Skip to main content

What are some allusions in The Great Gatsby and where are they found (page numbers)?

When Nick attends his first party at Gatsby's, he and Jordan go into the library and meet a drunk man wearing round glasses who is inspecting the books.  The man is amazed that the books on the shelves are real, and he refers to Gatsby as "a regular Belasco" (45). David Belasco was a theater producer, director, and playwright who lived from 1853 to 1931; thus, he would have been alive when the text was...

When Nick attends his first party at Gatsby's, he and Jordan go into the library and meet a drunk man wearing round glasses who is inspecting the books.  The man is amazed that the books on the shelves are real, and he refers to Gatsby as "a regular Belasco" (45). David Belasco was a theater producer, director, and playwright who lived from 1853 to 1931; thus, he would have been alive when the text was written and set. In making such a comparison, the owl-eyed man implies that Gatsby is good at building a realistic set or stage; he's adept at creating believable facades.


Gatsby later introduces Nick to a gambler named "Mr. [Meyer] Wolfsheim" who takes credit for having fixed the 1919 World's Series (69, 73).  This character was inspired by, and thus alludes to, Arnold Rothstein, a real-life racketeer who did, indeed, help to fix the World's Series in 1919. That Gatsby hangs out with this kind of person should give readers -- and Nick -- some insight into the kind of business dealings he has. They are shady at best; illegal and immoral at worst.


After Gatsby and Daisy finally reunite and she dislikes the one party she attends, Nick says that the parties at Gatsby's stop altogether and that Gatsby's "career as Trimalchio was over" (113).  Trimalchio is a character from a Roman novel, The Satyricon, about a man who works hard and perseveres, and so attains wealth and power. He throws opulent dinner parties where servants bring dish after dish of rich and exotic foods. Nick thus compares Gatsby to a hard worker and party-thrower, as these things seem to comprise the majority of his identity, until Daisy returns to his life.


(**All page numbers are taken from the Scribner's, New York, edition of the text.)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What is hyperbole in the story "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his... The most obvious use of hyperbole in "The Gift of the Magi" occurs when the narrator describes Della's and Jim's evaluations of their two treasures—her long, luxuriant hair and his gold watch. Had the Queen of Sheba lived in the flat across the airshaft, Della would have let her hair hang out the window some day to dry just to depreciate Her Majesty's jewels and gifts. Had King Solomon been the janitor, with all his treasures piled up in the basement, Jim would have pulled out his watch every time he passed, just to see him plu

How can I analyze Moon and Six Pence by Somerset Maugham?

In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of... In "Moon and Sixpence," loosely based on the life of Paul Gaugin, Maugham presents a study of the tension between the "civilized" life of 19th century Europe, and the lead character's desire to throw off the shackles of bourgeois life. Charles Strickland is a middle-aged English stockbroker with a wife and family. By abandoning his domestic life, Strickland commits what many in European society would consider a gross betrayal of one of the foundations of that society. His decision to e

What are some literary devices in Macbeth, Act V, Scene 1?

Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not... Act V, Scene i of Macbeth certainly continues the imagery that is prevalent in the play with its phantasmagoric realm, as in this scene a succession of things are seen or imagined by Lady Macbeth. Imagery - The representation of sensory experience Lady Macbeth imagines that she sees bloody spots (visual imagery) on the stairs; she also smells blood (olfactory imagery): Here's the smell of the blood still. All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand. Oh! oh, oh! (5.1.53-55) Hyperbole - Obvious exaggeration  There is also h