The Great Gatsby/WMG

Daisy and Tom were punished by the Great Depression

There have been reports of rich, high-class people like Tom and Daisy in real life committing suicide when the Great Depression occurred. Why would they do that? Well, people like Tom and Daisy are insulated, detached, and isolated from the real world. They know nothing of hard work, survival and all the other concepts associated to the real world. The Great Depression would cause them to lose all of their money, and the power, prestige, privilege, reputation and friends that came with it. They would be left with nothing and have no concept of how to adapt to, live with (literally and figuratively) and face the harsh realities of the real world. As a result of this, they would just self-destruct. Jordan would likely suffer the same fate, as well as so many other characters in the story. Now Nick, he is different. He seems like the kind of person who might be able to survive the Great Depression. Karma can be a patient, harsh mistress. Did Fridge Horror hear its cue?

• • Don't forget that they have a child, my dear man (or woman). Tom and Daisy would have to pay attention to her now since they pretty much can't leave her to a nanny. This will be the final nail on the coffin of riches when they find out that not only do they need money for themselves, but also for her (and that can be bad if little Pamela is just as spoiled as her parents).

Daisy was not as dumb as she came across

• This was a popular thing to discuss in my International Baccalaureate English class (even if we spent hours talking about T.J. Eckelburg). The best line that symbolized this was her wishing her daughter would grow up to be a "beautiful little fool", so she wouldn't have to suffer the life of being beautiful, rich, intelligent, and trapped by society, regretting decisions made in her past. Of course, IB runs on overanalyzation, Alternate Character Interpretation, and obsessing over tiny, insignificant lines.
  • Coming from another IB student: the great thing about that is that it's relatively easy to pass off Everyone Is Jesus in Purgatory arguments in your essays, filling them with Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness and handing them in to receive you're "hard earned" 6 or 7.

Gatsby is a Time Lord.

• "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!"

Gatsby is.....

• Batman. Think about it. Rich? Check. Single? Mysterious? Check. Involved in some way with criminals? Check. Rich Idiot With No Day Job? Check.