It Takes Two

After finishing The Great Gatsby, there are many passages that seemed to be more meaningful once I had a chance to think about them in the context of the entire novel. One passage in particular that seemed to change in this way came near the beginning of the story when Nick had just started spending time with Jordan. He writes:

‘You’re a rotten driver,’ I protested. ‘Either you ought to be more careful or you oughtn’t to drive at all.’

‘I am careful.’

‘No, you’re not.’

‘Well, other people are,’ she said lightly.

‘What’s that got to do with it?’

‘They’ll keep out of my way,’ she insisted. ‘It takes two to make an accident.’

When I first read this passage, I read it as just a small fight about Jordan's driving skills. What I thought then, was that it was just meant to be an example to further prove what Nick was saying about her dishonesty and careless attitude. However, after reading the entire novel, I realized that this section, especially the last line, seems to as a perfect representation of the car crash that happens at the end of thetory.

When taking it in a literal sense, this line foreshadows how it took the carelessness of both Daisy and Myrtle to cause this accident. If Daisy had been sober and less distracted, and if Myrtle had not let her emotions get the best of her, the crash would not have occurred. 

However, I believe that this line has a much greater symbolic meaning as this line is not just referring to the literal car crash that occurs, but also to the horrific breakdown of Daisy and Tom's marriage. When it comes to their love, it really did "take two" to make it all fall apart.  Tom had been unfaithful in their marriage almost since it began, which indeed put a strain on their relationship, but it wasn't until Daisy and Gatsby reignited their love that the relationship truly crumbled.  It took her affair to spark Tom's anger which led to him humiliating Gatbsy, causing her love for both her lover and her husband to fade once and for all.  Also, if it weren't for Tom's affair with Myrtle, she never would come running towards the car. And if it weren't for Gatsby and Daisy's affair, Daisy never would've been driving Gatsby's car, and the crash would've never occurred. Because of both of their unfaithfulness, Daisy is forced to live without the hope of one day reuniting with her true love, because, ever since their "accident," he has been as dead as Daisy's love for Tom.