Gatsby / Jay Gatz Flashcards
(14 cards)
“If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures then there was something gorgeous about him, some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life.”
[CH1] COMPARATIVE, FIGURATIVES, STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS - “promises of life” because Gatsby was unable to completely fulfil his American dream.
“No - Gatsby turned out all-right in the end; it was what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and the short winded elations of men.”
[CH1] METAPHOR. “Dust” may symbolize the past - Gatsby’s own fixation is what ruined him. Daisy/Tom ‘float around’, no sense of belonging. ‘Temporarily’ may symbolize even the effect of Gatsby’s death is only temporary to people
“There”s no about a fellow that’ll do a thing like that, he doesn’t want an issue with anybody.”
“Ill bet he’s killed a man.”
[CH2] SPECULATIVE, IDIOM - they use Gatsby,s ambiguity to entertain themselves. Maybe reflect Fitzgerald’s experience as a public figure with newfound fame
“He smiled understandingly - much more than understandingly. It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life.”
[CH3] LEXICAL CHOICE, REPETITION - ‘eternal reassurance’ is ironic as Gatsby’s not eternal. Rare smiles show his genuine side, he doesn’t let consumerism bore him.
“It faced, or seemed to face, the whole eternal world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor.”
[CH3] ANTITHESIS ‘irresistible prejudice’, prejudice often conveyed as negative bias. Maybe Gatsby has bias towards Nick - a white wealthy man
“Elegant young rough-neck, a year or two over thirty, whose elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd.”
[CH3] LEXICAL CHOICE ‘rough-neck’ often lower class description - highlights Gatsby’s beginnings. Elaborate formality of speech is him mimicking the wealthy - he wants to belong.
“Picking his words with care.”
[CH3] Theme of deception
“Significant, elemental and profound.”
[CH3] TRIPLET - empathizes his masculinity and power and authority
“The world and its mistress returned to Gatsby’s house and twinkled hilariously on his lawn.”
[CH4]
“He’s a bootlegger[…] one time he killed a man.”
[CH4]
“I’ll tell you God’s truth” Ordered divine retribution to stand by him.
“He looked at me sideways”
[CH4]
“Then came the war, old sport[…] and I tried very hard to die, but I seemed to bear enchanted life.”
[CH4]
“Even Gatsby could happen without any particular wonder.”
[CH4]
