The Great GatsbyF Scott Fitzgerald

Chapter 4 – Critical Reading

At nine o’clock, one morning late in July, Gatsby’s gorgeous car lurched up the rocky drive to my door and gave out a burst of melody from its three-noted horn. It was the first time he had called on me, though I had gone to two of his parties, mounted in his hydroplane, and, at his urgent invitation, made frequent use of his beach.

‘Good morning, old sport. You’re having lunch with me today and I thought we’d ride up together.’

He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American – that comes, I suppose, with the absence of lifting work in youth and, even more, with the formless grace of our nervous, sporadic games. This quality was continually breaking through his punctilious manner in the shape of restlessness.

He was never quite still; there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand.

He saw me looking with admiration at his car.

‘It’s pretty, isn’t it, old sport?’ He jumped off to give me a better view. ‘Haven’t you ever seen it before?’

I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns. Sitting down behind many layers of glass in a sort of green leather conservatory, we started to town.

I had talked with him perhaps half a dozen times in the past month and found, to my disappointment, that he had little to say. So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded and he had become simply the proprietor of an elaborate road-house next door.

And then came that disconcerting ride. We hadn’t reached West Egg village before Gatsby began leaving his elegant sentences unfinished and slapping himself indecisively on the knee of his caramel-coloured suit.

‘Look here, old sport,’ he broke out surprisingly, ‘what’s your opinion of me anyhow?’

A little overwhelmed, I began the generalized evasions which that question deserves.

‘Well, I’m going to tell you something about my life,’ he interrupted. ‘I don’t want you to get a wrong idea of me from all these stories you hear.’

So he was aware of the bizarre accusations that flavoured conversation in his halls.

***

  1. By referring closely to at least two examples in lines 1-12, analyse the impression that the writer gives of Gatsby at this point. (4)
  • “Gatsby’s gorgeous car”

Alliteration is used to draw attention to how showy Gatsby’s car is. This gives us the impression that he is stylish.

The word choice of “gorgeous” has connotations suggesting it is extremely attractive which, again, suggests Gatsby’s sense of style.

  • “burst of melody from its three-noted horn”

The word choice of “burst” suggests the noise of his horn is unexpected, sudden and grabs attention. This emphasises his flamboyant nature.

The word choice of “melody” also has connotations of being pleasant, entertaining, beautiful and decorative which conveys a sense of Gatsby being extroverted.

  • “I had gone to two of his parties, mounted in his hydroplane, and, at his urgent invitation, made frequent use of his beach.”

The list emphasises that Gatsby is both wealthy and generous, adding together a series of incidents that illustrate him being keen to share his luxurious lifestyle.

The parenthetical statement “at his urgent invitation” also conveys a sense of Gatsby being especially enthusiastic in making Nick happy.

The word choice of “urgent” has connotations of something being immediately necessary, making Gatsby appear to be perhaps overly keen.

  • “resourcefulness of movement...absence of lifting work”
  • “punctilious manner”

The word choice of “punctilious” has connotations of being extremely attentive to detail and behaviour. This suggests Gatsby is diligent in the impression he is conveying to Nick in both his manners and appearance (an idea alluded to earlier in the novel when Nick speaks about him “picking his words with care”.

  • “restlessness”
  • “He was never quite still; there was always a tapping foot somewhere or the impatient opening and closing of a hand.”

The complex sentence is long with the semi-colon used to separate the restless initial impression of Gatsby from the behaviour he exhibits to convey this impression.

The length of the sentence, and therefore number of verbs, emphasise the constant movement that makes him appear nervous and unsettled.

  1. By referring to at least two examples from lines 16-19, explain how the author uses language to convey the idea that Gatsby’s car is impressive. (4)
  • “I’d seen it. Everybody had seen it.”

The two short sentences isolate the experience of seeing the car, suggesting that it is a significant event, powerfully conveying its impressive nature.

  • “It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in its monstrous length with triumphant hat-boxes and supper-boxes and tool-boxes, and terraced with a labyrinth of windshields that mirrored a dozen suns”

The long sentence is used to list the sheer variety of accessories that adorn Gatsby’s car, emphasising how luxurious and extravagant it is.

The repetition of the word “boxes” also emphasises the sheer number of accessories the car has been outfitted with.

Word Choice:

  • “rich”has connotations of wealth and, in this context in particular, depth of colour. This suggests that Gatsby’s car is both expensive and luxurious in its appearance.
  • “bright”suggests that Gatsby’s car is eye catching.
  • “monstrous”has connotations of size as well as a sense of intimidation, both indicating the car is impressive. The word introduces what could be seen as an element of hyperbole to the description.
  • “triumphant”has connotations of victory or success, making Gatsby’s car appear to be the best possible.
  • “terraced”.
  • “labyrinth”has connotations of both size and complexity making Gatsby’s car seem impressive – as though one could almost get lost in it.
  1. By referring closely to lines 20-26, explain how the author makes the reader aware of Nick’s change of attitude towards Gatsby. (2)
  • “found, to my disappointment, that he had little to say.”

The parenthetical comment suggests that Nick’s opinion of Gatsby has changed from his first impression after meeting him and that this change in opinion was unwelcome.

  • “So my first impression, that he was a person of some undefined consequence, had gradually faded”

The imagery “my first impression...faded” clearly conveys a change in opinion.

In the same way that an attractive picture may lose its lustre over time or through weathering, Nick’s initial view of Gatsby as changed and diminished.

  • “And then came that disconcerting ride.”

The linking sentence is used to suggest a further change in opinion.

“And then” suggests that something else has occurred of significance, the conjunction “And” linking back to the slightly negative image of Gatsby.

“that disconcerting ride” looks forward to the conversation that they are about to have which makes Nick reassess how he feels about Gatsby again.

The word choice of “disconcerting” has connotations of being unsettled, suggesting Nick is about to have his certainty about what Gatsby is actually like altered.

  1. By referring closely to this extract and elsewhere in the novel, discuss how Fitzgerald develops the idea of Gatsby’s vulnerability. (10)