Skip to main content

Through Gatsby's Eyes

In this fanfiction, I am retelling the events at the beginning of chapter 8 through Gatsby's perspective.


I waited in Daisy's bush for most of the night. Is it wrong to say that I wish something had happened to her? I wanted the big "superhero" moment when I came to save her, but at 4:00 she turned off her light and didn't turn it on again. I went home and rested on the table in my hallway, tired and dejected. Nick showed up just a little while later when he insisted on sitting in the drawing room with the French windows open.

It was then that I told him about my true past. My unpleasant, embarrassing history. I don't know why I felt like talking - maybe it was the tiredness - but I couldn't stop. Nick has always been a great listener, and I am eternally grateful for him. I tell him about my relationship with Daisy, Dan Cody, the war, and everything else. 

By the time I finished, it was dawn and we began opening all the other windows in the house, turning the house gold. As we worked, I started thinking more and more about Daisy.

"I don't think she ever loved him," I said suddenly. "You must remember, old sport, she was very excited this afternoon. He told her those things in a way that frightened her - that made it look as if I was some kind of cheap sharper. And the result was she hardly knew what she was saying."

I sat down, overcome with sorrow. Even if she did love him, she always loved me more, right?

At 9:00, Nick and I sat on the porch when I was informed by the gardener that they were going to drain my pool today. I suddenly realized that I hadn't used my pool all summer. I've been busy with the parties, and then of course, with Daisy. I let him know he could do it on a different day - I had the sudden urge to go swimming later today.

Eventually, Nick had to go to work, and I was once again, left alone in my mansion.

Comments

  1. HemnaOctober 22, 2023 at 1:14 PM

    I wish this book was told through this perspective. Nick's narrating doesn't compare as he's too hypocritical and makes it hard to read. I love that you kept the essence of Gatsby alive like his speech saying "old sport" and how you incorporated it into something unique.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Julia MOctober 22, 2023 at 4:38 PM

    I thought this was a very cool idea. I like how you included the “turning the house gold” keeping it close to the actual story and even alluding to important symbols.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousOctober 23, 2023 at 1:13 PM

    I like how you told the story from Gatsby's perspective. I thought this was a really nice idea.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

attempting to plan out my life

I can't lie - I don't know how likely I am to really come back to this list. Regardless, here are the books I hope I read in the next ten years: 2026 - The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley I'll be honest - my dad has been begging me to read this for the last few years, and I think it's finally time I listen. This will be my first year of college, meaning it's time to really get educated beyond just the subdued version of history I am exposed to at school. Especially because I will be spending so much time in Detroit during my freshman year, I think it is imperative that I learn about black history and its ties to the city. 2027 - American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins I've heard a lot about the life-changing nature of this novel, and by 2027, I truly think this issue will be a prominent focus in American politics, culture, and society. When I was a freshman, I vaguely remember listening to a podcast episode featuring Cummins during a long drive,...
Post a Comment
Read more

race plays a role

Elham: "They like English accent French accent not your accent not my accent" This line stuck with me as I read the play, especially when you mentioned your inability to relate to it because you are two generations deep, almost fully assimilated into "American" culture. I am also 2 generations deep, a second-generation American. So why is my experience different? It's because: - The sub spells my name when calling attendance instead of attempting to say it. - My first-grade teacher refused to believe I celebrated Thanksgiving. - No history textbook has a picture of someone like me. It's because I've had the following conversation more times than I can count: Them: "Where are you from?" Me: I live in Michigan, I'm American. Them: "No, where are you really from?" And as much as I feel the urge to respond passive-aggressively, I’ve come to realize that these questions often come from kind, well-meaning people who are simply curious. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Story

I'm an overthinker. I'm an overthinker to a level you can't even imagine. Every minute left on delivered, every slight change in tone, and every period in a text message means something to me. I'm constantly asking myself: Are they mad at me? What did I do wrong? How do I even begin replying to this? Amidst this constant anxiety, I do my best to remind myself to be present, put my phone down, and worry less about the outcome. And yet, this often causes further tension: Am I living in the moment enough? Am I missing something important? Am I doing this all wrong? The poem A Story by Li-Young Lee resonated with me because of this constant internal conflict. Throughout the poem, the father, so focused on the possibility of the son's future, cannot express his feelings of love in the moment.  With just one more quarter of the life I have known for the past thirteen years left, I find myself caught in the same trap. I worry when I enjoy something so much that I lose tra...
Post a Comment
Read more