Daisy Buchanan

Daisy Buchanan is fundamentally characterized as young, beautiful and somehow careless. Gatsby's great love for her and her indecision over him is the driving force behind the novel.

Daisy is constantly associated with things that are white and pure, and she is initially presented as one of the only simple and honest characters amongst a collection of complex, lying people. In contrast to the other characters, she seems childishly innocent, exclaiming when she finds a bruise on her finger, “'Look!' she complained, “I hurt it!” (p. 17). She is particularly presented in contrast to her friend Jordan Baker, who is tanned (where Daisy is pale) and is described as “incurably dishonest” (p. 58) by Nick.

Daisy seems charming and sweet and the reader feels a degree of affection for her as the novel continues, willing her relationship with Gatsby to be what Gatsby hopes for: perfect. However, Daisy is somehow disappointing in the end. Despite having an affair with Gatsby, she cannot bring herself to leave Tom. This behavior does not fit Gatsby's...