The first nine or ten pages of chapter three detail an extravagant party that Mr. Gatsby is throwing and Nick attending. Everything one could desire can be found at Gatsby's event: dinners, dancing, music, spirits, laughter, opportunity, libraries, and romantic mystery stemming from Gatsby himself. For all intents and purposes, Gatsby, by throwing such an amazing party and catering to each of his guest's needs, proves himself the ultimate host. Therefore, Gatsby's first words to Nick after revealing his true identity, "I thought you knew, old sport. I'm afraid I'm not a very good host," can be taken many ways: as jest, sarcasm, or genuine disappointment (Fitzgerald 48). Regardless, this sentence reveals a lot about the thus far distant Gatsby. First, he addresses Nick colloquially as "old sport", suggesting a warmness uncharacteristic of most well-to-do men (Fitzgerald 47). This catches Nick off-guard, leaving him contemplative as Gatsby flashes an inspiring smile his way. Nick realizes that this man will be much different than the high-society folks he is familiar with. Further, Gatsby undermines his obvious superiority in hosting by openly decrying his abilities. While he could possibly have been sarcastic, Gatsby's warmness toward Nick suggest that his remarks were sincere, expressing a unique humble nature about him. Finally, Gatsby's introduction, backdropped by the extravagant party, worldly library, diverse party guests, and many other signs of affluence, depicts him as The Most Interesting Man in the World. If any modern-day character could be drawn parallel to Gatsby, it would be this comical commercial star.
 |
| His mother has a tattoo that says "Son". |
No comments:
Post a Comment