The Great Gatsby: Chapter Eight Summary & Imaginary Journal

Summary

"I can't describe to you how surprised I was to find out I loved her, old sport. I even hoped for a while that she's throw me over, but she didn't, because she was in love with me too. She thought I knew a lot because I knew different things from her... Well, there I was, 'way off my ambitions, getting deeper in love every minute, and all of a sudden I didn't care. What was the use of doing great things if I could have a better time telling her what I was going to do? (p. 142 - 143)

The significance of the above paragraph is its implication of three facts about Gatsby's character. These are his moral, social and behavioral aspects of his character. Morally speaking, Gatsby is a person for whom love is a moral value. He does not cheat Daisy or betray her. For him, love is not sexuality. Love is a value which two people share with each other. On the other hand, Daisy betrays him because she does not call him or come to see him. Gatsby says, "I waited, and about four o'clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light" (p. 140). Socially speaking, Gatsby is an asocial person. In the above paragraph, it is implied that he does not mention anybody else but Daisy. His love for Daisy has made him an asocial. However, once he tricked Daisy as if he was a person who was respected in society. Nick says, "He (Gatsby) had certainly taken her under false pretences" and he continues "he let her believe that he was a person from much the same strata as herself" (p. 142). Therefore, Gatsby does not have anything to do with society but his mind is full of Daisy and her love to him. Behaviorally speaking, the above paragraph shows that Gatsby has not behaved and will not behave as required from him. Although, Nick tells him "You ought to go away. It's pretty certain they'll trace your car", he does not go (p. 140). This is because of his love for Daisy. Daisy once gave him hope and he still lives with that hope. Nick says, "He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free" (p. 141). Gatsby's behavior is not right because he is still in a dream. He must wake up but he cannot because Wilson kills him with a gun.

Imaginary Response(Tom Buchanan)

Daisy can never leave me because only I can protect her. Gatsby thinks that I will beat her but I will not. He must be waiting at home for a telephone call from Daisy. But Daisy will not call him back because I will take her away from this place so that she forgets everything about Gatsby and the accident. Now she goes to the window and she stands there for a while but then she turns of the light. Gatsby must be frustrated. He must have been used to getting everything he wants. But he cannot get Daisy because she is not his type. I wonder what he will do when the police arrest him for Myrtle's murder. Poor George Wilson, he lost his wife to me but she died because of Gatsby. I'm afraid, when he learns that Gatsby murdered Myrtle, he will kill him.

Key Sentences

1) I waited, and about four o'clock she came to the window and stood there for a minute and then turned out the light. (p. 140)
2) He had certainly taken her under false pretences...he let her believe that he was a person from much the same strata as herself. (p. 142)
3) You ought to go away. It's pretty certain they'll trace your car. (p. 140)
4) He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free. (p. 141)
5) God sees everything. (p. 152)
6) If that was true he must have felt that he had lost the old warm world, paid a high price for living too long with a single dream. (p. 153)