179). Nick judges them this way because of what happened to Gatsby. Daisy never told Tom that she was the one driving, because Tom didn't know this, he told Wilson that is was Gatsby who had hit Myrtle. Even tho Tom was partially responsible for what happened to the Wilsons, he felt that Gatsby was fully to blame and that his death was justified.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree especially because they did not go to the funeral. I think that Daisy will regret that very much later in life.

      Delete
    2. Jack,
      I agree with you completely. I think that the quote you used really shows how Tom and Daisy act: only looking out for themselves. I think you ending comment exemplifies how self centered Tom is by the fact that he was also to blame for the death of Myrtle, but he let Gatsby take all the heat.

      Delete
  5. Nick's comment about Tom and Daisy is the cold hard truth. He says that they have not life and no feelings towards anyone else and that they only care about themselves and about money. They do nothing for other people and they are very selfish. Daisy was living in her own world and she wanted to stay that way. All Daisy wanted was for her life to revolve around money and fake love. Nick mentions that all "she wanted in life shaped not, immediately--and the decision must be made by some force--of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality--that was close at hand"(Fitzgerald 151). Daisy and Tom are just in it for the money and all they want in life is to be by themselves and to have money. Nick realizes this at the end of the book and sees the true Tom and Daisy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The quote that I was trying to find is on page 179, "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness"(Fitzgerald 179). This shows the truth about Tom and Daisy and how Nick now feels about them. He discovered this about them toward the end of the book when their true character came alive.

      Delete