The Great Gatsby Journal

In his novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald creates some very interesting characters. Quotes from these characters often reveal a lot about their personalities and the roles that they play in the book.

"I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." -Nick Carraway
I believe that Nick's assessment of himself is accurate to an extent. For the most part, he is indeed honest. He's a very good narrator because he doesn't twist the details of the story to try to make himself or anyone else seem like something they are not. He simply states the things that he observes, the events that he witnesses, and the emotions that he feels. However, the flaw in Nick's statement is shown exactly at the time when he makes it. He has a relationship with a girl back home, whom he is no longer interested in, and is afraid to break it off. This makes the reader wonder just how honest he really is. Is he actually a coward for not being up front about the issue?

"So I turned my head away and wept and said 'All right, I'm glad it's a girl and I hope she'll be a fool'--that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."- Daisy
This quote raises a few issues. First, it seems to suggest that even in the 1920s, when the United States was becoming more modern, it was still seen as "better" or "more honorable" to have a boy. However, to make such a statement is a little overly dramatic, as is Daisy's character. It seems as if she's telling this to Nick because she wants him to feel sorry for her, but I don't believe that she has anything to feel sorry about. Many people would be happy to have a healthy baby girl. Daisy tries to make her life seem more tragic and difficult than it really is.

"This idea is that were Nordics...and we've produced all the things that go to make civilization, science and art and all that."- Tom Buchanan
Tom is definately the most stereotypical character that Fitzgerald creates. He is a proud, arrogant man who gets most of his pride from his great physical strength. Like many men of his time, he believes in white superiority, so much that he reads books about it. I found this a little strange because Tom does not seem like the kind of person who really reads much at all. Any educated person knows that his statement is untrue, science and art come from all over the world. It makes a reader wonder why fitgerald chose to put this type of character in his story and what he will represent later.

Link to my wordle http://www.wordle.net/gallery/wrdl/657726/Untitled