Nick says, "[Gatsby] couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free." What is the meaning of this quote and why is it important?

The quote said by Nick means that Daisy will not leave Tom for Jay, thus making it evident that jay Gatsby will be left again.

This quote is important as it gave a foreshadowing of what Jay will be getting, his illusion of getting back with Daisy being shattered and he will be left alone again.

Explanation:

"The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells the courage and commitment of a man named Jay Gatsby in his aim of attaining his previous lover Daisy even though sh had already been married to Tom Buchanan. the story also shows the different lives that the wealthy people like Tom and Daisy lead in comparison to Nick and Gatsby.

In Chapter 8, Nick says that "[Gatsby] couldn't possibly leave Daisy until he knew what she was going to do. He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free." This statement shows his concern for his neighbor who seem to still think that he has a chance to get Daisy but which was an unlikely scenario as Nick already knows his cousin Daisy will not leave Tom for Jay. The statement means that Jay will be unsuccessful in his aim of getting Daisy.

This statement is also important as it acts as the final 'nail in the coffin' or Gatsby as it is the scene where he will be again dejected and left alone, unsuccessful in his illusion of regaining what he had previously lost.