If Gatsby had lived at the end of The Great Gatsby, I think the story would have gone in a really different direction, but not necessarily a happy one. Gatsby spent the whole book chasing a dream that was already dead, his idea of Daisy, their perfect past, and the life he thought he could still have with her. Even if he had survived being shot, I don’t think he would have ended up with Daisy. She already chose Tom and ran away from the whole mess. She never even called or came to the funeral, so it is clear she was done with Gatsby.
If Gatsby lived, he would probably have been heartbroken but maybe finally forced to face reality. It could have been a chance for him to start over, to let go of the fake life he built around impressing Daisy. He might have left West Egg, changed his name again, or disappeared like he had before. But at the same time, knowing Gatsby, he might not have been able to stop chasing that dream. He was so focused on the past that he might have still waited for Daisy, even after everything.
Also, if he had lived, the truth about Myrtle’s death might have come out. Tom could have gotten into trouble for lying. It would have changed the way people saw Gatsby, maybe even given him a clean name. But still, Gatsby’s biggest problem wasn’t just what others thought, it was what he believed. And that dream was already gone.
4o
