Rewriting The Ending: "The Great Gatsby"

Often times after reading a book, we go into a phase of wishing that we could change the ending, maybe it’s due to the death of our favorite protagonist, or just because we didn’t like the outcome, at these times, we would have no other choice, but to accept what was given to us and move on.

For me, I have read so many books that I would have happily changed the ending; maybe made it a little sadder, or even added some happiness to it.

Like I would always say, no matter how good a book is, the ending can either break or make the whole book in my eyes.

So, if I had the opportunity to change the ending of any book, I think the first book that comes to mind would the “the Great Gatsby”, this book was given to me by my father and literally kick started my reading journey.

Now, before I tell you what I will change about this book, I will be previewing the book, and please note that there will be spoilers below, so, if you wouldn’t want that, you can run away now.

PREVIEW

picture was taken and edited by me

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Book title: the Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Year of production: 1925
Genre: Tragedy

A BRIEF SUMMARY

The book is set in New York and centers around the narration of Nick Carraway, and his interactions with a “self-made” billionaire known as Jay Gatsby who throws lavish parties with a lot of people in attendance.

In his narration of Jay Gatsby, it shows that Gatsby is in love with a young Lady named “Daisy” who he had loved since his youth, but at the time, she was married and apparently unhappy in her marriage.

Daisy who is Nick's cousin is married to a man named “Tom Buchanan” and unknowing to her, Tom has a married mistress “Myrtle Wilson”.

During the course of the book, Gatsby tells Nick about his feelings for Daisy and begs Nick to help him out with his cousin, Nick successfully does that, and they begin a romance.

Also, Tom tells Nick about his mistress who is married to an unexciting man named George Wilson.

At one point in the book, Tom starts suspecting his wife with Gatsby which infuriates him, and also, Nick becomes curious about how Gatsby made his money.

THE LAST CHAPTERS OF THE GREAT GATSBY

In the last chapters of the book, Tom attends one of Gatsby's lavish parties with his wife because of his suspicions, in this party, Daisy who had never attended any of Gatsby's parties was disgusted at the scene and leaves, while Tom, on the other hand, attending one for the first time becomes suspicious about how Gatsby acquired his wealth since there was no evidence of it.

After that happens, Gatsby stops throwing parties but kept being visited by Daisy and this is said to have continued for a while, before Tom decides to host a lunch which he invites Gatsby and Nick.

During this lunch, it is clear to Tom that something is happening with his wife and Gatsby, so he insists on a drive into town, to which they all agree and he drives Gatsby's yellow car, while Gatsby drives his blue one.

Before getting to the town, Tom stops at Myrtle's husband’s workshop where he finds out from her husband that they would be leaving town.

He gets angry hearing this, drives off to meet up with everyone, a big fight happens and a revelation comes out that Gatsby made his wealth from selling illegal alcohol to drugstores in Chicago which disappoints Daisy.

Going back home, Daisy drives her and Gatsby back in his car and due to anger, she mistakenly kills Myrtle who was arguing with her husband in the street and drives away.

HOW THE GREAT GATSBY ENDS

The book ends with Myrtle's husband thinking Gatsby killed his wife because they had an affair which results in him killing Gatsby and, Daisy and Tom leave town without a means to reach them.

At Gatsby’s funeral, no one attends except Nick and Gatsby's father which showed that regardless of all his parties, he had no friends.

HOW I WOULD REWRITE THE ENDING

In this book, I had a special attachment to Gatsby, he was my favorite character and his death brought me tears, especially since he didn’t deserve it.

I hated that after all the lives that were ruined by Tom and Daisy, they simply skipped town and lived happily ever after.

If I was to rewrite this book, I would have let Daisy take the fall for what she did and also, let Myrtle's husband find out about Tom and his wife, because I don’t think he even found out in the end.

Also, I would have given Gatsby a happy ending, maybe made him find another girl or something because throughout the book, he loved one person and it didn’t exactly work out for him.

Nick also had a sad ending because he lived the rest of his life in regret and I didn’t want that for him, so keeping Gatsby alive would have helped his ending too.

FINALLY,

I know that regardless of all that I might have wanted, I was reading a tragedy, so definitely things couldn’t have gone my way and been a happy ending.

The Great Gatsby is one of the best books I have ever read so I will always recommend it even though it ended the way it did.

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This is my entry to the hive book club contest, and if you are interested in participating, you can click here

Also, I am tagging @deraaa @merit.ahama and @iskafan to participate in this contest.