Yes, the narrative strongly suggests an intimate physical relationship between Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby.
Implied Intimacy in The Great Gatsby
While F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby does not explicitly detail every physical encounter, the novel provides significant clues and implications that point to Daisy and Gatsby having slept together, particularly in their past before her marriage to Tom Buchanan.
Clues from Daisy's Past
The most compelling evidence hinting at their prior intimacy and deep emotional bond is found in the events leading up to Daisy's wedding:
- Pre-Wedding Breakdown: The day before her wedding to Tom Buchanan, Daisy experienced a severe emotional breakdown. She became heavily intoxicated and distraught, clutching a letter from Gatsby. This suggests a profound, unresolved connection and a realization on her part that her true affections lay with Gatsby, not Tom.
- Emotional Weight: This dramatic episode underscores the intense emotional and likely physical bond she shared with Gatsby during their earlier romance in Louisville. Her distress indicates that their relationship was far more serious and intimate than a casual courtship, implying a physical dimension to their connection.
This deep-seated history and the overwhelming emotions involved strongly imply that Daisy and Gatsby shared a physical relationship, making their connection foundational to the novel's central conflict.