The Theme of Love and Obsession in The Great Gatsby: A Study of Gatsby’s Relationship with Daisy

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, the theme of love and obsession is explored through the relationship between Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s overwhelming desire for Daisy represents more than just romantic love—it becomes a symbol of his fixation on the American Dream and his desire to recreate an idealized past. The novel portrays love not as a pure, transcendent force, but as something entangled with materialism, illusion, and obsession.

Gatsby’s love for Daisy is deeply rooted in nostalgia. He first falls in love with her during World War I, when Daisy was young, beautiful, and full of promise. After the war, Gatsby’s obsession grows, and he spends years accumulating wealth, hosting extravagant parties, and building a lavish mansion in the hope that one day Daisy will return to him. For Gatsby, Daisy is not just a woman—she represents the fulfillment of his dreams, an embodiment of wealth, status, and a life that promises happiness. This idealization of Daisy leads him to pursue a version of love that is unattainable and ultimately destructive.

Daisy, in contrast, is portrayed as less idealistic about love. She is caught between her love for Gatsby and her commitment to Tom Buchanan, her wealthy, though morally flawed, husband. Daisy’s relationship with Gatsby is marked by tension between her attraction to his charm and the reality of her life with Tom. While Gatsby views Daisy as the culmination of his dreams, she is unable or unwilling to fully commit to him, particularly when confronted with the reality of the choices she has made. In the end, Daisy chooses the security and privilege of her marriage to Tom, rather than the fleeting ideal that Gatsby represents.

The relationship between Gatsby and Daisy is ultimately defined by obsession rather than genuine connection. Gatsby’s obsession with Daisy blinds him to the realities of their relationship, and he continually strives to recreate a perfect past that never truly existed. Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s obsessive love to critique the idea of romantic idealism, showing how it can distort one’s perception of reality. In the end, Gatsby’s inability to let go of his illusions leads to his tragic death, as he is unable to accept that Daisy has moved on with her life.

Through Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship, The Great Gatsby explores how love can be entwined with obsession, materialism, and fantasy. Fitzgerald suggests that when love becomes an idealized obsession, it can lead to devastating consequences, highlighting the limits of romantic desire in a world defined by superficiality and false dreams.