Skip to main content

What does Nick mean when and why does he say this: "Angry as I was, as we all were, I was tempted to laugh whenever he opened his mouth. The...

Nick is basically noting (to himself) what a hypocrite Tom is. Tom is giving Gatsby a hard time because he knows that something is going on between Gatsby and Daisy, Tom's wife. Nick finds this amusing and hypocritical because Tom has been cheating on Daisy for a much longer time. This is why Nick says he is tempted to laugh every time Tom opens his mouth. Who knows what hypocritical thing Tom might say next?


...

Nick is basically noting (to himself) what a hypocrite Tom is. Tom is giving Gatsby a hard time because he knows that something is going on between Gatsby and Daisy, Tom's wife. Nick finds this amusing and hypocritical because Tom has been cheating on Daisy for a much longer time. This is why Nick says he is tempted to laugh every time Tom opens his mouth. Who knows what hypocritical thing Tom might say next?


Nick notes that Tom illustrates a transition from libertine to prig. A libertine, in this context, is one who ignores social morality and responsibility, namely in sexual matters. Tom is a libertine in the sense that he cheats on his wife. Tom then becomes judgmental of Gatsby and Daisy, reprimanding them for having an affair. So, Tom is a libertine in his personal life, but he takes this stance as a prig, a self-righteous person who thinks he has the right to judge others. From a cheating husband to one who faults his wife for cheating, the "transition from libertine to prig was so complete." What makes Tom's self-righteous behavior even more hypocritical is the racist commentary Tom is also keen on making. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can you analyze the poem "Absolution" by Siegfried Sassoon?

Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and... Sure! Siegfried Sassoon fought in World War I and was wounded in battle; he spent much of his life speaking out against war, and these pacifist feelings are easy to see in his poems. This one, "Absolution," was published in 1917, the same year that Sassoon was hospitalized for what we know today as post-traumatic stress disorder. "Absolution" is a short poem that contains three stanzas of four lines each. The word "absolution" means "forgiveness," and the v...
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

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