The Great Gatsby: Theme & Key Quotes: Love

Theme: Love

Overview:

Love in “The Great Gatsby” often appears in forms that are dysfunctional or unreciprocated. For many characters, love is closely tied with material wealth and social status, reflecting the novel’s broader critique of the American Dream.
Gatsby’s pursuit of Daisy primarily represents his idealization of the past and quest for a certain lifestyle, rather than genuine romantic love.
The theme of love in the novel also reveals destructive tendencies, as idealized love leads to obsessive behaviour, deceit, and ultimately tragedy.

Key Quotes and Analysis:

Depiction of Love:

“He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God.” This quote describes the moment Jay Gatsby falls in love with Daisy, showcasing his idealization of her and revealing that his love is more about the pursuit of an ideal than the person herself.
“I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” Daisy’s cynical observation about the societal limitations imposed on women, framed as advice to her daughter, is an indictment of the gender roles enforced in the Roaring Twenties, particularly in relationships.

Impact of Love:

“She was the first ‘nice’ girl he had ever known.” The qualifier ‘nice’ is representative of Gatsby’s class-consciousness and reflects how his love for Daisy is tied up with his longing for a different social status.
“He wanted nothing less of Daisy than that she should go to Tom and say: ‘I never loved you.’“ Gatsby’s unrealistic expectations and inability to let go of the past underscore the destructive and obsessive aspects of his love for Daisy.

Symbolism and Themes:

“The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock…“ The green light that Gatsby gazes upon serves as a symbol of his unattained love for Daisy. It represents his hopes and dreams for the future which, like the elusive green light, remain just out of reach.
“They’re such beautiful shirts. It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such—such beautiful shirts before.” Daisy’s emotional response to Gatsby’s wealth – represented by his collection of fine shirts – underscores the intersection of love and materialism in the novel. Her admiration for the shirts highlights how Gatsby equates love with possessions and wealth.