Question

fight! fight! fight! fight! fight!
in chapter 7 tom and gatsby fight over daisy. who made better arguments and won the fight?
provide three (3) examples of the best arguments that tom makes and three (3) of the best
arguments that gatsby makes. youll find this scene on pages 130-134. afterwards declare a
winner and why, using the sentence stems below.

Explanation:

This analysis is based on Chapter 7 of The Great Gatsby (pages 130-134):

1. Tom's Key Arguments:

• He exposes Gatsby's illegal bootlegging ties with Meyer Wolfsheim, undermining Gatsby's wealthy, legitimate persona.
• He emphasizes his long history with Daisy, citing their shared past and child, which Gatsby cannot replicate.
• He reveals Gatsby's humble, poor origins, contrasting with his own old money status to cast Gatsby as an imposter.

1. Gatsby's Key Arguments:

• He insists Daisy never loved Tom, claiming she only married him out of desperation while Gatsby was away.
• He argues he can recreate the past with Daisy, framing their love as pure and worth abandoning her current life.
• He highlights Tom's infidelities (with Myrtle Wilson) to prove Tom does not truly value or respect Daisy.

1. Winner Rationale: Tom wins the argument because he forces Daisy to admit she loved both him and Gatsby, breaking Gatsby's illusion of exclusive, eternal love. Additionally, Tom's exposure of Gatsby's criminal connections shatters Gatsby's carefully crafted idealized image, leaving Daisy too frightened and disillusioned to choose Gatsby.

Answer:

Tom's Best Arguments:

1. Exposes Gatsby's Wolfsheim bootlegging ties.
2. Cites long shared history with Daisy (and their child).
3. Reveals Gatsby's poor, humble origins.

Gatsby's Best Arguments:

1. Claims Daisy never truly loved Tom.
2. Argues he can recreate his past with Daisy.
3. Highlights Tom's repeated infidelities.

Winner Declaration:

Tom wins the fight. He forces Daisy to confess she loved both him and Gatsby, destroying Gatsby's core illusion of exclusive, lifelong love. He also discredits Gatsby by exposing his illegal criminal connections, leaving Daisy too scared and disillusioned to leave Tom for Gatsby.