ENGLISH LITERATURE
THE GREAT GATSBY
LOST AND FORGOTTEN LOVE
Forgotten love plays a major role in The Great Gatsby, and is predominantly seen through the characters of
Gatsby, Tom, Myrtle, Daisy and George. Through these characters, we witness the truth of love and the
aftermath of when that love is lost.
Key quotes
Lost love within the “..he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the
characters afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer
tangible." (CHAPTER 7) - Daisy and Gatsby's love grows frail
Daisy + Gatsby over time-> further accentuating the theme of past and present
Gatsby's entire focus after the war is building his wealth, power, and
prestige, all in an attempt to make himself worthy of Daisy's love. “So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight
– watching over nothing.” (CHAPTER 7) - From an outsider's
Daisy's love for Gatsby, over time, grows old and Tom becomes the
viewpoint, Nick knows that Daisy and Gatsby's love is
metaphoric safety she desires. ephemeral and somewhat futile.
"After that she didn't play around with the soldiers anymore..."
Jordan, CHAPTER 4 ‘I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before, she’ll
Daisy didn't love Gatsby enough to sacrifice and dismantle her life for see." (CHAPTER 6) - amplifies Themes of delusion and the past
him; she became disillusioned to true love. Both characters' struggle
to find true happiness and overcoming lost love in the past, is seen
throughout The Great Gatsby.
Tom + Myrtle
Tom and Myrtle's infidelity eclipses all hopes of true love. Both
Key moments
characters are clearly dissatisfied with their current relationships and
fall out of love with each other's partners. Myrtle married George
We mainly see lost and forgotten love in chapter 4,
because "he was a gentleman," yet he failed to uphold Myrtle's idea of
when Jordan recounts Daisy and Gatsby's previous
the perfect husband.
relationship, chapter 6 and for the rest of the novel.
"I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick
my shoe.” - Myrtle, CHAPTER 2 Some key moments include:
Tom represented the social security and status that Daisy was
accustomed to, and yet he continues to have blatant affairs with other
Myrtle and Tom's affair in New York - CHAPTER 2
women. Jordan's explanation of Daisy and Gatsby's
"...She'd look around uneasily and say: 'Where's Tom gone?'" - Jordan, relationship - CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4 Daisy and Gatsby's reunion - CHAPTER 5
Tom and Myrtle's affair act as a shield to conceal the lost love they Gatsby's true story - CHAPTER 6
experience with their true partners. However, the aftermath of Myrtle's Myrtle's death - CHAPTER 7
accident allows forgotten love to be fully present. Gatsby and George's death - CHAPTER 8
Tom + Daisy The aftermath - CHAPTER 9
Both characters share a marriage of convenience instead of love.
Despite Tom's dishonesty, Daisy feels that his financial stability is
greater than pursuing Gatsby; being truly happy. Lost love within the
"Next day at five o'clock she married Tom without so much as a
novel
shiver..." - Jordan, CHAPTER 4
George + Myrtle Lost love in the novel ultimately leads to Gatsby
Myrtle's high expectations of marriage heavily contrasts with George losing Daisy to Tom, George losing Myrtle to Tom
as a character, a "spiritless man, anaemic and faintly handsome." -
then upon her death.
Nick, CHAPTER 2. Even the adverb 'faintly' already establishes this
Gatsby, Daisy, Myrtle and George are victims of lost
theme of loss and forgotten love.
love by death, war and time.
George is symolic of the lost love in their marriage and the
unattainable dreams of Gatsby. Both Myrtle and Daisy are disillusioned
to true love which is seen in both of their relationships. for more resources visit
https://www.tes.com/teaching-
resources/shop/edwardsrebecca69
THE GREAT GATSBY
LOST AND FORGOTTEN LOVE
Forgotten love plays a major role in The Great Gatsby, and is predominantly seen through the characters of
Gatsby, Tom, Myrtle, Daisy and George. Through these characters, we witness the truth of love and the
aftermath of when that love is lost.
Key quotes
Lost love within the “..he gave that up, and only the dead dream fought on as the
characters afternoon slipped away, trying to touch what was no longer
tangible." (CHAPTER 7) - Daisy and Gatsby's love grows frail
Daisy + Gatsby over time-> further accentuating the theme of past and present
Gatsby's entire focus after the war is building his wealth, power, and
prestige, all in an attempt to make himself worthy of Daisy's love. “So I walked away and left him standing there in the moonlight
– watching over nothing.” (CHAPTER 7) - From an outsider's
Daisy's love for Gatsby, over time, grows old and Tom becomes the
viewpoint, Nick knows that Daisy and Gatsby's love is
metaphoric safety she desires. ephemeral and somewhat futile.
"After that she didn't play around with the soldiers anymore..."
Jordan, CHAPTER 4 ‘I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before, she’ll
Daisy didn't love Gatsby enough to sacrifice and dismantle her life for see." (CHAPTER 6) - amplifies Themes of delusion and the past
him; she became disillusioned to true love. Both characters' struggle
to find true happiness and overcoming lost love in the past, is seen
throughout The Great Gatsby.
Tom + Myrtle
Tom and Myrtle's infidelity eclipses all hopes of true love. Both
Key moments
characters are clearly dissatisfied with their current relationships and
fall out of love with each other's partners. Myrtle married George
We mainly see lost and forgotten love in chapter 4,
because "he was a gentleman," yet he failed to uphold Myrtle's idea of
when Jordan recounts Daisy and Gatsby's previous
the perfect husband.
relationship, chapter 6 and for the rest of the novel.
"I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn't fit to lick
my shoe.” - Myrtle, CHAPTER 2 Some key moments include:
Tom represented the social security and status that Daisy was
accustomed to, and yet he continues to have blatant affairs with other
Myrtle and Tom's affair in New York - CHAPTER 2
women. Jordan's explanation of Daisy and Gatsby's
"...She'd look around uneasily and say: 'Where's Tom gone?'" - Jordan, relationship - CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 4 Daisy and Gatsby's reunion - CHAPTER 5
Tom and Myrtle's affair act as a shield to conceal the lost love they Gatsby's true story - CHAPTER 6
experience with their true partners. However, the aftermath of Myrtle's Myrtle's death - CHAPTER 7
accident allows forgotten love to be fully present. Gatsby and George's death - CHAPTER 8
Tom + Daisy The aftermath - CHAPTER 9
Both characters share a marriage of convenience instead of love.
Despite Tom's dishonesty, Daisy feels that his financial stability is
greater than pursuing Gatsby; being truly happy. Lost love within the
"Next day at five o'clock she married Tom without so much as a
novel
shiver..." - Jordan, CHAPTER 4
George + Myrtle Lost love in the novel ultimately leads to Gatsby
Myrtle's high expectations of marriage heavily contrasts with George losing Daisy to Tom, George losing Myrtle to Tom
as a character, a "spiritless man, anaemic and faintly handsome." -
then upon her death.
Nick, CHAPTER 2. Even the adverb 'faintly' already establishes this
Gatsby, Daisy, Myrtle and George are victims of lost
theme of loss and forgotten love.
love by death, war and time.
George is symolic of the lost love in their marriage and the
unattainable dreams of Gatsby. Both Myrtle and Daisy are disillusioned
to true love which is seen in both of their relationships. for more resources visit
https://www.tes.com/teaching-
resources/shop/edwardsrebecca69
