F. Scott Fitzgerald uses numerous references to Time in his novel. Consider the seasons, which are referenced as the story begins. Daisy invites her 2nd cousin, Nick, to her home and Daisy snuffs out the candles which were lit by the servants as she mentions that candles are not right leading up to the longest day of the year. The Summer Equinox, June 21st, is the longest daylight day in the year and Daisy said she was so looking forward to it and sometimes she might slip up and forget when it arrives. Time and seasons are related in the book to a person’s time of life, meaning that Spring=Childhood, Summer=Youth/Young Adulthood, Fall=Middle Age, and Winter=Older Adult. Daisy’s reference to time.
Additionally, Fitzgerald’s narrator, Nick Carraway, mentions that this story takes place during one summer. Again, the reference to summer relates to the characters’ age as they are young adults getting started in their lives and careers and they are in the prime or summer of their lives. Other references to time continue in the book when Gatsby made his fortune to buy his house and collect his material possessions in just five years. Five years was how long between when Gatsby and Daisy first met to when they reconnect during the summer of this story.
Similarly, Gatsby is so nervous when he meets Daisy at Nick’s house that he leans on the mantle and knocks over the mantle clock, yet he catches the clock. This symbolizes how Gatsby is fumbling with time and trying to cheat the clock by turning back time and pretending that he and Daisy can reconnect like nothing changed in the five years, when big changes have occurred. Daisy has married Tom Buchanan and she now has a young daughter. Gatsby catches the clock, again symbolic of how he is trying to go back and save things and keep things from being ruined.
In the same way, Gatsby realizes near the end of summer that he has not used the swimming pool all season and he asks the pool man to delay draining the pool. The pool symbolizes the time in his life, summer, and how he has nearly missed the entire season due to distraction. Gatsby’s distractions have been his job to make the money necessary to secure Daisy. If Gatsby has nearly forgotten to enjoy the pool then this symbolizes that Gatsby has forgotten to enjoy his young adulthood.
To demonstrate how Daisy references time, she tells Gatsby that she could not wait for him and she just couldn’t wait since it took him so long to return from the war. Daisy’s reference to time is that she was impatient and wanted everything instantly and was not willing to be patient, despite the fact that she said she would wait for him to return.
Subsequently Gatsby waited for Daisy to make up her mind after Tom knows about Gatsby and Daisy’s affair. This time Gatsby patiently waits for Daisy and she never calls him. Even after Gatsby is killed, Daisy never writes a note, calls Nick, or attends the funeral service. Daisy keeps waiting and never offers any condolence or sense of sadness over Gatsby’s death.
Additionally, Fitzgerald’s narrator, Nick Carraway, mentions that this story takes place during one summer. Again, the reference to summer relates to the characters’ age as they are young adults getting started in their lives and careers and they are in the prime or summer of their lives. Other references to time continue in the book when Gatsby made his fortune to buy his house and collect his material possessions in just five years. Five years was how long between when Gatsby and Daisy first met to when they reconnect during the summer of this story.
Similarly, Gatsby is so nervous when he meets Daisy at Nick’s house that he leans on the mantle and knocks over the mantle clock, yet he catches the clock. This symbolizes how Gatsby is fumbling with time and trying to cheat the clock by turning back time and pretending that he and Daisy can reconnect like nothing changed in the five years, when big changes have occurred. Daisy has married Tom Buchanan and she now has a young daughter. Gatsby catches the clock, again symbolic of how he is trying to go back and save things and keep things from being ruined.
In the same way, Gatsby realizes near the end of summer that he has not used the swimming pool all season and he asks the pool man to delay draining the pool. The pool symbolizes the time in his life, summer, and how he has nearly missed the entire season due to distraction. Gatsby’s distractions have been his job to make the money necessary to secure Daisy. If Gatsby has nearly forgotten to enjoy the pool then this symbolizes that Gatsby has forgotten to enjoy his young adulthood.
To demonstrate how Daisy references time, she tells Gatsby that she could not wait for him and she just couldn’t wait since it took him so long to return from the war. Daisy’s reference to time is that she was impatient and wanted everything instantly and was not willing to be patient, despite the fact that she said she would wait for him to return.
Subsequently Gatsby waited for Daisy to make up her mind after Tom knows about Gatsby and Daisy’s affair. This time Gatsby patiently waits for Daisy and she never calls him. Even after Gatsby is killed, Daisy never writes a note, calls Nick, or attends the funeral service. Daisy keeps waiting and never offers any condolence or sense of sadness over Gatsby’s death.