Chapter 7

Explanation: (<< Summary on previous page)

Despite all that takes place in this chapter, the most important moment as far as gaining insight into the characters in when the group finally meets Daisy and Tom's baby. It brings an interesting consequence to the relationship of Gatsby and Daisy. When Gatsby first sees the baby Nick says "I don't think he had ever really believed in its existence before". Gatsby and Daisy have been so wrapped up in their own relationship and their own happiness they have not even taken the child into consideration. Yet Daisy is so possessive of her little girl. She eagerly tells the group that "She doesn't look like her father. She looks like me. She's got my hair and shape of the face". Not only does Daisy want to keep Tom's involvement in the child to a minimum, but the child is something that is totally hers. Given her life, Daisy has very little to control or hold on to. Her own husband comes and goes as he pleases and she has no job or means of independence. So her child is something she can hold up to the world and say is hers.

It is shortly after this that Gatsby says that "Her voice is full of money", referring to Daisy. This simple line clearly shows how tied the idea of wealth is to Daisy in Gatsby's mind. If there is any true love between the two, it has been preserved by Gatsby's lust for wealth and possessions and Daisy becomes another object to him at times. Like the green light, Daisy herself is symbolic to Gatsby of all that he can have.

There is a single-mindedness to Gatsby once he sets his sights on something. After the accident Gatsby seems oblivious to the fact that a woman was killed by he and Daisy. His only concern is for Daisy. As Nick explains what happened he says of that "He (Gatsby) spoke as if Daisy's reaction was the only thing that mattered". Despite all that has happened Gatsby is still fixated on Daisy.

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