The Great Gatsby: Chapter VII-VIII

In chapter eight of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald reveals Gatsby's tragic flaw, he's living in the past. I believe it's obvious, with the events of chapter seven, that Daisy will not leave her husbend for Gatsby. Gatsby, however, is incapable of seeing this reality, and instead continues to insist their relationship is the same as it was five years previous. Deep down, he must have realized that even if she loved him, five years had passed, and nothing was the same. Daisy was married, had a child, and grown complacent in the life she chose to live. He want her to leave her husbend and child and live the life they should have lived had everything gone to plan. Unfortunately, Daisy lacked the courage and the drive to make such a major decision. This persistant denial ultimately lead to Gatsby's death. Nick advised Gatsby to get out of town, fearing retribution would fall on him for Mrs. Wilson's death. However, Gatsby "couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do" (Fitzgerald, 148). Had Gatsby accepted the reality of the situation and heeded Nick's advice, chance are he would not have been home when Mr. Wilson went looking for revenge.