The Great Gatsby

Who is most responsible for Gatsby's death?

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Last updated by Jill W
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Most people might not agree, but I'd have to place most of the blame for Gatsby's death on Gatsby himself. He put himself in a very precarious position for another man's wife. He never understood that he and Daisy had reached the pinnacle of their relationship..... she'd never leave her husband, she'd never give up her standing in society, and she'd never turn her back on her daughter. The poor man clung to his dream, but his dream didn't really exist.

I'd have to give Daisy the prize for second most responsible because her careless whims were directly a part of what eventually happened. She flaunted her affair with Gatsby, almost as if it were nothing more than payback for her husband's numerous infidelities. She knew what kind of man her husband was..... and she knew he wouldn't react to her indiscretions without action.

Lastly, we can't leave out Tom, who personally fired up George Wilson by lying about Gatsby. He wasn't, of course, certain about his allegation, but he didn't hesitate to make it.

Source(s)

The Great Gatsby