Examples Of Daisy's Paranoia In The Great Gatsby

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance

In this passage from The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby, Tom, Daisy, Nick, and Jordan are all in the hotel room. Gatsby is desperately trying to convince Daisy that he is not the man she believes him to be, but his words only serve to distance her further.

Nick states that Gatsby is “denying everything, defending his name.” This reveals his paranoia and insecurity; he is so afraid of losing Daisy that he feels obligated to defend himself against any imaginary accusations. This behavior is indicative of his obsessive fixation with Daisy. He has centered his entire life on regaining her, and any threat to this dream is met with fear and defensiveness. Daisy, on the other hand, “draw[s] further and further into herself.

This is predictable given that Gatsby's whole character is based on deception; he has reinvented himself as a wealthy and powerful man, but in reality, he is a poor North Dakota boy. Daisy, who comes from a rich family, sees right through him. She recognizes that he is not the guy he claims to be (not from old money), and this leads her to withdraw from him. Gatsby can see that Daisy is slipping away from him, and he feels powerless. This is a pivotal moment in the novel, as it symbolizes the beginning of Gatsby’s downfall. He has spent years chasing a dream that was never really attainable, and now that dream is slipping away from him. His desperation is palpable, as he struggles to hold onto something that is no longer tangible. The only thing that is fighting on is Gatsby’s “dead dream.” This is a metaphor for Gatsby’s relentless pursuit of Daisy, even as it becomes clear that he will never win her back. The dream is “dead” because it is no longer realistic, but Gatsby cannot let go of it. He is