#AltEnd: The Great Gatsby, The Classic American Dream

Tom Buchanan, Daisy, Jordan, Nick and Gatsby went to New York in a fit of excitement. Gatsby takes Buchanan’s car with Daisy as Nick and Jordan accompany Tom in Gatsby’s yellow car. Gatsby talks to Daisy on the way; asks her to tell him what is it that’s distressing her, what is it she’s afraid of. Daisy breaks down in tears. Tells him she is not sure about leaving Tom, that she once loved him and they have a child together. She tells him how Tom was never there for her. How he constantly had affairs and how he wasn’t even there when she birthed their daughter. Even though she’s confused. She loved Gatsby, yes. She still loves him, but she also loves the man she married. In some part of her heart she’ll be attached to him. Gatsby pulls over on an abandoned road. He didn’t care about catching up with Tom anymore. He just sat beside Daisy, holding her hands, pensive and attentive. A lone tear escaped his lashes. He didn’t say a word, just caressed Daisy’s trembling hands, her tear stricken face. He pored deep in her eyes and said what a thousand words were incapable of. A smile pasted on his face where Daisy had expected disappointment. A weight was lifted off her chest. She felt lighter, stronger. She felt prepared for what was to transpire.

Meanwhile Gatsby was deep in thought. Daisy’s breakdown made him aware of his own fallibilities. He missed the person he was five years ago. The person who had someone to love. The person who was loved. Who was penniless but full of dreams. Those were some of his hardest yet most beautiful years. Maybe loving Daisy was his link to his past self. He started driving again, his mind full of thoughts. He looked at Daisy. She was quiet, looking out at the trees running past them.

Tom was circling anxiously around the entrance. He looked at Daisy, she looked a little shaken. Her eyes seemed distant. She stood in the middle of the room and asked everyone to take a  seat. She directly addressed Tom; told him she was repulsed by him. Her voice broke down as she voiced the pain she’d kept from everyone for five years. Tom was rendered speechless. He had not expected this. He came here to stop her wife from leaving him for Gatsby. He had not expected her to cry or to not take Gatsby’s support. Gatsby’s detachment from the whole scene made it all the more confusing for him. Nevertheless, he had decided; he would stop Daisy no matter what. He could not lose his wife. That too to a peddler like Gatsby. So he held on to his chance. He apologized to Daisy and made promises to love her.

Gatsby slowly stood up at this. He went to Nick and said “Nick, how about we leave the couple to talk and take a round about the town?”. Nick immediately stood up, shocked but relieved. They went out and drove around till late evening when they finally arrived home. Gatsby made a decision. He decided to let Daisy choose what she wants. He decided to let her go. He decided to let go of the past and to make up a present. There were no calls from Daisy the other day. A week passed by. A month. Daisy had left Long Islands with her husband and child. There was no news of her. It was after four months that one night the butler informed Gatsby that there was a call for him from Daisy Fay in the afternoon. Gatsby immediately rushed to the phone and dialed the number. A honey-sweet voice answered. It uttered just one word. Gatsby.

Written by: Aakanksha Kirti 

Featured Image: Amazon.com