The Great Gatsby Pgs. 169-180

I just finished reading The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald. While there were times, I wondered the points of the book, at the end I must say, it was a great story. Even though Gatsby wasn't even in the first parts of the story, and we didn't really, truly meet Gatsby until the ending parts of the book, I now know why the book is called the Great Gatsby. Even though Gatsby threw lavish parties, and was nothing but nice to all those he met, and was a great host to the many who were in attendance at his parties, there were only three men in attendance at his funeral. I felt extremely sad for Gatsby, that no one bothered to come to the funeral. When I read "What I called about was a pair of shoes I left there. I wonder if it'd be too much trouble to have the butler send them on. You see, they're tenis shoes, and I'm sort of helpless without them" (Fitzgerald 169), I found myself furious. Nick had just told this man that Gatsby had died, and asked him to come to the funeral, when the man responded that he'd try to come, but he had a picnic he had to go to instead. It truly puts the value of the human life in perspective. Even though Gatsby was a good man, and had met many, he still only had three at his funeral. None of the many people he met were truly his friends, only Nick opened himself up to be a friend. While I hoped Gatsby would end up happy with Daisy, I see now why he had to die. In death, he is immortalized. He made something great of his life, and in death, he I see him as the man who died tragically due to the words and actions of a rich man who cared for no one but himself, Tom Buchanan. I hated him from the beginning, and hate him ever so much more now, for getting The Great Gatsby killed.