Skip to main content

In The Great Gatsby, what does Jordan tell Nick when they see each other after Gatsby's death?

After Gatsby's death Nick decides to return to the Midwest; however, before he departs he goes to Jordan Baker's house in order to end their relationship. 


After arriving at Jordan's house, Nick talks "over and around what has happened" to their relationship, but Jordan remains perfectly still in her chair as he talks. In her usual disconnected manner, Jordan, who is dressed to play golf, replies "without comment" on Nick's words, saying that she is...

After Gatsby's death Nick decides to return to the Midwest; however, before he departs he goes to Jordan Baker's house in order to end their relationship. 


After arriving at Jordan's house, Nick talks "over and around what has happened" to their relationship, but Jordan remains perfectly still in her chair as he talks. In her usual disconnected manner, Jordan, who is dressed to play golf, replies "without comment" on Nick's words, saying that she is engaged to another man. While there are several that Jordan could probably marry, Nick doubts the sincerity of her response:



"Nevertheless you did throw me over on the telephone. I don't give a damn about you now but it was a new experience for me and I felt a little dizzy for a while." 



Further, Jordan reminds Nick of a conversation that they once had about bad drivers, a metaphor she uses for those who deceive and are careless in actions. She has said that it is all right to be a "bad driver" as long as the other party is careful. But, now she informs Nick that he, too, is a bad driver:



"I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride."



Nick responds to her accusation that he is thirty now and too old to lie to himself. "Angry and half in love with her and tremendously sorry," Nick departs.

Labels

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...
Post a Comment
Read more

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...
Post a Comment
Read more

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...
Post a Comment
Read more