The Theme of Carelessness in The Great Gatsby
The idea of carelessness plays an important role in The Great
Gatsby. Daisy, Tom, Jordan, Gatsby and Nick were all careless at some points throughout
the book. Daisy and Tom were careless about their relationship, their money, and many of
their daily activities. Gatsby was also unconcerned with his money. Jordan was blas?
about the way she treated other people.
?They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up
things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness,
or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they
had made. . . .O(189) This was an accurate description of the way Tom and Daisy acted.
They were constantly neglectful of the way they behaved and when they realized they were
wrong, they would retreat back to their money. It was always other people that had to
pay for Tom and DaisyOs careless mistakes.
Daisy also admitted that she was careless in a dialogue with Nick.
?I am careful.O
?No, youOre notO
?Well, other people are,O she said lightly.
?WhatOs that got to do with it?O
?TheyOll keep out of my way,O she insisted. ?It takes two to make an accident.O
?Suppose you meet somebody just as careless as yourself.O
?I hope I never will,O she answered. ?I hate careless people.O(63)
She quickly responded to Nick that she doesnOt need to be careful. Daisy implied that
it is the other personOs responsibility to be mindful of her. She also said that she
hates careless people right after she admitted that she was careless. Daisy was
indifferent about her relationship with Tom. She knew that her husband was having an
affair with another women but Daisy did not do anything about it.
Tom was careless in a much more obvious way. He was brutal as well as destructive. Tom
felt that he could do anything he wanted and get away with it. He would never admit that
he was dispassionate because he was egotistical. Tom was careless in his relationship
with Daisy, his wife, and Myrtle Wilson, his lover. He allowed Gatsby to win his wifeOs
love. After Gatsby and Daisy fell in love again, all Tom could do was take his wife back
and leave town for a couple of days. Tom was also unconcerned with his lover, Myrtle.
He let his wife, his friends, and even MyrtleOs husband know that they were having an
affair. Obviously, Tom did not want everyone to know what he had been doing, but his
careless actions revealed the truth.
Gatsby was a spendthrift with his money. He spent thousands of dollars on parties, his
house, and all of his possessions just to impress his lover, Daisy. In other ways,
Gatsby was overly careful. When Daisy killed Myrtle Wilson with his car, he took great
precautions about the situation. He told Nick, ?I got to West Egg by a side road,O he
went on, ?and left the car in my garage. I donOt think anybody saw me but of course I
canOt be sure.O(151)
Jordan was careless during a golf tournament. She won the match by kicking the ball
into the hole when no one was looking. She was mindless because many people were
watching her while she cheated. After this incident she was known as a cheater.
Meyer Wolfshiem, in comparison, was very careful. He tried to stay away from death and
things that could cause trouble. He once told Nick after the death of Gatsby, ?I canOt
do it - I canOt get mixed up in it.O(180) He also commented, ?When a man gets killed I
never like to get mixed up in it in any way. . . .O(180)
The theme of carelessness in The Great Gatsby was very definite. Each person displayed
characteristics that were either careless or mindful. The carelessness of the characters
generally affected them in a negative way. They were careless about their relationship,
their money, and many of the activities they did every day. These personality traits
were almost impossible to change. The careless actions of many of the characters in The
Great Gatsby affected their lives and those around them.
|