"Whenever you feel like criticizing any one," he told me, "just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had."
In this quote, Nick is attempting to set himself up as a reliable narrator despite the fact that he isn't. He is also trying to introduce the idea that having morals is important, and that these morals come from our past, hence why he prefaces the quote by stating has his father gave him the advice. This shows that Nick generally relies on older traditions and customs.
I lived at West Egg, the - well, the less fashionable of the two.
West Egg was the area in which individuals who were in possession of "new money" lived. They had worked for their wealth and had more in common with the general working class. They did not have powerful and influential families.
Across the courtesy bay the white palaces of fashionable East Egg glittered along the water.
East Egg was essentially the opposite of West Egg. The people who lived there came from "old money," which meant they had influential families who were wealthy and passed down said wealth to their children. They were usually arrogant and disliked people from West Egg.
Her husband, among various physical accomplishments
Daisy's husband, Tom, is very physically capable.
He stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and far as I was from him I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward - and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock.
The green light is a very symbolic object throughout the book. In the beginning, Gatsby sees it as an unreachable element, and it directly represents Daisy. The green light is essentially Gatsby's most highly desired dream: to be with Daisy. This is an example of symbolic imagery.
This is the valley of ashes - a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.
The descriptions of the valley of ashes are perfect examples of pathetic fallacy. The weather and atmosphere in the area directly represents the emotions and moods of the inhabitants. The valley itself is an area between West and East Egg. It is basically a sort of "landfill" for corporations. It's full of trash and it's a polluted industrial area.
Ashes take the form of houses and chimneys and rising smoke.
An example of hyperbole as ashes obviously can't take the form of houses, so to speak.
A line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest.
There are two factors to take into consideration with the descriptions that are used for the valley of ashes. First and foremost is the lexical field of "creepy" which includes words such as "ghastly," "creak," "invisible." Another lexical field is that of "slow" such as "crawl," "rest." The first lexical field describes the valley as a ghost town of sorts. The second lexical field is what correlates the atmosphere with the mood of the people who live there. In general, society at the time was rather restless and always on the move. In comparison, the people who live in the valley are slow and tired of their lives. This can be an example of how lexical fields are used to create juxtaposition between two different forms of society, or pathetic fallacy.
His eyes, dimmed a little by many paintless days under sun and rain.
Further use of pathetic fallacy to describe the people who live in the valley of ashes.
By seven o'clock the orchestra has arrived.
The verb tense changes. This not only makes things more intense, but also shows Nick's desire to be a part of the party.
Hair shorn in strange new ways.
Shows that Nick is old fashioned.
The groups change more swiftly, swell with new arrivals, dissolve and form in the same breath.
Water imagery to describe the restless society.
Sea-change of faces.
More water imagery.
I had been actually invited.
He sounds kind of proud, doesn't he?
Signed Jay Gatsby, in a majestic hand.
Is that... admiration for Gatsby? Why yes, it is.
Among swirls and eddies of people I didn't know.
And even more water imagery. Water is actually an important element in the story, it's a physical representation of the barrier between Gatsby and Daisy since the body of water between their houses is what separates them.
"Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once."
Breaking Grice's Maxim of Quality, which means they're being rather dishonest by just randomly stating something that could be false.
"He was a German spy during the war."
Grice's Maxim is completely in shreds by now.
"He was in the American army during the war."
It won't stop. Just keeps going. This creates suspense and tension by the way.
He was picking his words with care.
Could suggest he's hiding something. Foreshadowing the fact that he has a secret.
I looked around. Most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands.
Decline in strong relationships and values.
Reading over what I have written so far, I see I have given the impression that the events of three nights several weeks apart were all that absorbed me.
Introspective and retrospective. Also featuring a time shift. Basically, this quote right here can be used in any example. It also features a use of structure to shape the way characters or events are presented.
I began to like New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night.
Another example of a restless society and Nick's obsession with fitting in.
"He's a bootlegger."
Oh boy. This one definitely creates tension. We finally know how he got his wealth and we know a lot more about him.
Clarence Endive was from East Egg.
People from East Egg are usually recognized by their last names since their families are powerful and popular.
"I'll tell you God's truth."
Doubt it. Breaking Grice's Maxim of Quality again. Grice feels pain every time it happens. By the end of the book he'll be dead. I mean he already is, but like, more dead.
Driven by a white chauffeur, in which sat three modish negroes, two bucks and a girl.
Showing Nick's a bit of a racist. It also displays how much society has changed.
A small, flat-nosed Jew.
Okay, maybe more than a bit.
"It's the funniest thing, old sport," he said hilariously. "I can't - when I try to -"
Gatsby's nervousness and lack of confidence when in the presence of Daisy is displayed through the use of punctuation. The adverb "hilariously" shows that he's trying to be charming and funny during the encounter, but he feels nervous.
"They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the thick folds.
Daisy's obsessed with material possessions. In fact, Gatsby always wanted to be with Daisy, but he basically wasn't wealthy enough. This is further representation of the decline in values and relationships. It is also a display of the "American dream." Furthermore, the verb "sob" is usually used in a negative way, as a synonym for "crying." This could be a reference to how wealth and materialistic gain bring dissatisfaction.
Now it was again a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.
The green light is mentioned again, this time as a normal object. This represents how Gatsby has finally gotten what he's desired all along, Daisy. The adjective "green" could refer to many things. As during the time period, traffic lights were just beginning to get installed in the US. In this case, the color green could be symbolism for the word "go." Furthermore, the color green represents health and vitality. In this case, it could be foreshadowing Gatsby getting closer to his eventual death.
Dan Cody's yacht.
Dan Cody was Gatsby's former idol. He basically taught him everything.
He'd had the name ready for a long time, even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farm people.
Jay isn't his real name. This shows Gatsby was unhappy with his family and wanted to change himself as a person in order to get Daisy. He planned everything out.
He invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year-old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end.
Seventeen year old him created the character of Gatsby. The noun "end" here foreshadows his death.
The clock ticked.
Shows the desire to have new adventures as opposed to when he gets Daisy and wants time to stop so he can stay with her forever.
A promise that the rock of the world was founded securely on a fairy's wing.
Refers to the American dream as well as Gatsby's hopes and dreams. Both of which are fragile due to their foundation.
I had reached the point of believing everything and nothing about him.
Oxymoron that shows that even Nick is suspicious of Gatsby. Yet he continues to take his side. Further displaying his admiration.
"She didn't like it."
Shows his insecurity and lack of confidence when it comes to Daisy. He continues to feel as though he isn't good enough for her.
"She didn't have a good time."
Repetition that emphasizes my earlier points, yay.
"Can't repeat the past?" he cried incredulously. "Why of course you can!"
Rhetorical question that shows how Gatsby is stuck in the past and unable to move forward.
The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest.
Represents the end of an era. Also pathetic fallacy as everyone's feeling very heated and "on edge" that day.
They'll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage between black and white.
Tom's racist too. Maybe him and Nick will get along nicely.
"Was Daisy driving?" "Yes."
Gatsby was taking the blame, but he finally reveals the truth. He eventually gives his life for her in a way.
"He murdered her."
Wilson is out for revenge.
"God sees everything," repeated Wilson.
He's also religious.
A thin red circle in the water.
Water imagery and the adjective "red" used to describe Gatsby's blood in his pool along with his body. This is done without directly mentioning his death in order to create suspense and let the reader come to the conclusion themselves rather than being directly told about the events that transpired.
The holocaust was complete.
The word "holocaust" is used to emphasize the fact that Gatsby was innocent and that he was wrongly accused, similar to the actual holocaust where Jewish people were unjustly killed.
I found myself on Gatsby's side, and alone.
Nick was almost always on Gatsby's side. But usually, nobody else was. Despite the fact that Gatsby was "admired" and popular, Nick was his only true friend.
I wanted to get somebody for him.
Shows how Nick always wants to feel useful. Also shows that Gatsby didn't really have anyone who was there for him. This sense of isolation and having nobody there for him also shows the cyclical nature of the narrative. Gatsby starts out alone and even in death remains isolated.
He was on the point of collapse.
Gatsby's father loved him.
His grief began to be mixed with an awed pride.
He was also kind of proud of Gatsby.
When I left his office the sky had turned dark and I got back to West Egg in a drizzle.
Weather change, pathetic fallacy representing the grief and sadness Nick and Gatsby's father are experiencing.
Jimmy was bound to get ahead.
His father's really proud of him, he knew Gatsby would be an important and powerful man one day.
When he first picked out the green light at the end of Daisy's dock.
When Gatsby first found his hope and passion in life. That passion being Daisy. It was always within his reach, but not quite. The green light in this case represents the American dream which is always within reach, and each day is spent trying to get closer to attaining it, but it inevitably leads to dissatisfaction.
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther... And one fine morning -
For Nick, the green light has now become a symbolic representation of "moving on." Continuing life hoping to better ourselves and reach our dreams. The sudden and abrupt stop to the sentence before Nick actually finishes his thought perfectly describes our attempts at reaching and fulfilling our dreams. This can be interpreted in two ways, he is either saying that "one fine morning" we will actually reach that dream or it could represent him realizing that he's also a victim of this way of thinking, deluded by the idea that we keep telling ourselves "today will be the day" despite knowing it will be the same as the day before. Upon this realization, he ends his sentence.