Great Gatsby Passages
5/26/08
- p.8 [near top; approx. 16 line] “Only Gatsby, the man who gives his name... and short winded elations of men.”
The narrator of Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, describes Gatsby’s personality as “everything for which I have an unaffected scorn.” However, he considers Gatsby to be exempt from this scorn, and he explains that “there was something gorgeous about him.” It is as though under normal circumstances he would dislike Gatsby, but there’s something about him for which he has great respect. He later explains that the only thing wrong with Gatsby is that some force (“the foul dust in the wake of his dreams”) preyed on him, making him somewhat vulnerable.
- p56 [middle; approx 8 lines] “The caterwauling horns… formal gesture of farewell.”
As a lavish party carries on through the night in a carefree and reckless way, Gatsby, the host, stands alone, observing from afar on the balcony. Nick states that “a sudden emptiness seemed to flow… endowing with complete isolation the figure of the host.” This demonstrates that there is some kind of lonely void in Gatsby’s life, something that he can’t seem to satisfy or fulfill with his lavish parties. He holds “his hand up in a formal gesture of farewell,” almost as if he’s inclined to detach himself by waving goodbye. Actions such as this develop a certain troubled and mysterious nature in Gatsby’s character, which is opposite of the seemingly wonderful qualities that he’s claimed to possess. It is also possible that Gatsby’s withdraw form the party atmosphere indicates that he thinks it’s all an illusion, it doesn’t seem real. It’s all just some elaborate show that has no real meaning or sustenance.
- p.56 [near bottom] – p.59 [end of chapter] “Reading over what I have written so far... I am one of the few honest people I have ever known.”
Nick relates his experiences of living in New York City, which he refers to as having a “racy, adventurous feel of it at night.” He explains that he’s had a casual affair on the side from a girl in Jersey City, and that he often strolls outside at night pretending to go home with certain “romantic women.” However, there seems to be an underlying darkness to his observation when he explains “At the enchanted metropolitan twilight I felt a haunting loneliness…” He explains that he notices this feeling in others as well, and he feels a sinking in his heart. Perhaps it is as though he’s beginning to feel similar to Gatsby in the fact that there’s a certain illusionary quality to his surroundings preventing him from experiencing some form of realness or substance, which has lead to his sadness.
He then explains his relationship with Jordon Baker, who’s described as “incurably dishonest.” She appears to be a selfish character as well, but Nick shows great affection for her vitality and liveliness. He says that “I thought I loved her,” which might support the fact that he’s attracted to Jordan for the wrong reasons. Perhaps Nick is trying to force himself to love something about her, but he knows he can’t truly have her in the end. Nick also explains that “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” Whether or not this is true can be disputed, but what’s ironic is the fact that he’s attracted to Jordan even though she’s dishonest.
- p.90 [near top; approx. 11 lines] “If it wasn't for the mist... enchanted objects had diminished by one.”
This passage examines Gatsby’s relationship with Daisy regarding the green light. Gatsby explains to Daisy, “You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock,” and it is as though Gatsby has come to enchant this object. He has symbolized it to represent Daisy, but since she’s beside him now “his count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.” It is possible that he no longer considers the green light to be an enchanted representation of his desire for Daisy. Perhaps this is a self-realization by Gatsby about how he’d built up this fantasy image of Daisy, only to discover that the significance of the green light, and therefore Daisy, had vanished.
- p.92 [near bottom] – p.93 [end of chapter] “As I went over to say good-bye... leaving them there together.”
It is clear to Nick that Gatsby has idealized Daisy to a potential that she cannot attain. Gatsby’s expectations of her go far beyond the person she actually is. This is not her fault, Nick explains, but “because of the colossal vitality of his [Gatsby’s] illusion. It had gone beyond her, beyond everything.” Gatsby has placed her on a pedestal with which she doesn’t belong, and now it seems that Gatsby realizes this. However, this doesn’t prevent them from desiring each other, and they regard Nick as though he doesn’t exist so they can be together.
- p.105 [near middle] – p.107 [end of chapter] “I stayed late that night... was uncommunicable forever.”
Gatsby explains to Nick that Daisy didn’t like his party, and that “she didn’t have a good time.” It seems that Gatsby is so preoccupied with the notion that he can never provide Daisy with the dream life he has envisioned, and that his representation of her is simply that, a dream. He desires for everything to be dream-like perfection, but it seems that there’s some part of him that realizes this can’t occur. Gatsby even states that “I feel far from her… It’s hard to make her understand.” This distance was created by Gatsby’s illusionary construction of an ideal life that can never be attained, and he is beginning to realize it.
Nick relates the story of a romantic encounter between Gatsby and Daisy, which happened 5 years prior. It is described as a perfect moment, and it is most likely integral to the dream Gatsby has developed in his perception of Daisy. He wants things to be how they were, 5 years ago on that autumn night, and all his efforts have been directed at recovering this fantasy-like past.
- p.115 [top; approx. 8 lines] “She's got an indiscreet voice... the golden girl...”
In what seems like a comparison with Daisy’s voice to material wealth, Gatsby remarks that it’s “full of money.” From this statement it is logical to suggest that Gatsby’s illusions of Daisy include the idea that she represents some form of ethereal wealth. In Gatsby’s mind she is money, a material object to be obtained. Gatsby has concluded that all things in life are purchasable, and he wants to buy his dream world with immense wealth. Daisy represents that in a way, which makes him desire her even more.
- p.122 [near bottom] – p. 126 [near bottom] “Gatsby's foot beat a short... “You loved me too?” he repeated.”
At this point the conflict between Gatsby and Tom over Daisy’s love turns into a big argument. In an effort to insult Gatsby, Tom asks about his Oxford days, but Gatsby replies that he wasn’t there for five months. Tom opens the confrontation by stating “what kind of row are you trying to cause in my house anyhow?” Tom also refers to Gatsby as “Mr. Nobody from Nowhere,” and he compares Gatsby’s perceived lack of good social qualities with his disdain of intermarriage between black and white. Gatsby opens up with “Your wife doesn’t love you,” and he encourages Daisy to admit this. It appears that the problems of both characters are presented in this argument. Gatsby fight to reclaim his fantasy like past is hurting Daisy, and Tom’s apparent sexism and hypocrisy causes more problems between all of them.
Gatsby’s ultimate goal is to get Daisy to admit that she loves him only, and that she never loved Tom. She does admit that she loves Gatsby, but it appears that she only says this to satisfy him rather than mean it truthfully. While it is true that feelings do exist between them, she also explains that she did love Tom. Daisy says that “I loved you too.” The significance of this is that Gatsby can only accept the idea that Daisy has only ever loved him, and not Tom, so this causes him problems. The fact that she loved both of them is a blow to his fantasy.
- p.129 [near middle; approx. 17 lines] “I was thirty. Before me stretched... toward death through the cooling twilight.”
Nick describes his sorrow at the fact that he has to confront a “menacing road of a new decade.” It is almost as if his enthusiasm had died along with Gatsby’s dream, and now he feels as though he has nothing to look forward to. However, he looks to Jordan as a possible sign of happiness, “her wan face fell lazily against my coat’s shoulder and the formidable stroke of thirty died away…” This hints at the idea that Nick and Jordan may form a relationship. He explains how they “drove on toward death through the cooling twilight,” which might be an indication that he’s coming to terms with his age and the assuredness that death is as impending and formidable as life itself. It could also be true that Nick recognizes that there’s a fast approaching downfall of society, and it’s growing out of the east. This probably troubles him, and he might feel that eventually the whole country will degenerate into the immoral mess he witnessed in New York.
- p.139 [top] “So I walked away and left... nothing.”
This passage emphasizes the idea that Gatsby’s dream really is dead. Just as he’d observed Gatsby alone in the moonlight at his parties, he observes the same thing, except he knows that Gatsby truly is seeing nothing because his dream is gone. However, since the car accident just happened, the reader gets the idea that Gatsby is trying to protect Daisy. We know that he already took the blame for the accident, but when he says “I want to wait here till Daisy goes to bed,” the impression is that he’s presiding over her to ensure her safety because he believes that Tom will hurt her. This could show that he still has feelings for her, despite the loss of his dream.
- p.14 [near top] – p.142 [near bottom] “She was the first 'nice' girl... proud above the hot struggles of the poor.”
Nick relates Gatsby’s reasons for desiring Daisy in this passage. Nick goes to explain that Gatsby was attracted to the wealth, vitality, and social status that Daisy represented. She represented the American dream to Gatsby, and he wanted nothing more than to attain that. The war caused Gatsby to leave so she married Tom instead of waiting for him, and from then on Gatsby devoted himself towards amassing a fortune to reclaim her. (con’d)
Many men loved Daisy, which “increased her value in his eyes.” Jay was a “penniless young man” when he met Daisy, and he basically considered her to be the American dream. Daisy had everything; security, wealth, social status, and the promise of a better tomorrow. She lived a rich and full life according to Gatsby. She’s seen as being above all the turmoil and hardship of the less-fortunate, and he held her above them as a prize to be won.
- p.145 [near top] “Suddenly he came out with.... it was just personal.”
The fact that Gatsby can regard his situation with Daisy as “just personal” goes to show how deeply affected he really is. His involvement with Daisy has clearly changed his entire life, and for him to consider it unimportant or trivial goes to show that there are many problems in his mind he’s unwilling to confront. He just passes it off, just as his dream has passed on. He’s probably lost in his mind, grief-stricken beyond description, and can’t confront the fact that his dream has crashed so badly.
- p.164 [near top] – p.165 [near top] “Then he returned the wallet and pulled... to copy down the list for my own use.”
This passage explains how dedicated Gatsby was towards self-improvement. Henry, his father, shows Nick the schedule Gatsby made when he was a child, which proves that he was an extreme dedicated person from a young age. His father seems very sad and distraught, and he looks at Nick as if he expects him to copy down the list for his own use, which shows that he took great pride in Gatsby’s ability to manage himself. It also shows that Gatsby was obsessed with perfecting himself, and basically managed his life like a business. This leaves no room for error, and probably gave him the expectation that he could get whatever he wanted. The downside to this is when he didn’t get what he wanted, the American dream represented by Daisy’s true love, despite the enormous lengths he went to get her, it most likely caused him great anguish.
- p.171 [near middle] – p.172 [to the end of the novel] “Most of the big shore places... ceaselessly into the past.”
As nick wonders around Gatsby’s empty mansion, he walks onto the beach when the moon is rising. He thinks about the dream of explorers in search America is similar to Gatsby in search of his dream life with Daisy. He relates the green, wondrous land of the explorers to the “green light at the end of Daisy’s dock,” and he says that “his dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly grasp it.” The sad truth is that dream was already over for Gatsby, but he kept on trying to grasp it anyway. He never lost sight of his dream, even if he realized that it was impossible and would lead to his downfall in pursuit of it.
Nick also explains that despite our relentless drive to attain our dreams, the journey towards them will always lead us back into our past. Gatsby did not have a past that he was proud to reveal, so perhaps the fact that he denied that part of himself prevented him from ultimately claiming his dream. His concept of the American dream was also impossible, because he made Daisy out to be something she wasn’t. Whether or not this was deliberate is unsure, but it’s possible that Gatsby believed in a dream that could never come true.
Great Gatsby Questions.
- Characterize the social interaction of the east egg Village elite as described on p. 15-22.
Miss Baker regards West Egg contemptuously, which shows that the East and West Egg denizens appear to be at odds. The East Eggers appear to have an elegant, graceful quality about them, signifying that they are wealthy and socially proper. They drink expensive wine, possess nice things, and dress nicely. There’s no immediacy or particular rush to their conversations, and they seem quite happy with things. They also seemed very concerned with the state of civilization. Tom explains that “Civilization is going to pieces,” relating how a book he read explains that the white race will be submerged by other races. There is a tone of racism in his words, but Daisy regards it playfully and there is no indication that they’re hateful. They are connected people as well, and have many contacts throughout the city. Miss Baker is a also competitive golfer.
They are described in very ornate and flowery language. Everyone seems to regard the situation with a kind of feelings of curiosity, excitement, and boredom, almost like children. There’s lightness to every conversation and they read things like the Saturday Evening Post, which goes to show that they like to keep up to date on current events. It turns out that the West Egg represents the ‘new rich’, and the East Egg represents the ‘old rich.’ It seems that the East Egg families look down on the lifestyles of the West Egg people.
- At this point in the novel, what do you think is the significance of the “valley of ashes?” (p.26)
The valley of ashes is described as a desolate area of land half-way between West Egg and New York. It’s “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens,” and is further described as being a very bleak place. I believe that this area, being a rundown part of town between the rich places, represents the poor and sad population. While the wealthy pursue more wealth and a lavish lifestyle, the poor suffer to support them in the valley of ashes.
The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg, represented on some kind of billboard, seem to observe this land. They eyes are described as being “one yard high. They look out of no face, but, instead, from a pair of enormous yellow spectacles…” Since his eyes are worn away, and it’s explained that “some wild wag of an oculist set them there to fatten his practice… and then sank down himself into eternal blindness,” it could be argued that a theme of blindness could arise from the fact that people are blind to the blatant social decay around them, which continues to get worse. Eckleburg seems to observe the social decay of this “solemn dumping ground.”
- Compare and contrast Myrtle's party to the earlier gathering of the East Egg Village elite?
Myrtle’s living space is described as small and crowded, with “a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it.” Right away you can tell that’s there is no elegance to this place, unlike the East Egg areas. There are no formalities or introduction of the quests. A bottle of hard liquor is opened immediately. Myrtle reads things like The Town Tattle, presumably a trashy gossip magazine, and Simon Called Peter, which Nick refers to as “terrible stuff.” The people who attend Myrtle’s party are in no way aesthetically pleasing. Catherine, Myrtle’s sister, is described as being gaudy in appearance with eye-brows plucked at a ‘rakish’ angle, a powdered milky face, and “innumerable pottery bracelets.” Nick also thought that she “looked around so possessively at the furniture that I wondered if she lived there.” This observation suggests that Catherine, and probably others she associates with are completely materialistic. While it is true that the East Eggers are rich and materialistic, they don’t seem as possessive or gaudy in appearance. Their style is more soft and elegant.
Mr. McKee is described as a “pale, feminine man… [with] a white spot of lather on his cheekbone.” His wife is “shrill, languid, handsome, and horrible.” Clearly these are people uninterested in maintaining appearances that East Eggers would consider presentable. Mrs. McKee explains that her husband “a hundred and twenty-seven times since they had been married.” She seems determined to boast about herself to someone she barely knows, which would indicate that she’s self-absorbed. This is different from the East Eggers, who seemed to take pride in, and be somewhat subtle about their endeavours.
Myrtle’s personality seems to change as she puts on a more elaborate dress. She seems to get more egotistical and flamboyant, threatening to overtake the room with her “noisy, creaking pivot…” She also speaks in a “high, mincing shout.” When given a compliment, she downplays it as nothing, and she also kisses her dog “with ecstasy,” which seems highly inappropriate. She carries herself as though she’s the centre of attention in every room of the house.
The conversations between the guests at Myrtle’s party seem to revolve around gossip, money, boasting, and status. They also seem impulsive, loud, interrupting, and obscene. The opposite can be said for the East Eggers who are calm, curious, and polite. Myrtle’s group also doesn’t use correct grammar, “If I was them…” and they lie frequently, “I was a little shocked at the elaborateness of the lie.”
At one point Tom breaks Myrtle’s nose over an argument about using Daisy’s name. Clearly these violent tendencies demonstrate a lack of morality at this party.
- Describe Gatsby's party (p. 41-46) and discuss in relation to the two earlier gatherings from #1 and #3.
Gatsby has the most lavish, expensive, gaudy, and exciting parties of all. He uses his Rolls-Royce as an omnibus to pick people up from the city and they party all through the night. It appears that massive amounts of consumable goods go into his parties as well. An orchestra plays and there are all kinds of new styles and enthusiastic conversations between people who don’t know each other. Many people who show up weren’t even invited as Nick observes, “People were not invited – they went there.” While at the party, they “conducted themselves according to the rules of behaviour associated with an amusement park.” There are no morals or rules, people simply act however they please.
Nick notices that there are all kinds of hungry looking Englishmen mulling about trying to conduct business among the Americans there because they are “agonizingly aware of the easy money…” There doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with conducting business at Gatsby’s party, even though it seems a little strange to Nick.
Nick meets Jordan and they both seem a little uneasy at the party, almost as if they don’t belong there. Jordan is confronted by two girls in yellow dresses who immediately say “Sorry you didn’t win,” in reference to the golf tournament that Jordan lost. This seems rather rude, and it appears that there is a complete lack of social grace with many of Gatsby’s guests. One of the girls in yellow states that “I never care what I do, so I always have a good time,” which goes to show that there’s little emphasis on self-control at these parties, and she then explains how a dress Gatsby gave her cost “Two hundred and sixty-five dollars.” Clearly she, similar to the people at Myrtle’s party, is concerned mostly with owning things of high value, and is not afraid to boast about it. The conversations between them and the people around revolve around gossip relating to Gatsby, similar to the gossip that had occurred at Myrtles. All of this is opposite of the East Eggers, who seem to prefer conversations that deal with less scandalous affairs.
It is as though the influence of West Egg is smothering that of East Egg with its rudeness and lack of social class. At the start of the party people have enthusiastic conversations and seem to be enjoying themselves. However, as the party progresses it seems to degenerate into irreverent banter, gossip, and the same types of morals exhibited at Myrtle’s party. It is clear that in a mishmash of classes, the West Egg’s influence can only prevail by bringing East Egg down to its level of vulgarity.
- In your opinion, why does Fitzgerald insert the section about the man in Gatsby's library (p. 46-47)?
Some drunk, middle-aged man to whom Nick refers to as ‘Owl Eyes’ seems bewildered at the fact that Gatsby’s books are real, “Absolutely real – have pages and everything.” He seemingly can’t believe the fact that Gatsby’s library is legitimate, and it is possible that this ties in with the fact that Gatsby himself is largely unknown. To believe that his books aren’t real would suggest that Owl Eyes doesn’t believe that Gatsby’s life is real, and that it’s just some elaborate show like the parties he hosts. He hints at the idea that Gatsby’s life is some big lie, and just as if his life would be ruined if the lie was uncovered, “if one brick was removed the whole library was liable to collapse.”
- How does Fitzgerald create an aura of mystery around Gatsby on p.49-50
Gatsby approaches and converses Nick without presenting himself immediately, and Nick is surprised to find out it’s him. Gatsby smiles at him and it “was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance.” Nick goes on to describe how Gatsby’s smile is something mystical about it, as if he know exactly who you were and how to understand you. He then says “I’d got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care.” This shows that there’s something slightly uneasy about Gatsby, as if he’s constructed some elaborate persona. Gatsby soon leaves to take a call, leaving Nick and Jordan alone in amazement. His mystery is emphasized by the fact that they don’t know who he is, “He’s just a man named Gatsby.” Jordan postulates that she doesn’t even think Gatsby went to Yale, so she feels that there’s something not quite right about him. Nick finds it strange for Gatsby to just “drift coolly out of nowhere and buy a palace on Long Island Sound.” Fitzgerald has used all of this speculation to develop a mysterious aura around Gatsby.
- Describe how Fitzgerald arranges/constructs Gatsby and Daisy's first encounter since 1917. What is unique or intriguing about the way he conveys this encounter to the reader? Why does he do it this way?
Gatsby is introduced through the perspective of Jordan Baker at this time, which is unique because Nick has been the only narrator so far. She explains that Daisy was sitting in a car with a young officer, Gatsby. An interesting thing is that she doesn’t recognize Gatsby in Long Island after not seeing him since 1917, 4 years ago. She explains how when Gatsby went to war Daisy married Tom Buchanan.
Jordan finds Daisy drunk on her night before her wedding, saying that she wants to return the necklace and that she’s changed her mind. She begins to cry, which worries Jordan, but she marries Tom anyway. Shortly after and Jordan makes the observation that “I’d never seen a girl so mad about her husband.” This shows a major shift in her perception of him, and how she truly does love him and has perhaps forgot about Gatsby. However, years later when she sees Gatsby and informs Daisy about it, Daisy merely says that he was “a man she used to know.” The intriguing thing about this is that Daisy seems to have forgotten all about Gatsby, or is trying to hide the fact that she knew him at all. Perhaps this is to hide her feelings for him since she married Tom and broke her promise to wait for Gatsby.
- Which of Gatsby's personality traits are reinforced when he takes Daisy on a tour of his house? What do we learn about Daisy's character? p.87-89
Gatsby very uneasily emphasizes the splendour of his home, and how proud he is of it, “My house looks well, doesn’t it? he demanded.” He demands respect for his earnings, but it seems to trouble him in a way, because the reader knows that he really did all of this to win Daisy’s affection rather than build it all up for himself. He seems to be lying when Nick confronts him about the fact that he says he earned his money to pay for the arched doors and square towers, but he was told that Gatsby inherited his money, “I think he hardly knew what he was saying.” Daisy seems curious and excited about Gatsby’s place, though she wonders how he deals with being alone. He boasts about how he keeps it full of celebrated people who do interesting things.
Gatsby’s so enamoured with the effect his belongings have on Daisy, that he “revaluated everything in his house according to the measure of response if drew from her well-loved eyes.” This shows that he’s simply trying to win her over by the things he owns. He’s also described as being “consumed with wonder at her presence.” When Gatsby shows Daisy his shirts, she seems to be overwhelmed by them, and she cries, saying that “I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before.” Perhaps this is an indication that Gatsby has rekindled some form of materialism in Daisy that she’d forgotten in his absence. The fact that she’s having a strong emotional response to material objects supports this idea, and clearly this is Gatsby’s intent because he wants her to love him.
- Explain the “Trimalchio” reference on p.108
As if to see through his egotism and lies, Nick compares Gatsby to Trimalchio who was a character in the Roman novel The Satyricon by Petronius. Trimalchio (a Semitic name) was an egotistic ‘Freedman’ who held elaborate dinner parties and demonstrated his wealth to his guests, which is almost a mirror image of Gatsby. By stating that “his career as Trimalchio was over,” Nick is referring to the fact that Gatsby’s party has ended, and that it’s time for him to confront reality. In the Roman novel Trimalchio is said to have boasted about how elaborate his funeral will be, and his guests re-enact his funeral at one of his dinner parties. This reference probably foreshadows Gatsby’s upcoming murder.
- What is revealed about Daisy's personality on p.143-144? Be specific.
Regarding her feelings for Gatsby, we learn that Daisy was “feeling the pressure of the world outside.” It is revealed that she wasn’t sure if being with Gatsby was the right thing to do. She seems to have lived in an artificial world, and perhaps her longing for Gatsby coincided with her desire to maintain that existence. She became nervous in her letters to Gatsby, which goes to show that she was second guessing herself. Her indecisiveness indicates that she wasn’t sure of Gatsby all along, and it caused her anguish. She began to see many men at a time and demanded an instant force to provide her with security and wealth, which lead her to marry Tom Buchanan.
These actions mark a strong shift in Daisy’s personality with respect to the fact that she develops a strong desire for money. She didn’t want to wait for Gatsby because she wanted instant wealth, so perhaps her personality has also taken on an impulsive nature at this point.
- What is Fitzgerald trying to demonstrate about the concept of memory on p.145 [“He came back from France... a melancholy beauty.”]?
Nick’s recollection of Gatsby paints him in a very unglamorous way. He’d been miserable and almost broke while he wondered for a week thinking of Daisy. It seems that the concept of memory is being used to show that Gatsby had undergone some unfortunate circumstances that he didn’t like to mention. Another reason is that Gatsby’s infatuation with Daisy makes it seem as though everywhere she’d been was wondrous, such as how her house was “more mysterious and gay than the other houses,” and how “the city itself, even though she was gone from it, was pervaded with a melancholy beauty.” This supports the idea that Gatsby can’t separate the idea of Daisy and material wealth. To him they’re one in the same, and everything related to material success coincides with Daisy in his mind, which is dominated by these types of memories.
- What does Nick Carraway admire/like about Gatsby? What makes Gatsby any different from the older rich elite? p.146-147
While heading out to catch his train, Nick yells “They’re a rotten crowd… You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.” Perhaps in reference to the older rich elite, Nick might mean that Gatsby is worth all of them all put together, which is apparently the only compliment he ever gave him. While he still disapproves of Gatsby, he accepts the fact that he does have some admirable traits. Perhaps he admires the fact that Gatsby maintained his dream throughout all the scepticism and speculation. He contributed an immense amount of effort to get where he is, and despite his shortcomings, he is still a man who possesses good hospitality and smiles in an understanding way.
- Why is there trouble between Nick and Jordan? p.147-148
While asleep in his chair Nick receives a call from Jordan and she wants to meet him for a date. Nick refuses though, and their conversation becomes awkward and staggered. Nick also thinks that she sounds a little harsh and it bothers him. They seem to have somewhat of a communication breakdown, and Nick doesn’t seem to want to get involved with her at the moment, and the conversation ends without a resolution.
- What duality is being developed on p.167? [“That's my Middle west... But no one knows the woman's name, and no one cares.”]
Nick relates the idea that his story was not of the east, but of the west. All of the East Egg residents are from the west, he explains, and he believes that they “possess some deficiency in common which made us unadaptable to eastern life.” He’s explaining how the westerners simply aren’t able to succumb to the temptations and greed of West Egg people, and that there’s some quality of disorientation surrounding that lifestyle. He envisions West Egg as a “night scene by El Greco… grotesque… a lustreless moon…” This pains a very sad landscape. He also describes his idea of a drunken woman in a white evening dress with her hand “sparkling cold with jewels.” She’s dumped off at the wrong house and nobody even knows her name, “and no one cares.” It is possible that he is describing Daisy, who in her painful indecision became attracted to the security and temporary excitement that wealth can provide. But in the end, the empty pursuit of wealth resulted in nothing but a painful and empty life.
Character Profile: Jay Gatsby.
History
Jay Gatsby was born Jay Gatz in a North Dakota town. His parents had
been unsuccessful farmers and Gatsby had never really accepted them as
his real parents. His image of Jay Gatsby “sprang from a Platonic conception
of himself,” where he considered himself “a son of God.” (95) We also learn
that as a child Gatsby had worked incessantly to improve himself by writing
up schedules to manage every aspect of his day. He worked as a clam-digger
and a salmon-fisher around Lake Superior for over a year. Gatsby became
contemptuous of women since they spoiled him, they were ignorant, and “they
were hysterical about things which in his over-whelming self-absorption he
took for granted.” (95) This shows that he developed an early misconception of
woman that likely lead to his dream like vision of Daisy, to which he considered
fantasy-like and perfect compared to the ignorant young girls he grew to dislike.
His heart became a “constant, turbulent riot” as he lay in bed dreaming about
wealth and the American dream. He then attended the small Lutheran Collage
of St Olaf’s in southern Minnesota. He only stayed there for two weeks though,
because he got fed up with working as a janitor.
He decided to change his name at 17, after he “witnessed the beginning of
his career.” (94) He takes a rowboat over to Dan Cody’s yacht in Lake Superior
and informs him that “the a wind might catch him and break him up in half an
hour.” (95)It turns out that Dan Cody was a multi-millionaire who made his money
selling precious metals. Gatz felt that his yacht “represented all the beauty and
wealth in the world.” (96) It is also possible that he developed his reassuring
smile here because “he had probably discovered that people liked him when
he smiled.” (96) Cody takes him in and provides him with new clothing and
employment. Cody soon dies, but Gatsby only inherits $25,000 due to some legal
device that was used against him. The millions go to Ella Kaye. It is here that “the
vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man.” (97)
As a young military officer, Gatsby meets Daisy at Camp Taylor. He
becomes enamoured with her aura of wealth and luxury. He begins to consider
her a prize of high value, and it as at this point that he dedicates himself to
being with her. However, Gatsby has doubts about his past because he had “no
comfortable family standing behind him, and he was liable at the whim of an
impersonal government to be blown anywhere about the world.” (142) He further
develops the notion of wealth surrounding Daisy and how perfect she is.
When Gatsby was sent to war, he did extraordinarily well, becoming a
Major in command of divisional machine-guns. He tried to return home after the
armistice, but “some complication of misunderstanding send him to Oxford
instead.” (143) He begins to notice that Daisy’s letters contain a quality of
nervous despair as well because she didn’t understand why he couldn’t come
home. Daisy becomes entangled in the excitement of the Jazz Age and starts
seeing many men. She eventually marries Tom Buchanan because “She wanted
her life shaped now, immediately…” (144) She did not want to wait for Gatsby
anymore. The letter about the wedding reaches Gatsby while he’s still at Oxford.
After Gatsby returns home and discovers this he devotes himself entirely
in order to accumulating mass wealth. It is suggested that Gatsby gained this
wealth from illegal activities such as bootlegging alcohol during the depression. If
so, he was most likely employed by Meyer Wolfsheim and did many under the
table thing to become a millionaire. This is probably around the time that he
develops the full-fledged illusion of his persona because he does everything he
can to hide his past in order to maintain the image of success. When he moves
to West Egg N.Y. his extravagant parties to win over Daisy begin.
Psychological Traits.
Gatsby’s mind is a complex and cunning one. He came from
being “penniless jay,” to the Great Gatsby through the course of his quest, which
was to achieve the perfect American dream. He regards Daisy, a symbol of
immense wealth, luxury, and beauty, to be a living manifestation of his dream.
This offers quite a bit of insight into his thinking patterns. Firstly, his unrelenting
desire to attain wealth proves that money is his chief concern in life. Even as
a child he devoted himself towards self-improvement of the mind, and all other
self-related aspects, as though he managed himself like a business. The reason
he was so strict on himself was because he was motivated so powerfully by
the drive for wealth. Thus, he developed into a completely materialistic man.
In addition, he goes to no end to hide his past, constructing an elaborate web
of fantasies and lies to satisfy his guests. This is because he’s ashamed of his
past, and he knows that he can’t lead the perfect life with people knowing about
it. He has completely reinvented himself and he intends to keep playing the role
of Gatsby over Gatz, and his central prize aside from accumulating mass wealth
is Daisy. In his mind, she is so grand and glorious that he’s attributed her with
unrealistic, dream-like qualities that she couldn’t possibly live up to. He expects
that she would have waited for him and shared his love only because he’s used
to getting whatever he wants.
Gatsby is so in love with the dream of wealth and power that he became
involved with a life of crime after the war. The fact that he’d be willing break the
law on a large scale just to secure wealth for himself proves that he’s not only
selfish but greedy, manipulative, and conniving as well. Even Nick observes
that Gatsby doesn’t seem to be telling the truth, as if he was selecting his words
carefully as part of an illusionary identity. Gatsby doesn’t outwardly advertise
himself to anyone because he doesn’t want anyone to be suspicious of his true
nature, but it is quite true that he didn’t change much from his thieving days. He
simply adopted some fancy attire, a slick appearance and speaking style, and
an expert system designed to socially engineer those around him into believing
in something he’s not. He refuses to yield in his pursuit for Daisy, even when he
knows that she’s clearly married and living a somewhat enjoyable life with Tom.
While it is true that Daisy does have some feelings for Gatsby, it’s wrong of him
to exploit them to suit his own interests. His exploitive nature not only hurts Tom
and Daisy, it inadvertently stirs up a lot of trouble around the people he knows.
The parties he throws are some manufactured process designed to win over
Daisy’s love because just as he associates her with money, he believes she can
be purchased and owned.
However, that isn’t to say that Gatsby doesn’t have some good qualities.
He’s certainly a very intelligent and hard working man who’ll stop at nothing to
attain his goals. He’s determined to build a life for himself at any cost, because
he truly loves Daisy, even if it’s in a materialistic way. The fact that he loves
wealth so much means that his feelings with Daisy are very true, but he is more
in love with what she represents than who she is as an actual person. Also, the
sheer success of his endeavors proves that he possesses a strong capability to
manifest his dreams.
In a way he seems to almost “invade” the West Egg with his wealth and
mystery. Nobody seems to know who he is or where he came from, but this is
all part of his constructed persona. He basically cuts down the obstacles in his
way to get what he wants and it seems as though he’s not ruled by and feelings
of responsibility for his achievements. It does not satisfy him to have millions of
dollars and a luxurious life, nothing is enough for him.
