In Chapter 5 Nick invites Daisy over for tea so that Gatsby can just happen to be there too. I have to say I’m very disappointed in their meeting, I was expecting something…less awkward? Gatsby usually seems so calm and collected and when Daisy got there he just lost it. Clearly Gatsby had been planning a moment like this for over five years, I think he could of done a better job with what he had to say and what happened. I actually felt bad for Nick in this chapter, I think sitting in the room with the two extremely awkward lovebirds would have been painful. I also feel bad for him because he keeps getting dragged into this awkward romantic situations that really have nothing to do with him..i.e. Tom and Myrtle and now Gatsby and Daisy (third-wheel-Nick). Although if I were Nick I’m not sure which one I would find less awkward but Fitzgerald makes it clear that Daisy and Gatsby’s first meeting wasn’t the smoothest.

” Amid the welcome confusion of cups and cakes a certain physical decency established itself. Gatsby got himself into a shadow and, while Daisy and I talked, looked conscientiously from one to the other of us with tense, unhappy eyes. However, as calmness wasn’t an end in itself, I made an excuse at the first possible moment, and got to my feet.” Pg 87

Once the three of them go over to Gatsby’s home the tension gets no better. Gatsby takes them frantically around the house showing his various wonders from his collection of ‘beautiful shirts’ from England to citris fruits that he has imported. Not to keep bringing this but as I mentioned before I keep seeing similarities between this and Araby because he becomes obsessed with the silver bracelet that his love has ( or is able to afford) and Gatsby is clearly the same way, trying to practically sell himself to Daisy.

I hadn’t really noticed how sketchy Gatsby is acting until this chapter. Everything he has done so far seems like it has been for Daisy. He even says how ” If it wasn’t for the mist we could see your home across the bay,” meaning that on clear days, he stares out at her dock-looking for the green light from chapter 1. He also lets Daisy know how hes been saving newspaper clippings of her. If I was Daisy I would be pretty creep-ed out by Gatsby at this point- there is a line and I think collecting newspaper clippings for the past five years crosses it. Once again I get the feeling that nothing good can come from meeting which I’m starting to find frustrating because I like Daisy and I wish that she could have the opportunity to be with someone better than Tom but although Gatsby seems like a better choice than Tom I don’t know if he loves Daisy or the idea of her. I’m also not convinced that Gatsby would be satisfied once he got her. He seems so reckless I doubt that anything would be able to really satisfy him. This could have something to do with the fact that the rest of his family is deceased he constantly feels the need to find something that will make him feel whole again or ‘help him to forget’ his past (ch.3). I think he has convinced himself that to do this he needs to be with Daisy, that she will be the solution to all of his problems. I think he needs to realize that some ‘holes can never be filled’ and no matter how hard you try to forget- the way to dealing with it shouldn’t be becoming obsessed with girl who he can never really have uncomplicated relations with or throwing lavish parties. I think its becoming clear that his grief has caused him to form an unhealthy idea of a relationship with Daisy and nothing good can come of it.

I can’t find a good link? sorrrrry!