Defined by a book of current literary terms, a climax is “the arrangement of a series of ideas or expressions in ascending order of importance or emphasis; the last term of the arrangement; a culmination. ” Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald during the roaring 20’s, The Great Gatsby provides a look into the upper-class circle of the East and West Villages of New York City. Known as East and West Egg in the novel, Fitzgerald, through the eyes of bachelor, portrays a cynical view of the high social society and the morality which it lacks.
This scarcity of ethics ultimately causes the downfall of their hollow world in a clatter of broken hearts and mislead minds. The climax of The Great Gatsby takes place in a New York Hotel suite when, after many hints toward the reason for Gatsby’s company, the true nature of his presence is revealed to TomBuchanan. Ever since Jay Gatsby returned from World War I, which swept him away from his boyhood love Daisy, he has made every indirect effort to make contact and rekindle her love for him. Even with the knowledge that she is married and leads a separate life from his, Gatsby, without regrets, lives his life for her. When, at long last, he has the chance to interact with Daisy, he capitalizes on it immediately.
With the assistance of Jordan Baker and his neighbor NickCarraway (Daisy’s second cousin), Gatsby arranges a meeting with Daisy. At this meeting the two hearts are reunited and again would be one, if not for the plateglass barrier of Daisy’s marriage to Tom Buchanan which separates them. Originally held apart by a young boys’ ineptitude to provide for a wealthy girl, Daisy is now held back by a seemingly insincere knot of matrimony. This keeps the all important bonds of love to be formed between the two former lovers. Tom,a wealthy man with family history, is enlightened to the existence of this perennial relationship in a slow weave of events which explode into the climax of the novel in a New York Hotel Room during a visit by Jay Gatsby. The spark that ignites the climax tinder box is a question posed by Tom to Gatsby.
“‘What kind of a row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?’ They were out in the open at last and Gatsby was content. ” The openness further shows itself as the scene quickly progresses into a blitzkrieg of words, the opposing forces Tom and Gatsby. “I’ve got something to tell you, old sport,” began Gatsby. But Daisy guessed at his intention. “Please don’t!” she interrupted helplessly. “Please let’s all go home Why don’t we all go home. ?”. . . “She never loved you, do you hear?” he cried.
“She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart, she never loved any one except me!”At this point Jordan and I tried to go but Tom and Gatsby insisted with competitive firmness that we remain__ as though neither of them had anything to conceal and it would be a privilege to partake vicariously of their emotions. (137-8) Insults and accusations are slung as they too assault each other in a humanely cruel way until, when at the height of the climax, Daisy breaks apart. The two suitors are torn from their opposing member and focus on the revealed pain felt by the object of both their affections. “Please don’t. ” Her voice was cold but the rancor was gone from it.
She looked at Gatsby. “There, Jay,” she said__but her hand as she tried to light a cigarette was trembling. Suddenly she threw the cigarette and the burning match on the carpet. “Oh, you want too much!” she cried to Gatsby. “I love younow__ isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past. ” She began to sob helplessly.
” I did love him once__but I loved you too Gatsby’s eyes opened and closed. “You loved me too he repeated?”. . . “She’s not leaving me!” Tom’s world suddenly leaned down over Gatsby. “Certainly not for a common swindler who’d have to steal the ring he put on her finger.
“(139-40) A knock-out punch, the argument soon sided itself, and Tomemerged the victor from a slowly dissipating cloud of dust, Daisy his spoils. The argument drones on, a monotone buzz of accusations, but the outcome had already been decided and the words from that point on would be swallowed byGatsby in a big gulp of false pride. This scene in which Gatsby and Tom face the climax of the novel because all the events of the book lead up to that one point with a constant drone of anticipation, and the events following it, drift harmlessly towards the conclusion.
From the beginning of the novel and Gatsby’s wonderfully extravagant parties, to the initial meeting of Daisy and Gatsby and the blossoming friendship between Jay and Nick, the book surmounts to that single defining moment in the hotel room in which the main characters can be seen in a shrewdly perforating light. The events which follow the fight in the hotel are also interesting, but unimportant in the end. Gatsby never lost hope that Daisy would come to him, but as soon as this hope and care arrived back to his heart, unanswered, the events that followed were no longer of importance.
Once Daisy’s love and trust in Gatsby died, so did his soul, his body was only an earthly reminder of his existence until Wilson took that also. From the moment when Daisy admitted her love to Tom was true, and that Daisy’sheart was merely a shared possession of his and Tom’s, Gatsby lost the true hope and was left with the care of a desperate man which he so vividly personified.
