Daisy and Her Men: Analysis of Character in The Great Gatsby Ashley Smith

Throughout literature, there are countless characters whose only positive attributes seem to be the fact that they are utterly detestable - the reader loves to hate them. From Shakespeare's conniving Iago to Dickens' endlessly cruel Estella, these characters bring nothing but pain to those around them. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, Daisy fits rather snugly into this category. She is shallow, self-absorbed, and completely lacking any sort of heartfelt emotion. Yet it is impossible to understand the novel as a whole without possessing an understanding of Daisy. Perhaps the clearest way to examine Daisy's character is to look at her relationship with Gatsby. They seem, at a glance, to be in love, but the novel's end leaves readers wondering if Daisy is even capable of loving another human being. She is wrapped in wealth, charm, and aristocracy, and these attract Gatsby to her. At the same time, the very things that Gatsby loves about Daisy are what inevitably keep them from being together.

It is clear from the novel's outset that Daisy is indescribably beautiful, graceful, and charming. She is the quintessential representation of the 1920's female. When Nick encounters Daisy for the...