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Matthew J. Misner
Mrs. Kwiatkowski
Honors English 11
18 April 2016
Is Gatsby a Stalker?
In the Great Gatsby main character and narrator Nick Carraway describes throughout the
entire novel a man only known to most as the Great Gatsby. This mysterious and fabulously rich
young man becomes Nicks neighbor once he moves into a house he rents in West Egg while he
tries to sell stocks. Gatsby as another one of his lavish parties that everyone hopes to be invited
to which Nick goes and later finds out, Gatsby has created his whole life for one reason: winning
over Daisy Buchanan. From buying an enormous house across the bay from her own house, to
spending his money on the finest of anything, and throwing countless parties hoping for her
arrival. Gatsbys personality toward Daisy is most commonly seen in two different ways,
romantic or extremely creepy and very stalker like. This can be interpreted and shown with text
from the book to prove either one of these views this is all determined by the reader.
In this novel one well known debate of Gatsbys character is the location of his mansion.
Jay Gatsby buys his manor which is infact across the bay from Daisys home. Does this happen
to be a coincidence? No, many readers whether they believe Mr. Gatsby to be a stalker or
romantic would take from this novel that he bought his mansion at this location for a purpose as
Jordan Baker informs us when she says Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just
across the bay, (Fitzgerald 84). However, Nick describes what Gatsby often does is what defines
his creepy character. Nick finds Gatsby doing peculiar things such as he stretched out his arms
toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as i was from him i could have sworn he was
trembling and distinguished nothing but except a single green light, (Fitzgerald 24-25) this

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green light is coming from Daisys home and Gatsby is staring at it alone stretching out his arms,
thats creepy.
Another factor of Jay Gatsbys bizarre and stalker like behavior is the great extent he
goes through to impress Daisy. Gatsby wants to know- continued Jordan- if youll invite Daisy
to your house some afternoon and then let him come over, (Fitzgerald 83). Making it seem he
ironically happened to be there not knowing Daisy was at Nicks home. He does this all just
to get Daisy in his home instead of simply inviting her. Once Gatsby gets her in his home with
Nicks help, he proceeds to show off his mansion, his car, and oddly enough his shirts. However
this may be strange throwing imported shirts around a room and causing Daisy to cry. None of
these compares to the location of Jay Gatsbys bedroom Outside Gatsbys window it began to
rain If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay, said Gatsby. You always
have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock, (98). His bedroom has a window
staring right at Daisys home, this is extremely strange and unnerving that he stares at her home
night and day from his bedroom. This seems like stalker behavior and does not even include
Gatsbys countless parties.
Jay Gatsbys is known for one thing for many people. Parties. Gatsby throws the most
expensive and most exhilarating parties that are known for expenses not ever being spared. He
invites bands, countless types of alcoholic beverages, and food these are thee best parties in New
York. As Nick says, By seven Oclock the orchestra has arrived- no thin five piece affair but a
whole pit full of oboes and trombones The bar is in full swing and floating rounds of cocktails
permeate the garden outside until the air is alive with chatter and laughter. (Fitzgerald 44). At
his party everyone gets extremely drunk and acts as obnoxious as the liquor will allow them.
These fine parties that Jay Gatsby throws are not for the guests that are at the parties but rather

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Daisy whom he hopes to see arrive at a party one day. This wish does occur on a saturday when
Tom and Daisy come to one of Gatsbys lavish parties. Daisy, Tom, and even Nick do not enjoy
the party. During the party Tom clearly shows the great amount of animosity he has toward
Gatsby, and Gatsby throughout the entire novel shows how afraid he is of Tom as he is
constantly nervous and panicked in his presence, This is Mr. Gatsby, Mr. Buchanan Ive been
having lunch with Mr. Gatsby- I turned toward Mr. Gatsby, but he was no longer there,(79).
Why would Gatsby do this if he was not a stalker?
The last thing about Gatsby that throws a red flag is in chapter 7 Gatsby stares at Daisy
through her window for a time long enough to dub him a stalker, as Nick says. I hadnt gone
twenty yards when I heard my name and Gatsby stepped from between two bushes into the path.
I must have felt pretty weird by that time, because I could think of nothing except the luminosity
of his pink suit under the moon Just standing here, old sport. (Fitzgerald 153). This is not the
behavior of a romantic man but of an obsessed creep who will not let Daisy go.
In conclusion, Gatsby is a stalker for reasons such as buying a home across from Daisys
where he can stare at her whenever he wants from his bedroom window, buying countless items
to impress, throwing lavish parties, and awkwardly staring at her from the window of her house
while hiding in some bushes. This is not the working of a love struck romantic man, but of a
lonely stalker jealous of a mans wife. If he were not a stalker wouldnt Daisy have chose him
rather then Tom?

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Works cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, and Matthew J. Bruccoli. The Great Gatsby. Print.