Character Analysis: Daisy Buchanan - The Great Gatsby

Daisy Fay Buchanan is the focus of Jay Gatsby's single fixation in The Great Gatsby, which makes her the novel's central character in many ways. Nevertheless, Daisy Buchanan's persona is one that we don't fully understand - her ambitions, her thoughts and even her reasons might be difficult to decipher.

Daisy Fay Buchanan

Who is Daisy, and how would an examination of her typically be done? Discover everything there is to know about the most seductive and contentious character in The Great Gatsby, by studying her description, deeds, well-known phrases, and thorough character analysis.

Who is Daisy in The Great Gatsby?

Daisy is an interesting person. Due to the way she is portrayed and her behavior, some people could feel sympathy for her. The author uses subtle indications throughout the entire book to try to make sure that her motivations are not obvious.

When the girl is first introduced to the reader, Fitzgerald emphasizes how endearing she is by writing:

"She held my hand for a moment, looking up into my face, promising that there was no one in the world she so much wanted to see."

She is adept at acting sympathetically, to put it another way. According to her cousin, Daisy is a woman with many distinct sides to her.

Although she initially strikes us as wonderful, charming, smart, graceful, and loving, we view her through the ideological lenses of the besotted Gatsby. Despite her outward grace, charm, and sophistication, she comes across as unreliable, undependable, shallow, and irresponsible. According to Nick, she is one of those wealthy people who destroys everything before hiding behind their wealth.

When she is forced to pick between Tom and Gatsby, she chooses Tom. While driving home with Gatsby, she allows him to accept responsibility for Myrtle dying in the accident while she was driving the automobile. This shows the depth of that trait. After everything that has occurred and her involvement in it, when Gatsby dies, she doesn't even go to his burial but instead moves away with Tom back to Chicago without even giving Nick an address.

Daisy Buchanan's Physical Description

Pic. Daisy Buchanan character in movie

Nick receives a range of emotions and sensations from Daisy. She is regarded as attractive, and her face is said to have a nice shape, which probably drew the many military boyfriends she had in Louisville, Kentucky. She is highly gorgeous on the surface but shallow on the inside. Her laugh is lovely, and Nick initially thought she radiated a stirring warmth. She first comes out as delicate and innocent, but when she and Nick go for a walk, a jaded quality emerges in her eyes.

Nick said, "Her eyes defiantly flashed around her, rather like Tom's, and she laughed with thrilling scorn".

Gatsby served as one of the officers Daisy went out with back in Louisville. For them to get married after the war, she pledged to wait for him. She didn't, however, wait.

Actions of Daisy in the Book

Quote #1

“I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.”

Chapter 1

By saying these lines Daisy states that she is fearing for her daughter. As she knows about the societal rules of that era where a girl can’t speak for herself. They have to listen to their elders. She talks about how boring she finds life to be, which appears to explain why a girl might be a fool even if she is gorgeous and appealing. These sentences are noteworthy because they demonstrate how social stigmas around women are constant. Daisy thinks a girl won't suffer or be aware of the terrible reality around her if she is uneducated.

Chapter 6

Daisy detests attending one of Gatsby's wild parties. Gatsby completely stops hosting parties as a result of this. Additionally, he dismisses his previous employees and hires new ones after Meyer Wolfshiem sends them to him. He does this partly for commercial purposes and to conceal his relationship with Daisy.

Gatsby is a daydreamer who always imagines a brighter future for himself and concentrates on the hypothetical rather than the realistic. Like many Intuitive personalities, he frequently exhibits signs of distraction or detachment from his surroundings. Gatsby couldn't or won't recognize Daisy's shortcomings, while Nick can.

Quote #6

“Can’t repeat the past? … Why of course you can!”

Gatsby is expressing to Nick Carraway how his time with Daisy was a blessing and how he now wishes he could go back to those times. This is another illustration of Gatsby's naive assumption that Daisy would do everything to relive their earlier interactions. This quotation is essential because it captures the inner struggle of Gatsby, who understands that the past cannot be replicated yet still desires to celebrate it.

Nick carraway here compares Gatsby’s character with Jesus Christ. He also explains that Gatsby is a prosperous man and developed an idea of his own. Nick also explained that from the age of seventeen Gatsby determined to do something bigger and this thought his remained same throughout his life. He is a shy young millionaire who came from modest beginnings in the American Midwest to a prominent position among the privileged on Long Island.

Gatsby makes an effort to blend in with the wealthy, famous visitors to his estate, but he is frequently socially awkward. Gatsby can't fully pick up on all the subtleties of upper-class society's many social standards because he is an outsider and an Architect who typically wouldn't care much about social customs.

Chapter 8

Nick remembers how she reacted when Gatsby left.

“Daisy was young, and her artificial world was filled with orchestras that set the year's rhythm and encapsulated the tragedy and suggestiveness of life in fresh tunes, as well as orchids and lovely, cheery snobbery.”

She entered the socialite society and wed wealthy man Tom Buchanan instead of hanging around for Gatsby. At the beginning of the chapter, she relates to Nick how she felt abandoned after their daughter was born since Tom was nowhere to be found.

She explains to Nick, "Well, I've had a very bad time, Nick, and I'm pretty cynical about everything”. Miss Baker, the maid, had just informed Nick that Tom had a girl in town.

She exudes unease and seems to be searching for a solution to her predicament that will allow her to lead a luxurious existence. For Gatsby, Daisy represents the American Dream. This might result from his idolizing vision of her over the years. He understands she has wealth demands that can be met by any man and are fixated on getting her back. It doesn't matter who that man is. She stands in for the material prosperity that Gatsby desires.

The Most Impactful Daisy Buchanan Quotes

She told me it was a girl, and so I turned my head away and wept. 'All right,' I said, 'I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a beautiful little fool—the best thing a girl can be." (1.118)

This incredibly negative remark comes from Daisy. She has just completed telling Nick how, after giving birth to her daughter, she discovered that Tom was nowhere to be found. She gets overwhelmed when she hears that the baby is a girl. Therefore, we can discern that below Daisy's lovely demeanor, she is dissatisfied with Tom and quite gloomy about her position in the world. However, Nick depicts her smirking immediately after this remark, indicating that despite her pessimism, she doesn't appear anxious to change her present circumstances.

"Here, dearis." She groped around in a waste basket she had with her on the bed and pulled out the string of pearls. "Take 'em downstairs and give 'em back to whoever they belong to. Tell 'em all Daisy's change' her mine. Say 'Daisy's change' her mine!'."

She started crying and kept crying. We locked the door and got her into a cold bath after I hurried outside to find her mother's maid. She clung to the letter tenaciously. She squished it into a damp ball and brought it into the bathtub. After noticing it crumbling like snow, she only allowed me to put it in the soap dish.

Nevertheless, she remained silent. A half-hour later, when we left the room, the pearls were around her neck, and the episode ended. We had given her spirits of ammonia, applied ice to her forehead, and fastened her back into her dress. She married Tom Buchanan the following day at five o'clock without flinching and left for a three-month tour to the South Seas. (4.140-2)

We learn about Daisy's background in this flashback, which Jordan narrates, and how she ended up marrying Tom despite still being in love with Jay Gatsby. She seems to care about him so much that she threatens to divorce Tom after receiving a letter from him. Despite this momentary revolt, Jordan and her maid swiftly put Daisy back together. The frock and the pearls stand in for Daisy, resuming her allotted social role. She marries Tom the following day without flinching, demonstrating her unwillingness to challenge the social position determined by her family and social standing.

"They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds. "It makes me sad because I've never seen such—such beautiful shirts before." (5.118)

Daisy is thrilled with Gatsby's mansion during their reunion, but she breaks down as he giddily displays his collection of shirts.

Students frequently find this scene to be puzzling. Why does Daisy weep at this specific display? The moment may be a commentary on Daisy's consumerism, as she only sheds tears over this obvious sign of Gatsby's newfound fortune. However, it also reveals how devoted she is to Gatsby and how moved she is by his lengths to win her back.

Daisy Buchanan’s Character Analysis

Development: Grew up too rapidly. Daisy, who lives in the Jazz Age, is stunning, wealthy, and appears to have it all. However, she faces more challenges than they appear on the surface.

Residence: Residing in the West Egg district of New York City. Daisy and Tom reside in a gorgeous mansion by the lake. Together, they have a daughter.

Occupation: Debutante in the profession. Daisy likes to laugh and smile while masking her true emotions because she doesn't want to take things too seriously.

Relationship Status: Tom and I are married, although we aren't actually in love. She once fell in love with Gatsby, but she couldn't contemplate him because of his financial situation. He has since returned, carrying a cryptic fortune, and he still harbors feelings for her.

Difficulties faced: Picking between Gatsby and Tom can be difficult. Gatsby assures her that she will have a lovely dream - the fantasy of pure love that every girl hopes for. Tom assures her of her security and stability. Although Daisy is aware of where her heart is leading her, she explains to Gatsby that things are more complicated than that: "Isn't the fact that I love you now enough? The past is beyond my control. I once loved him, but I also loved you.”

Nature: On the outside, this person has a carefree and joyful personality. Daisy is actually a very dejected person whose trust in people and the world has been entirely destroyed. Daisy can be unwilling to accept happiness even when it comes knocking at her door because of her cynicism.

Finally,

You can argue for any of these viewpoints in an essay about what Daisy represents - money (more like old money), the American Dream, the status of women, or anything else. Just make sure to use her quotes from the novel to support your claim!

FAQs

Which character in The Great Gatsby does Daisy represent?

Daisy has the man she adores, Gatsby, but decides to wed the wealthy Tom instead. She will accompany Gatsby when he becomes wealthy. She stands for the prize for men and the wealthy, who can never have enough to please them.

What are the three characteristics of Daisy Buchanan?

She is attractive and endearing but also impulsive, vain, uninterested, and sarcastic. Nick describes her as a reckless individual who destroys things before hiding behind her money.

In The Great Gatsby, does Daisy commit suicide?

The Great Gatsby does not feature Daisy committing suicide. She departs with Tom and their daughter when Gatsby is killed without providing a forwarding address.

Does Daisy truly care for Gatsby?

It's tricky to decide this. Gatsby's memories of their time together might be overblown. There is still a question in everyone's mind does she choose to accompany him when he returns with money because of Gatsby, the person, or because of Gatsby's wealth?

How would you characterize Daisy Buchanan?

Daisy is spoilt and superficial. Although she demands wealth and comfort, people are pleasantly amused by her presence and vivacious manner.

What is The Great Gatsby's description of Daisy?

Daisy is said to be charming but unreliable. Although bright, she lacks humor. She has a lovely face shape and is physically appealing.

Why did Daisy not marry Gatsby?

Daisy decided to wed Tom rather than Gatsby because Tom was more affluent and influential. Gatsby was never wealthy, unlike Tom, and grew up in poverty. Daisy assured Gatsby that she would wait for him while he was at war, but she knew that her mother would never permit her to wed a poor man.

What is famous about Daisy Buchanan?

She is the second cousin once removed of the narrator Nick Carraway and is married to polo player Tom Buchanan, with whom she shares a daughter. Daisy was in a romance with Jay Gatsby before she wed Tom. One of the major problems in the book revolves around her decision between Gatsby and Tom.

What represents Daisy to Gatsby?

Daisy Buchannan illustrates the lack of morality and ethics that permeated society in the 1920s. Even though she remains the center of Gatsby's universe until his passing, she is consistently revealed to be callous and erratic in the book.