Do Gatsby and Daisy Love Each Other?

♦ Sadie Barandes ♦

Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s quintessential novel, The Great Gatsby, has reached a level of recognition that can scarcely be paralleled. For nearly a century, the novel has been praised as a tragic story of unfulfilled desire. The novel itself is written from the perspective of Nick Caraway, a young man who lives East Egg—an area of Long Island known for its gauche, new money residents; over the course of nine chapters, he watches his nouveau-riche neighbor Jay Gatsby try to win the affections of his cousin Daisy. Gatsby had been in a relationship with Daisy five years earlier, prior to making his fortune; he was ultimately called to fight in World War 1, and in his absence, Daisy had married the wealthy Tom Buchanan. In the present day, Tom and Daisy live in East Egg, the more dignified neighbor of West Egg. The relationship between Daisy and Gatsby is the main focus of the novel; academics have long argued that this relationship is not rooted in love, but infatuation. This analysis is partially correct.

The definition of love is frequently debated, but psychologists have identified some key indications of its presence. According to Harvard Medical School, love can be characterized by strong feelings of happiness, triggered by an increase in cortisol and oxytocin hormones (Harvard Medical School, 2015). Oxytocin also leads to compassion, which is a prominent feature in long-term relationships (Harvard Medical School, 2015). Lastly, love triggers vasopressin hormones, which evoke feelings of dedication and commitment (Harvard Medical School, 2015). From a psychological stance, happiness, compassion, and commitment are the main indicators of romantic love. According to these three psychological pillars, Gatsby does love Daisy; however, that love is unreturned and based in delusion.

Happiness is one of the prominent traits of a loving relationship, due to rising levels of cortisol and oxytocin. While Gatsby exhibits a sense of joy towards Daisy’s character, his perception of her character is not entirely accurate. In Chapter 5 of the novel, Gatsby reunites with Daisy for the first time since he left for war. He invites her to his mansion, along with Nick. During this reunion, Nick pays close attention to Gatsby. He notices a “present happiness” (103) in Gatsby’s manner, as well as “a rush of emotion” (103). In fact, Gatsby seems to forget about Nick’s presence altogether, because he is so “possessed by intense life” (103). Gatsby undoubtedly displays feelings of joy and fondness towards Daisy. However, his feelings are rooted in an embellished idea of who Daisy is. After watching the reunion of Daisy and Gatsby, Nick ponders the interaction, reflecting, “there must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through her own fault but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything. He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way” (103). Nick realizes that Gatsby has a certain perception of Daisy in his mind; Nick describes this perception as an illusion and a “creative passion”, decked with “every bright feather”, implying that this image is embellished and inaccurate to reality. In the following chapter, Gatsby and Daisy kiss for the first time in many years. Nick watches, and concludes that Gatsby sees his cousin as an “in-carnation” (119). The term “incarnation” is used to describe a person who symbolizes some abstract idea; in Gatsby’s case, it means that he views Daisy as more than just a person, but as an intangible concept, free of flaw. During the kiss, Nick notices that Gatsby’s heart is racing, which signals excitement; however, Nick concludes that this excitement is the result of Gatsby’s unrealistic image of Daisy. Gatsby does feel strong fondness towards Daisy, but these feelings are perpetuated by an over-idealized understanding of who she is.

Love is deeply tied with feelings of care and compassion, another result of oxytocin. Gatsby demonstrates those sentiments, worrying greatly about Daisy’s well-being. In the sixth chapter, Daisy attends one of Gatsby’s parties, but does not enjoy herself. After the guests have left, Gatsby finds Nick, and tells him that “[Daisy] didn’t have a good time” (117). Nick tries to comfort him, but is unsuccessful; Gatsby has gone quiet, and seems to be suffering from an “unutterable depression” (117). Daisy’s lack of enjoyment has a devastating impact on Gatsby, indicating that he cares deeply for her feelings. At the end of Chapter 7, Gatsby once again shows great compassion for Daisy. While driving Gatsby’s car, Daisy runs over Tom’s mistress Myrtle, killing her; afterwards, Daisy returns to her house with Tom. Nick finds Gatsby hiding in the bushes by the house, and asks what he is doing there. Gatsby explains, “I’m just going to wait here and see if [Tom] tries to bother [Daisy] about that unpleasantness this afternoon” (154). He plans to stay “all night if necessary” (154) to ensure that Daisy is safe from harm. This gesture shows his concern for Daisy’s safety and well-being, and serves as a prime example of compassion. Gatsby continues to discuss the car accident with Nick, and seems relieved by how calmly Daisy has reacted to the whole ordeal. Nick notices, “[Gatsby] spoke as if Daisy’s reaction was the only thing that mattered” (153). Gatsby is most concerned with Daisy’s response to the accident, demonstrating how highly he prioritizes her feelings. He even offers to take the blame for Myrtle’s death, and say that he was the one driving his car; this decision puts his own happiness on the line, for the sake of Daisy. Such a selfless act shows that Gatsby values Daisy’s happiness over his own well-being, solidifying his immense compassion for her. By repeatedly showing great concern for Daisy, Gatsby proves that he cares about her, and is deeply compassionate. These sorts of feelings are often found in loving relationships, so Gatsby’s behavior does suggest that he is in love with Daisy.

Commitment is another crucial part of romantic love, caused by the release of vasopressin. Gatsby shows firm commitment to his relationship with Daisy, but his dedication fails to account for the realities of life. When the novel begins, Gatsby has not seen Daisy for five years; despite this, she is still heavily on his mind. Early in the novel, Nick notices Gatsby’s strange habit of staring at “a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock” (24). Nick realizes that this light is coming from the Buchanans’ house, and Gatsby’s fixation on it indicates that Daisy is frequently on his mind. Such prevalent thoughts about Daisy, despite five years of no contact, shows how committed he is to winning her love. Gatsby is deeply committed to Daisy, but his desires are not rooted in reality. He believes that if he continues his pursuit of Daisy, their relationship will return to how it was several years earlier. At one point, he tells Nick that he is “ going to fix everything just the way it was before” (118). Nick reminds him that it is impossible to recreate the past, to which he indignantly responds, “Why of course you can!” (118). While Gatsby is committed to Daisy, his feelings fail to account for the limitations of reality. He does not consider the fact that she is married; and he fails to consider her child with Tom at all. In Chapter 7, he is first introduced to Daisy and Tom’s daughter. Nick notices a look of surprise on Gatsby’s face, upon seeing the child, and speculates, “I don’t think he had ever really believed in [the child’s] existence before” (124). Gatsby’s commitment to Daisy is challenged by her marriage and child, which he does not take into account. As a result, his feelings of dedication, while present, are not entirely grounded in reality.

Love can be identified by feelings of joy, compassion, and commitment, due to the release of certain hormones. When Gatsby and Daisy reunite in Chapter 5, Gatsby experiences immense happiness; however, he fails to see the subject of his affections for who she really is, instead mentally embellishing her. Gatsby is incredibly compassionate towards Daisy, consistently preoccupied by her feelings; he is even willing to sacrifice his own happiness to ensure her well being, by taking the blame for Myrtle’s death. He is committed to Daisy, and refuses to give up on the prospect of a romance between them; but his determination is disconnected from reality, since he fails to consider the barriers between them, such as her child with Tom. Gatsby shows all three indicators of love, but his thoughts are not reflected inreality. So, while he loves Daisy, it is a delusional sort of love that does not take reality into account.

Relationships are two-sided, so Daisy’s feelings must be considered, as well. Daisy returns Gatsby’s feelings of happiness, but her feelings are largely material. After reuniting with Gatsby in Chapter 5, Daisy experiences an “unexpected joy” (96). She exhibits happiness in Gatsby’s presence, which is a sign of love. However, she does not reach the height of her emotions until she sees his expensive collection of English shirts. As he presents his collection, she begins to sob, exclaiming, “They’re such beautiful shirts” (99). Daisy does not reach the peek of her emotions until Gatsby flaunts his wealth. This suggests that, while Daisy enjoys his presence, her emotions are mainly rooted in his immense wealth. This is further affirmed by an interaction she has with Tom in Chapter 6. Tom begins to make snide remarks about Gatsby’s character, and suggests that he got his money from bootlegging. Daisy’s first thought is to defend Gatsby’s wealth, insisting “he owned some drug stores, a lot of drug stores.” (116). During this interaction, Daisy is mainly concerned with defending Gatsby’s fortune. This suggests that she is emotionally invested in his wealth, as opposed to his character. Daisy does express joy around Gatsby, but her feelings are a result of his money, rather than his character.

Compassion is an important part of love, and Daisy lacks compassion for Gatsby. Before Gatsy had left for war, Daisy agreed to marry him. While he was fighting, she backed out on this promise, marrying Tom instead. Daisy’s decision to break her promise to Gatsby indicates that she does not worry about his feelings. She demonstrates this behavior once again in Chapter 7, after returning home from the car accident. She knows that Gatsby is waiting in her bushes to make sure she is safe, but does not indicate her safety to him. She also shows no concern for the fact that he will likely take the blame for Myrtle’s death, since it was his car that ran her over. Instead, she calmly chats with Tom over fried chicken. Nick watches through their window, and notes that Daisy is not unhappy or distressed; her indifference to Myrtle’s death, and the impacts it may have on Gatsby, demonstrate her complete lack of compassion for him. At the end of the novel, Nick looks back at Daisy’s behavior towards Gatsby, and concludes that it has been careless and destructive. After watching Daisy’s interactions with Gatsby, it is clear that she does not take his feelings into account and does not have compassion for him.

Love is also characterized by commitment, and Daisy is not committed to Gatsby. Daisy agreed to marry Gatsby, but she married Tom instead. This decision to back out on her agreement shows a lack of commitment regarding her relationship with Gatsby. At one point, Gatsby admits that Daisy left him because “she was tired of waiting for me [to return from war]” (139). Dedication requires patience, and this lack of patience on Daisy’s part shows that she was never committed to Gatsby. She was unwilling to wait for him to come home, and was ready to marry another man in his absence, demonstrating a lack of attachment. This behavior can also be observed throughout Chapter 7. At the beginning of the chapter, Daisy is on close terms with Gatsby, acting flirtatious towards him. As the chapter progresses, Tom gets increasingly angry at Gatsby; he ultimately reveals that Gatsby really is a “bootlegger”, whose money comes from dishonorable means. After hearing this, Daisy begins to feel distant from Gatsby. This shows the unreliable nature of her feelings for him, dramatically changing in a short period of time. Additionally, this revelation about Gatsby’s wealth is the cause of this emotional shift, once again demonstrating the materialistic nature of her feelings. Daisy continuously backs out of her relationship with Gatsby, showing that she is not committed to him.

Love causes a rise in certain hormones, producing feelings of joy, compassion and commitment; Daisy does not display any of these emotions towards Gatsby. While she feels happy around him, her joy is rooted in his wealth; she shows the greatest amount of emotion while admiring his possessions, so her feelings do not indicate love. She fails to show compassion for him, acting indifferent to his feelings. She has no problem with abandoning him or letting him take the blame for her actions. Her commitment to him is equally scarce; she is continuously willing to distance herself from Gatsby, due to impatience and materialism. Daisy does not show joy, compassion, or commitment towards Gatsby, therefore, from a psychological perspective, she does not love him.

In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the titular character, Nick Gatsby, is in love with Daisy, from a psychological perspective; however, his love for her is delusional and unrequited. When a person experiences love, their levels of cortisol, oxytocin, and vasopressin rise. As a result, they feel happiness, compassion, and dedication to the subject of their feelings. Gatsby is immensely compassionate towards Daisy, sacrificing time and wellbeing to ensure her happiness. He also feels joy when he is around her, and he is committed to their relationship; however, his idea of Daisy, and what a commitment to her would look like, are greatly idealized in his head. He does love Daisy, but it is a delusional sort of love. Daisy, on the other hand, does not care about Gatsby’s feelings, and shows no dedication towards him, frequently changing her mind about their relationship. He brings her joy solely through his wealth, which only demonstrates materialism on her part. Daisy does not return Gatsby’s love, and only cares for his money. While the relationship between Daisy and Gatsby does involve love, it is a delusional, one-sided love, solely on Gatsby’s part.

Works Cited

Edwards, Scott. “Love and the Brain.” Harvard Medical School, The President and Fellows of Harvard College, 2015‌.

Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. Charles Scribner’s Sons, 10 Apr. 1925.