"I couldn't forgive him or like him, but I saw that what he had done was, to him, entirely justified. It was all very careless and confused. 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..." (181).
This was the most profound quote in the book for me, and it summarized the preceding action well. Throughout the novel, the rich lived without care and concern, harboring secrets while socializing at the summer parties. Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and even Myrtle Wilson all caused havoc in their own lives but never took responsibility. Others were left to deal with the messes they left behind. This was one of the key points that separated Nick from the others; he cared about others. The wealth these people had could protect them from responsibility, but it couldn't make them happy or truly satisfied. I think this is a theme in the novel, how unsatisfied the rich were as they acted with carelessness. The damaging consequences serve as a warning, showing how the carefree, lavish lifestyle leads to corruption and destruction.
I agree with your analysis, and I think the final line gets to the central theme of the work as well. All the characters were trying to leave something behind them, but the more they tried the more they struggled. Eventually, the effort messed with their mental and moral states.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you said that money protected them from responsibility because I believe that money does allow people a great degree of freedom. With their money, they were allowed to throw lavish parties and socialize at events, but all of this showed to be superficial when it came to hiding from their past. They were never really satisfied with their lives because they never had to own what they did; therefore, they took the easy way out.
ReplyDelete