F. Scott Fitzgerald
The chaos of this section surround the seemingly most innocuous character: Daisy. Starting with the confrontation in the hotel room from the last section, Daisy experienced a profound change in character that was forced by the struggle over her future and resulted in disaster.
Previously, Daisy was like a... daisy! Like a daisy, Nick always recognized a delicate beauty. She typically acted rather passive and peaceful. At times, she almost seemed whimsical and distant-minded. Most of all, she always seemed blissfully ignorant of the fact that her husband was cheating on her. However, we learn that she was fully aware of her husband's lacking fidelity. During the hotel room scene, she started to take more accountability for her marriage and challenged Tom on his dedication to her. But Tom's oppressive behavior managed to dampen her dedication to Gatsby: "Her frightened eyes told that whatever intentions, whatever courage she had had, were definitely gone" (Fitzgerald, 135). Yet Daisy deviated from her passivity and decided to drive Gatsby's yellow car (a symbol for his materialistic lifestyle).
Where Daisy's new-found confidence turns tragic is on the road after she leaves the hotel. On the way home from New York, Daisy hit and killed Myrtle Wilson, her husband's mistress. Because of the objectifying of Daisy by Gatsby and Tom, Daisy's simple innocence had been lost, forever marred by her hasty desire to lead her own life separate from Tom. More than that, this yellow car, the symbol of wealth in both color and cost, has been the harbinger of this loss. Daisy's shift from an innocent flower to a domineering fugitive paints the upper-class life as a destroyer. Not only does it come back literally to kill Myrtle, but it ruins Daisy's life which will always be defined by this lapse of judgment whether planned or accidental.
Whom do I blame for Myrtle's death?
This guy!
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