The Great Gatsby Book Vs Movie

Too Simple

The Great Gatsby, a timeless literary classic, has failed time and time again to achieve success in Hollywood. Over the years countless famous directors have tried, and subsequently failed, to incorporate the complex emotions, colorful characters, and vivid plot of the novel into a short 90 minute feature. Baz Luhrmann recently took on the task in his 2013 rendition of The Great Gatsby, in which he tries to capture the essence of the novel. However, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby over-simplifies the novel, by removing the character complexities from Nick, Daisy, and Myrtle, which ultimately cripples the movie and prevents the movie from accurately representing the novel.

First, the film does not complicate Nick Carraway’s character

In the novel, Daisy is superficial and careless. Daisy, while lounging at the Buchanan mansion with Nick, Jordan, and Gatsby, chooses to briefly see and hug her daughter, Pammy, instead of spending any genuine time with her. As Nick correctly mentions, Daisy “wanted to show [Pammy] off,” but did not actually care for her (117). Daisy’s willingness to not actually care for her own daughter, but instead treat her as a plaything and symbol of wealth clearly displays Daisy’s superficiality. Daisy’s shallow attitude is not restricted, however, to her relationship with Pammy. Daisy relationship with Gatsby, in the novel, is financially based. In the novel, Gatsby uses financial imagery to describe falling in love with Daisy. Gatsby stresses Daisy “vanishing into her rich, full life,” and her status “above the hot struggles of the poor,” evidencing that Daisy considered herself “better” than others because she is rich. Daisy in the movie, however, appears gentle and kind, once again because of Luehrman's cuts. Luehrman chooses to cut the Daisy and Pammy scene, and by doing so, easily allows Daisy to be likeable. In addition, when Daisy views Gatsby’s fine silk shirts she cries because she missed Gatsby. Nick, in his voiceover for the scene says “Five lost years struggled on Daisy’s lips,” suggesting that Daisy cries because she is heartbroken. In the movie,