The Great Gatsby Group

Question:

goober2010
goober2010
Student
High School - 11th Grade

In "The Great Gatsby", why does Nick call Tom and Daisy careless people?

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Posted by goober2010 on Monday September 29, 2008 at 4:33 PM and tagged with careless people, daisy, gatsby, myrtle, the great gatsby, theme, tom.

Answers:


  1. cybil Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Daisy and Tom Buchanan are "careless people" because they are insensitive and thoughtless. Tom physically abuses Myrtle Wilson by striking her in the face and leads her to believe he would marry her if his wife weren't Catholic, which is a lie. He misleads Tom Wilson by implying that Myrtle was Gatsby's mistress and that Gatsby was responsible for her death. Thus Tom gets Gatsby killed, but Daisy is the one who was driving the car that struck Myrtle. Daisy, of course, never admits her guilt. 

    Daisy enjoys flirting with Gatsby, but when problems arise, she hides behind Tom. Somehow she doesn't foresee the confrontation that takes place between Tom and Gatsby in the hotel room, perhaps because she hasn't been taking Gatsby's attention seriously. This couple tends to run away from difficulties, mostly because they have the money to do so and they have little sense of obligation to others. According to Nick, they "smashed up other people's lives" and left the wreckage behind for someone else to clean up, someone like Nick, who does have a sense of integrity and honor.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby/character-analysis

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    Posted by cybil on Monday September 29, 2008 at 6:05 PM


  2. ms-mcgregor Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Tom and Daisy never thought about the consequences of their actions. According to Nick, for they “smashed up things and
    creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.” This carelessness includes both Gatsby and Myrtle. After Myrtle was killed Nick does not seem to grieve but he does plan his revenge on Gatsby. Daisy does not bother to either attend Gatsby's funeral or send flowers. She and Tom simply leave town. Two years later, when Nick sees Tom again, Tom casually admits he told Wilson that Gatsby owned the car that hit Myrtle. The only thing Tom will admit crying over is a box of dog biscuits.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby

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    Posted by ms-mcgregor on Monday September 29, 2008 at 6:15 PM