Who dies in The Great Gatsby? And what is the meaning of these three deaths for the characters involved?
The Great Gatsby is one of those novels everyone seems to know, but only some have read. If you fall into the latter category, you’re in for a treat!
Not only is The Great Gatsby a classic story about love and betrayal set in the Roaring Twenties, but it’s also chock-full of interesting symbolism and hidden meanings.
One symbol is death. Throughout the novel, there are three major deaths, each serving a different purpose in the story. Also, Learn about the forgotten fourth death.
85 The Great Gatsby Quotes With Page Numbers
Who dies in The Great Gatsby?
Three deaths occur in The Great Gatsby. They happen to different characters for different reasons, but each is crucial. But did you know about the forgotten fourth death that starts the story?
1. How Does Myrtle Wilson Die In The Great Gatsby?
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Myrtle Wilson is accidentally run over and killed by Daisy Buchanan. Daisy is driving Gatsby’s yellow Duesenberg car while Gatsby drives Tom’s tasteful blue Coupe.
When they pass George’s garage, Myrtle, thinking it’s Tom driving the car, runs out to meet him and is struck and killed by Daisy. Daisy and Gatsby attempt to cover up the accident, with Gatsby attempting to take the blame for Myrtle’s death.
However, Daisy is ultimately revealed to be the perpetrator. The incident leads to a tragic sequence of events as George Wilson kills Gatsby as revenge for Myrtle’s death before taking his own life.
“The “death car.” as the newspapers called it, didn’t stop; it came out of the gathering darkness, wavered tragically for amoment, and then disappeared around the next bend. Michaelis wasn’t even sure of its color — he told the first policeman that it was light green. The other car, the one going toward New York, came to rest a hundred yards beyond, and its driver hurried back to where Myrtle Wilson, her life violently extinguished, knelt in the road and mingled her thick dark blood with the dust.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 7, Page 85
Myrtle Wilson Quotes With Page Numbers
2. How Does Jay Gatsby Die In The Great Gatsby?
Jay Gatsby dies at the end of The Great Gatsby in 1922, several months after Nick Carraway moves out to West Egg. Gatsby’s death results from a murder/suicide between him and George Wilson, who believes that Gatsby was the one who killed his wife because she was hit by his car.
Wilson goes straight to Gatsby’s home, finds the man lounging on a pneumatic mattress near his pool, and kills Gatsby before turning the gun on himself.
This tragedy results from many factors, including Tom Buchanan’s anger, Daisy Buchanan’s carelessness, and Gatsby’s idealization of the American Dream.
How Did Gatsby Die In The Book?
“There was a faint, barely perceptible movement of the water as the fresh flow from one end urged its way toward the drain at the other. with little ripples that were hardly the shadows of waves, the laden mattress moved irregularly down the pool. A small gust of wind that scarcely corrugated the surface was enough to disturb its accidental course with its accidental burden. The touch of a cluster of leaves revolved it slowly, tracing, like the leg of compass, a thin red circle in the water.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, (Character: Nick Carraway as the narrator), Chapter 8, Page 99
3. How Does George Wilson Die In The Great Gatsby?
George Wilson dies in The Great Gatsby by shooting himself after shooting and killing Jay Gatsby. He is driven to this extreme revenge after believing that Gatsby was responsible for his wife’s death. After Gatsby is killed, George turns the gun on himself and commits suicide in nearby bushes.
George Wilson Quotes With Page Numbers
4. How Does Dan Cody Die in The Great Gatsby?
Dan Cody dies in The Great Gatsby after suffering from a long illness. He was a millionaire copper magnate and Gatsby’s mentor and benefactor.
After Gatsby left the military, Cody took him under his wing and provided him with financial support. When Cody became ill, he bequeathed most of his money to Gatsby. But Cody’s family prevented Gatsby from inheriting anything.
Cody eventually died in obscurity, and his death was not made public. Gatsby was the only one on his deathbed, bearing witness to his mentor dying alone. This serves as a metaphor for Gatsby’s impending death and the loneliness he will experience when he dies.
How does death affect the Characters in The Great Gatsby?
Death is a central theme in The Great Gatsby. Three of the novel’s central characters die, profoundly affecting the remaining characters. In this article, we will explore how the deaths of these characters shape the novel’s overall themes and messages.
How Dan Cody’s Death Affected The Great Gatsby Characters
The Deaths in The Great Gatsby cause a chain reaction that affects all the characters.
The death of Dan Cody is the first and forgotten death in The Great Gatsby. Dan Cody was Jay Gatsby’s mentor.
When Cody died, Gatsby no longer had his help and was penniless. He turned to the dark side of the American Dream.
He still dreamed of Daisy but had to resort to illegal and immoral means. He went into bootlegging, working with the mafia, and selling liquor in speakeasies.
How Myrtle’s Death Affected The Great Gatsby Characters
Myrtle was killed by Daisy, driving Gatsby’s yellow car. Tom Buchanan told Myrtle’s husband, George Wilson, that Gatsby killed Myrtle.
Tom had an affair with Myrtle, but he blamed Gatsby for the affair and her death, leading to George walking to Gatsby’s mansion with a gun.
George shot and killed Jay Gatsby at his pool and then killed himself.
Daisy’s careless actions lead to the death of three characters. And Tom Buchanan indirectly killed his two enemies for his selfish gain.
How Gatsby’s Death Affected The Great Gatsby Characters
Jay Gatsby’s death appeared to benefit Tom Buchanan as it ended her affair. Tom and Daisy appeared to get away with murder, but they had to live with the guilt.
Nick is the only main character who cares about Gatsby’s death. He arranged a funeral, but almost nobody came.
The wealth and power from his illegal activities ultimately left him friendless.
Gatsby’s death caused Nick to go back west and question the American Dream.
The Symbol of Death In The Great Gatsby
Death is a major theme in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, symbolized in various ways throughout the novel. In particular, Gatsby and Wilson’s deaths and Gatsby’s funeral symbolize the death of the American dream.
For Gatsby and Wilson, death represents the failure of their ambitions and reflects the death of the carefree, optimistic spirit of the 1920s.
Elsewhere in the novel, Myrtle Wilson’s death symbolizes the fleeting value of wealth and Daisy’s powerlessness as a woman in a patriarchal society.
Finally, Nick Carraway’s struggle against death serves as a reminder of the inevitability of mortality. Together, these deaths reflect The Great Gatsby’s dark, somber undertones.
Who dies in The Great Gatsby chapter 7?
In The Great Gatsby, Chapter 7, Daisy Buchanan accidentally runs over Myrtle Wilson. Brings tragedy to the novel, with three major characters meeting their untimely deaths. Daisy Buchanan accidentally runs over Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson shoots Jay Gatsby in a rage, and George Wilson commits suicide by shooting himself in the head.
Despite their different motives, these deaths all symbolize the death of the American Dream, as none of the three characters can achieve the success and happiness they desire.
Who dies in The Great Gatsby chapter 8?
Chapter 8 brings tragedy to the novel, with two major characters meeting their untimely deaths. After Daisy runs over Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson shoots Jay Gatsby in a rage, and George Wilson commits suicide by shooting himself in the head.
Despite their different motives, these deaths all symbolize the death of the American Dream, as none of the three characters can achieve the success and happiness they desire.
Who killed Jay Gatsby?
Jay Gatsby was killed in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. In the court of law, George Wilson is the only person responsible and guilty of the murder of Jay Gatsby.
However, in the eyes of God, there was more than one person responsible for the murder who could stop the outcome. Tom Buchanan was dishonest about his affair with Daisy. Daisy failed to do the right thing and stopped during the accident.
Jay Gatsby failed to take control of the situation and do what was in the best interest of both Daisy and himself.
Tom, Myrtle, Daisy, and Gatsby are all selfish and self-centered, which ultimately makes them morally responsible for the death of Jay Gatsby.
Daisy Buchanan was the main cause of Myrtle Wilson’s death as she drove Gatsby’s car when it knocked and killed Myrtle Wilson. Daisy and Gatsby failed to stop and check to see if Myrtle was alive or dead.
One theory is that Daisy intends to kill Myrtle for having an affair with Tom. Gatsby, out of love for Daisy, admitted to being the one responsible for the death of Myrtle.
The person responsible for Jay Gatsby’s death is George Wilson, Myrtle’s husband. Tom told George Wilson that Myrtle was run over by Jay Gatsby’s car, and George Wilson believed that Gatsby was responsible for the death of Myrtle.
This causes George Wilson to take revenge and shoot Gatsby, which ultimately leads to Gatsby’s death.
Does Tom get Gatsby killed?
Yes, Tom is responsible for Gatsby’s death because he tells George Wilson that Gatsby owns the car that killed Myrtle, leading George to Gatsby and ultimately to his death.
The Great Gatsby American Dream Quotes With Page Numbers
Who killed Myrtle in The Great Gatsby?
Myrtle Wilson was killed in The Great Gatsby by Daisy Buchanan. Daisy was driving Gatsby’s car when Myrtle stepped out in front of it, and Daisy was too inexperienced to stop in time. Although Daisy did not kill Myrtle intentionally, she was responsible for her death.
Does Daisy die in The Great Gatsby?
No, Daisy does not die in The Great Gatsby. Though Jay Gatsby ultimately dies in pursuit of Daisy, she survives the novel and is reunited with her husband, Tom.
Throughout the novel, Daisy is conflicted. But she ultimately wants to do what is best for herself and her family, so she chooses to stay with Tom at the novel’s end.
Does Tom die in The Great Gatsby?
Tom Buchanan does not die in The Great Gatsby. He is held to blame for Gatsby’s demise, as he displays imprudence and haughtiness regularly throughout the narrative.
Does Nick die in The Great Gatsby?
No, Nick Carraway does not die in The Great Gatsby. The novel culminates with Nick’s reflection on Gatsby’s death and how it relates to the idea of the American Dream. Nick links Gatsby’s love for Daisy to this dream, noting that both are elusive and bear Gatsby back “ceaselessly into the past.”
Ultimately, Nick realizes that Gatsby’s dreams of a happy future with Daisy are unattainable, and the novel ends with Nick reflecting on the tragedy of Gatsby’s death.
In what chapter does Gatsby die?
Gatsby dies in Chapter 8 of The Great Gatsby. This chapter marks the tragic end to Gatsby’s dream as George Wilson guns him down.
How old was Gatsby when he died?
Jay Gatsby was about 32 years old when he died.
“and I was looking at an elegant young rough-neck, a year or two over thirty, ”
Page 39
Why Was George Wilson Full Of Rage?
George Wilson was filled with rage due to the death of his wife Myrtle, who was killed when Daisy Buchanan ran her over with her car. George was already aware that his wife had been unfaithful and was now determined to find out who the man was whom she had been having an affair with.
He then discovered that it was Gatsby who had been driving the car at the time of the accident and was also the man that Daisy had told him she loved.
This caused George to be full of rage and fueled his desire for revenge, resulting in him seeking out Gatsby’s home and ultimately shooting Gatsby and himself.
Conclusion
Death is a major theme in The Great Gatsby. Three major characters die throughout the novel. Gatsby, Daisy, and George all meet grisly ends, but each for different reasons.
Gatsby’s death is the most mysterious, as it is never fully explained. On the other hand, Daisy and George’s deaths are more straightforward. Daisy kills Myrtle with Gatsby’s car, and George kills himself after mistakenly shooting Gatsby.
While death is always tragic, in The Great Gatsby, it symbolizes the corruption and destruction accompanying the novel’s themes of love, money, and power.