Blog Post #22

What is the climax (turning point) of the novel? How do you know? How is the central conflict addressed in the climax? Use textual evidence to back up your claims. There are two possible turning points in The Great Gatsby. They are when Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time in a long time (chapter 5-6) and when Tom and Gatsby fight the hotel (chapter 7). I believe that the climax of the novel is when Tom and Gatsby fight in the hotel. This fight is over who loves Daisy more and Gatsby tells Tom that she loves him more and she always has. Tom disagrees but also admits that he has “cheated” and he says “And what's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time." (7.251-252) Later on in the book Daisy actually runs away with Tom instead of Gatsby, which makes Gatsby in a very melancholy manner. I think that this is the climax because after a climax there has to be a big fall. The story does so because right after the quarrel between the Tom and Gatsby, Wilton's wife is killed with Gatsby’s YELLOW car. Yellow meaning death and wealth, but in this case death. Then Wilson goes crazy, later killing himself and Gatsby, and Daisy goes with Tom leaving Gatsby sad and depressed because the American Dream is lost! Now to end this blog here is a sad quote, “It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete.”