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How does Gatsby feel when Daisy cries as he takes out his shirts in Chapter Five?

The events in Chapter Five have been an emotional rollercoaster for both Gatsby and Daisy. In this chapter, they meet again after not seeing each other for five years.


Gatsby, who arranged for the meeting to seem like it happened by chance at Nick's house, begins the chapter practically dancing with nervousness. Even after meeting Daisy, he is still a mess of nerves. Nick helps him get over this. Gatsby and Daisy then have a...

The events in Chapter Five have been an emotional rollercoaster for both Gatsby and Daisy. In this chapter, they meet again after not seeing each other for five years.


Gatsby, who arranged for the meeting to seem like it happened by chance at Nick's house, begins the chapter practically dancing with nervousness. Even after meeting Daisy, he is still a mess of nerves. Nick helps him get over this. Gatsby and Daisy then have a tearful reunion, and they are just happy to be in one another's presence. Gatsby starts to show Daisy around his house (with Nick trailing along behind) to impress her with his wealth. It's in this context that he starts showing her his expensive shirts.


Daisy, for whom the sudden reunion with Gatsby has been a complete surprise, is crying apparently from a mixture of intense feelings: joy, reawakened longing, emotional exhaustion from the shocks of the past hour, and perhaps regret that she didn't wait for Gatsby, who is rich enough that he would be able to take care of her if she had married him.


Because Daisy is not exactly grieving, sad, or upset in the usual sense, Gatsby's emotions in this scene are not shock over her tears or concern for why she is crying. Rather, he is giddy, almost manic, with excitement over seeing Daisy and with happiness because now he thinks that he will win her back  She obviously still loves him, and seems to be impressed with everything he shows her, including the shirts. Gatsby is in a joyful fog of disbelief, triumph, and happy anticipation.

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