Miss Raetz

American Authors A
September 28, 2014
Miss Raetz
Fitzgeralds Loneliness from Emotional Isolation
Loneliness is a result of isolating oneself through not only physical connections but also through
emotional connections. This is especially true in Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby through Gatsbys inability
to make meaningful relationships, Daisys inability to commit to Tom or Gatsby, and Nicks naivety
toward Gatsby.
To begin with, Gatsby presents loneliness not only through his physical separation from others, but also
through his inability to build meaningful relationships with others. At the party where Nick meets
Gatsby for the first time, Fitzgerald describes Gatsby many times at being isolated physically from the
large party that is occurring: my eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps and looking
from one group to another with approving eyesWhen the Jazz History of the World was over girls
were putting their heads on mens shoulders.,girls were swooning backward playfully into mens
armsbut no one swooned backward on Gatsby and no French bob touched Gatsbys should and no
signing quartets were formed with Gatsbys head for one link (54-55). Fitzgerald sets the setting for
Gatsbys funeral as rainy and gloomy. The gloom continues for the reader when it is clear that only four
people attend his funeral, one being the minister: As *Mr. Gatz, the minister, and Nick] started through
the gate into the cemetery I heard a car stop and then the sound of someone splashing after usIt was
the owl-eyed glasses (183).
Secondly, Daisys loneliness steams from her inability to commit to a relationship neither with Tom nor
with Gatsby. During the argument between Tom and Gatsby , Daisy is forced to state whether or not
she loves Tom. It is in this moment that the reader can clearly see her inability to commit to loving just
one man: Even alone I cant say I never loved Tom, she admitted in a pitiful voice, It wouldnt be
true (140). Nick describes Daisy and Toms relationship as careless: 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. (187-188).
Lastly, the narrator, Nick Carroway, exhibits loneliness through his instant willingness to
become friends with those he does not trust nor know well. After first meeting Jordan at
Daisys home, it became very clear to Nick that Jordan Baker was not an honest woman: It
made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply I was
casually sorry, and then I forgot (63). While discussing Gatsbys past in the hotel room, Tom
questions Gatsbys true connection to Oxford. After explaining that he went to Oxford through an
opportunity the army offered, Nicks response demonstrates his internal need that Gatsby tell the truth:
I wanted to get up and slap him on the back. I had one of those renewals of complete faith in him that
I'd experienced before (136).
In conclusion, The Great Gatsby presents the theme of loneliness not only through physical isolation, but
also through a lack of meaningful relationships: Gatsbys, Daisys, and Nicks. It is clear through these
three characters that loneliness is a result of poor choices and ones inability to trust another.