4. It is better to have loved than to have not loved at all: Though Gatsby wants Daisy to be his own wife, he fails to recognize the sanctity of marriage. Daisy is already married to Tom, putting her in an awkward position. If Gatsby truly loved her, he would leave her be and not put her though hell. Gatsby desires too much in his life.
5. Don’t let anger get the best of you: After his wife is run down and killed by an unknown car, Mr. Wilson lets his hatred boil until he takes the police investigation into his own hands. He guns down Gatsby even though it was Daisy driving. Revenge can only be successful when one avenges the correct person.
6. Lying and deception only go so far: Gatsby led everyone on throughout the entire story only to end up a penniless, heartbroken man. His rich, fake background didn’t make Daisy love him any more than she did before. His deception only proved to be an excuse for people to condemn him as a liar and abandon him at his funeral.
7. Don’t be so supercilious: At the beginning, Nick comments on Tom’s supercilious behavior, pointing out the arrogance and superiority Tom holds himself up with. He believes he is truly in power, but he loses his wife and his mistress by the end. No one is invincible.
8. Don’t be so ignorant: Nick points out several times throughout the story along with Tom that Gatsby’s famous past may be not entirely true. Their assumptions are somewhat correct and the splash damage from Gatsby’s fall was cushioned. Suspicion to an extent is beneficial sometimes.
9. Have a determined plan: At Gatsby’s funeral, Nick reads one of Gatsby’s journals with a written schedule about his routine for success. The schedule is similar to that of Ben Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanac, demonstrating his motivation to strive for prosperity. Goals can be achieved, but they require hard work and discipline.
10. Money isn’t power: Gatsby’s lavish lifestyle didn’t inspire friendship or loyalty in most of his party guests. Most of his encounters admired his lifestyle, but secretly envied him. Tom felt no restraint when investigating Gatsby’s background, as wealth didn’t intimidate him. Money didn’t give Gatsby power over Tom or Daisy.
The Top Ten Life
Lessons To A better Life