Sunday, August 28, 2016

What is the secondary conflict in The Great Gatsby?

It's possible to identify a number of secondary conflicts in this novel.  There is the conflict between Daisy and Tom Buchanan in reference to his long pattern of marital infidelity and her recent affair with Gatsby.  They engage in ridiculous disagreements even in the beginning of the book.  Then, there is also Nick's internal conflict: how much of what Gatsby tells him should he believe?  He never really knows for sure how much or what to believe until very late in their relationship. 


There is also the conflict between Nick and Jordan, especially after the confrontation between Tom and Gatsby in New York City.  She feels that Nick sort of throws her over, and Nick seems to feel pretty disillusioned by the whole East Egg crowd at this point.  Even in the end, as he's speaking to her for the last time, he still feels half in love with her.  There's even, likely, an internal conflict for Daisy: who should she choose?  Stay with Tom, leave him for Gatsby, what will make her happiest?  We can even read a conflict between George and Myrtle Wilson, after he finds out about her affair.


In short, there are a number of conflicts in the novel that are secondary to the main conflict. 

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