seem like an untouchable goddess. For example, before he must leave her, he touches the ends of her fingers gently. To him, her house is like a temple, pervaded by mystery and the wonders of great wealth.

The reason that Fitzgerald brings these religious-like memories that Gatsby has of Daisy into chapter 8 is that they remind the reader why Gatsby is willing to sacrifice himself for her. She is not just human to Gatsby; instead, she is sacred to him. Nick tells Gatsby to leave his house to avoid the trouble surrounding Myrtle's death, but Gatsby won't leave until he knows that Daisy is safe; ultimately, this means sacrificing himself for Daisy.

Nick says that Gatsby fell in love with Daisy almost by accident. He had only intended to "[make] the most of his time" with her, and he "took what he could get": he slept with Daisy, having given her a false impression of his fortune and pedigree. Once he did fall for her, however, Nick says, "he found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail." The grail to which Nick refers is the cup believed to have been used by Jesus for wine at his last supper. A great many explorers and archaeologists have sought and devoted their lives to the seeking of the holy grail, and none have been successful. Nick's description seems to convey the idea that the quest for Daisy, for her love and for her hand in marriage, will be similarly unsuccessful for Gatsby. It has all the mystery, mysticism, and beauty of the original grail quest, at least for Gatsby, but the statement foreshadows its impossibility and ultimate failure.

In Chapter 8, Jay Gatsby discovers that "he had committed himself to the following of a grail." The religiosity of this turn of a phrase is multi-layered. First, Daisy is goddess-like to Jay. Putting someone so far above oneself immediately places them in the realm of the unattainable. In addition, making Daisy a pseudo-goddess means that Gatsby, a mere mortal, is unworthy of her love. Finally, and most importantly, the quest for the "grail" is the same thing as chasing the impossible. Historically, those who have thought that the grail was within their grasp have suffered the ultimate disappointment of watching it slip from their hands.

Jay Gatsby's love for Daisy Buchanan could certainly be considered religious when we examine some of the parallels between their relationship and the themes of Christianity. I do not mean to imply that Christianity is the only religion or that all religions are like Christianity, but Fitzgerald was raised in a Catholic home and this ideology would have permeated his life.

Consider how devoted Gatsby is to Daisy. After so many years, he thinks only of her, and spends (even wastes) all of his riches in a display for Daisy. In Christianity, especially Catholicism, devotion is highly valued. Someone who puts their faith in God and gives their time, talents, and/ or material wealth to God and the Church is likely to be admired in their religious community. The perceived benefit of devoting one's life on Earth to God is the promise of a spot in Heaven after death. Similarly, Gatsby devotes his life's work, his time, his wealth, his entire being to Daisy with the hope that they may someday be together again.

From the same perspective, Gatsby could be regarded as a sort of ascetic or martyr. He abstains from anything which he does not believe will get him closer to Daisy. Isn't it a little strange he hasn't moved on and married a different woman? Such is his devotion to her. He is willing to suffer in his longing for Daisy, alone in that big house, because he believes it is "for the cause" of being near to her again. Daisy also has the power to "redeem" Gatsby with her presence and love. If she will come and be with him, Gatsby can, spiritually speaking, be absolved of his prior sins of leaving with the army and not being wealthy enough to provide her a secure marriage.