Throughout chapters four and five
of The Great Gatsby, we learn of Gatsby’s infinite and almost obsessive
love for Daisy. It appears so strongly that it cripples him, making him
literally weak at the knees as nearly fell "down a flight of stairs” (91). This behavior
strongly mimics how kids act when bombarded by love. Nick notices this
childlike behavior when he reprimands Gatsby saying that he acts “like a little
boy” in front of Daisy (88). His firm tone implies that he should feel
embarrassed by acting that way; however I do not see any problem with treating
love like a new, childish discovery. In fact, most “love” between young kids
proves the most honest and true love: no secrets or lying. I have experienced this
through a little girl I babysit. Every day after school she runs in the door
and proudly tells me that she has received yet another note. This note, far
from ordinary, contains the confession of feelings that a certain boy has for
her. This boy writes her a note every day proclaiming his powerful love for her
and how he cannot stop thinking about her. Sound familiar? This boy, although a
mere ten years old, could teach The Great Gatsby a thing or two about the
expression of love. This fourth grader has learned the art of winning a girl at
a very young age through the power of persuasive words. His bluntness about his
feelings would catch even the most well versed lover off guard. Here are just a
few examples of his incredible writing:
-
When I am with you the only place I want to be is closer
-
Today I caught myself smiling then I realized
that I was thinking of you
And my personal favorite:
-
If I had a star for every time I thought of you,
the moon would finally know what loneliness feels like
Sounds very Gatsby esque, right? This
boy, in the prime of his awkward stage, shows less of an awkward demeanor than
Gatsby does. Now if only he could learn from his ten year old counterpart.
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