The Great Gatsby character profiles

Alternative transcript:

background." - Chapter 4 "He was a son of God - a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that - and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty." - Chapter 9 "His mind would never romp again like the mind of God." - Chapter 9 Main quotations describing the characters and type of language used by the characters ● ● ● ● Nick points out Gatsby's affected speech, speech of "elaborate formalities" that borders on "absurd", like constantly using the idiosyncratic phrase "old sport", it is clear to him that Gatsby has practices to sound educated and wealthy. Nick isn't fooled and neither is anyone else Gatsby's speech gives him away ironically because it's too posh Gatsby has a tendency to be sophisticated and affectionate in his speech: "He spoke with a certain sophistication and a touch of affection" "Tell the truth, you never loved him" shows his delusion, he needs constant reassurance, shows lack of confidence "Of course you can!" to Nick, shows confidence "Measure of response from her well loved eyes" "He looked at her the way all women wanted to be looked at by men" He often repeats some phrases or ideas: "He talked blue streak, the same thing over and over, and you had to laugh" He also remembers the past fondly and talks about it often, in an attempt to reclaim some sense of himself that he feels he has lost: "He talked a lot about the past, and I gathered that he wanted to recover something, some idea of himself perhaps, that had gone into loving Daisy. His life had been confused and disordered since then, but if he could once return to a certain starting place and go over it all slowly, he could find out what that thing was" "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter - tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther..." - Chapter 9. Nick Carraway - He serves as the narrator and the protagonist of the novel. He has a fondness for Gatsby. He is depicted as morally upright, honest, and introspective who is able to see the shallowness of the wealthy elite. He is a young man, portrayed as modest and unassuming, with a good heart. He is brunette, has sparkling blue eyes, is tan, has a clean shave, and has delicate features "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known." Daisy Buchanan - She is married to Tom and is described as a beautiful, charming and flirtatious woman. She is wealthy and fashionable. Daisy is considered as one of the main symbols of the decadence and excess of the Jazz Age, her character is closely tied with themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream. Throughout the novel she is torn between her love for Gatsby and her desire to maintain her wealthy social status. Despite her beauty and charm, she is portrayed as a complex and troubled character who is unhappy in her marriage and unsure about her feelings for Gatsby. She is often referred to as a flapper girl. "Her voice is full of money," remarks Gatsby of Daisy's voice, suggesting that she is wealthy and has a certain air of sophistication. "Her face was sad and lovely with bright things ● "I am inclined to reserve all judgments." "I am a careful man." he talks formally with little to no contractions, he is characterised by a tone of reserve, caution and thoughtfulness "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past." he has a lyrical and poetic quality to his words "I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby's house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited." he often uses plain and straightforward language, Nick's narrative voice provides a backdrop of stability and reliability, which makes his observations of the events and characters around him all the more insightful and meaningful ● "I'm p-paralyzed with happiness," Daisy says, revealing her tendency to stammer and become flustered, particularly when she is nervous or emotional. Tendency to be flirtatious and playful, but also indecisive and uncertain. ● "I hope she'll be a fool-that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." "Oh, you want too much!" she cried to Gatsby. Her speech is often lighthearted and filled with exclamations, but she can also be evasive and changeable, which reflects her larger struggle to balance her desires with the expectations of her social status. ● "I love you now-isn't that enough? I can't help what's past." in it, bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth. " "She was the first 'nice' girl he had ever known." "Her hair is a gold hat." Tom Buchanan - Depicted as a wealthy and powerful man who is married to Daisy. He is a physically imposing figure, and is described as being tall and broad-shouldered with a "cruel body". He is rude, arrogant, and selfish, and is known for his loud and aggressive behaviour. Tom is portrayed as a symbol of the corrupt and decadent values of the wealthy elites in 1920s America. He is driven by the need for power and control. He is deeply insecure about his relationship with Daisy, and becomes jealous of her relationship with Gatsby, which leads to much conflict in the novel. He is quite perceptive and not as air-headed as readers might assume as he can put together that Gatsby and Daisy are more than just friends and he shows suspicion of Gatsby from the very beginning. He is also openly misogynistic and racist. "His speaking voice, a gruff husky tenor, added to the impression of fractiousness he conveyed." "He had a rather hard mouth and a supercilious manner." "A great pack of muscle, moving equal and together, had fled temporarily from Tom's body." "Tom's voice was deep and his manner showed a rough mastery." Jordan Baker - Professional golfer and close friend of Daisy. She is described as slender and athletic, with a "boyish" appearance. She is depicted as being independent, confident and aloof, and is known for her ● "I'm going to take you down to another place I know," said Tom. He uses contractions in his speech and is very bossy/commanding with his use of imperatives "If you want take down any addresses, just let me know." His way of speech reflects his need for power and control ● "God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me, but you can't fool God!" Exclamatories and biblical mentions express his anger and resentment ● 'What'll we do with ourselves this afternoon?' cried Daisy, 'and the day after that, and the next thirty years?" "Don't be morbid,' Jordan said. 'Life disdain for traditional social conventions. Throughout the novel she is portrayed as being a cynical and detached observer of the events and the characters around her, she is often described as a "difficult" person to get to know. She however, is also flirtatious and a carefree person who is encumbered by the expectations of her social status. She has a restless spirit who is always seeking new experiences and excitement, which makes her an important counterpoint to the more conventional characters in the novel "She was thoroughly acquainted with every one worth knowing in New York." "She was a great beauty and the promise of wealth." "She was incurably dishonest." "Jordan Baker instinctively avoided clever, shrewd men, and now I saw that this was because she felt safer on a plane where any divergence from a code would be thought impossible." "Jordan Baker had changed since her Newcastle days. She was no longer the fresh, adolescent creature that had blossomed under Daisy's friendship into an insouciant and dazzling girl." "Jordan Baker deliberately lied to me." "Jordan Baker emerged from her room, stretched her arms, and yawned in a sensuous way." Marginal Characters Short description of the characters starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall." To Daisy life is a never-ending round of boredom that ends in death. To Jordan it is a constant cycle of renewal "I love New York on summer afternoons when everyone's away. There's something very sensuous about it - overripe, as if all sorts of funny fruits were going to fall into your hands." ● 'I've left Daisy's house,' she said. 'I'm at Hempstead and I'm going down to Southampton this afternoon.'Probably it had been tactful to leave Daisy's house, but the act annoyed me and her next remark made me rigid. 'You weren't so nice to me last night.' 'How could it have mattered then?' Following Myrtle's tragic death, Jordan Baker's casual, devil-may-care attitude is no longer attractive to Nick. In fact he is disgusted that she is so unaffected by Myrtle's death, and all she is concerned about from the previous day is that Nick wasn't attentive enough to her. 'Nevertheless you did throw me over,' said Jordan suddenly. 'You threw 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.' Shows that she holds a pent-up sense of anger, expresses how all of the wealthy are the same Use of the phrase 'ought', shows her desire to adopt upper class lexis Main quotations describing the characters and type of language used by the characters George Wilson - Myrtle's husband, locked his wife upstairs in the room so he could take her away in a couple of days' time. The owner of a run-down garage in the Valley of Ashes. He is sick. Constantly asks about Tom's car again and again as he needs money. He is depicted as a sad and depicted man, who is struggling to make a living and is trapped in a loveless marriage with Myrtle. He is described as being physically and emotionally exhausted, and he is unable to escape the poverty and misery in his life. George serves as a symbol of the larger social and economic forces that are at work in the world of "The Great Gatsby." He is a representation of the many people who were left behind by the rapid economic growth and prosperity of the "Roaring Twenties," and who struggled to survive in the aftermath of World War I. In the climax of the novel, George becomes a central figure when he learns of his wife's infidelity and becomes consumed by anger and revenge. He ultimately becomes the instrument of Gatsby's downfall, when he shoots and kills Gatsby before turning the gun on himself. "He was a blonde, spiritless man, anemic, and faintly handsome." (Chapter 2) "He was muffled up in a white comforter and had a great black beard." (Chapter 2) "He was a man of great defeat." (Chapter 6) "His face was haunted with a gentle, dreaming despair." (Chapter 6) "He had never felt important himself, and the things of his wife and the sound of her voice were his rites." (Chapter 6) "He was standing beside his automobiles, staring at nothing." (Chapter 7) "His eyes, wide with madness, were bulging over the dead brow of Dr. Eckleburg." (Chapter 8) "He was talking to himself now, a little whining ● Persistent in asking when he could get Tom's car he was promised as he needs money to move away "That's why I been bothering you about the car" Determined to take his wife with him "And now she's going whether she wants to or not" Sentences that begin with conjunctions "And now she's going ..." ● Non-standard grammatical structures as he is a working class man "I been bothering" ● Determined to expose who he thinks the car belongs to "You don't have to tell me what kind of car it was!" "I know what kind of car it was!" exclamation marks and the omission of the indefinite article "an". note of contemptuous despair." (Chapter 8) Myrtle Wilson - She is an ambitious social climber, the wife of George Wilson and mistress of Tom Buchanan. She possesses a fierce vitality and chooses Tom over her husband, who treats her as a mere object of his desire. Has a sister named Catherine. She is described as a "blonde" woman, and is portrayed as being both vivacious and desperate for attention and a better life. Myrtle Wilson can be described as materialistic, naive, ambitious, and full of life. She quickly reveals herself to be materialistic, stopping frequently to make small purchases and listing off several things she still wants to buy. She is also known to be physically and emotionally abused by her husband. Locked up in the room against her will, does not want to go away with her husband. Ultimately she is tragically killed by Daisy Buchanan, Gatsby's love interest, in a hit-and-run accident. She mistakes Jordan for Daisy in Gatsby's yellow car, but gets killed by the same yellow car driven by Daisy and Gatsby. "Myrtle, who with an permanent wave, was just now trying to pull the neck of her dress higher up to her chin" (Chapter 2) "Myrtle's life had been confused and thwarted from the start, but she was a woman who knew how to keep going" (Chapter 3) "He [George Wilson] knew that she was unfaithful; he had come to think of her as some uncontrollable force, like the weather, that lay just outside the jurisdiction of morality" (Chapter 4) Michaelis - A young Greek immigrant who runs a small cafe in West Egg. He is described as a timid and introverted man who is intimidated by the wealthy and powerful people he encounters in his daily life. Witness of the argument between Wilson and his wife ● ● Myrtle changes her clothes 3 times in a single chapter and with that, her personality. This emphasises her desire to be accepted into Tom's world. She believes in illusion and in looking the part, yet this is a facade. The change of dress is symbolic of the nature of facility and pretence that pervades the novel "I want... I want" attempt at power, desperation, hesitance ● Jealous to see Tom with Jordan (who she mistakes for Daisy) "Myrtle Wilson's face seemed purposeless and inexplicable until I realised that her eyes, wide with jealous terror, were not on Tom, but on Jordan Baker, whom she took to be his wife." ● "Daisy...Daisy" repetition, shows fixation, impetuous, her taunting/challenging Tom can't live forever... you can't live forever" foreshadowing, irony, pity, conviction (possible link with Gatsby) - the Great War The use of imperatives, strong verbs and offensive colloquial language to express her determinat to escape, she is panicking, hysterical "Beat me! "Throw me down and beat me, you dirty little coward!" She has a "piercing and vital" voice, outgoing, full of life, living in the moment, ostracised ● ● A working class man, has non standard grammar "There was two cars." ● Simple clauses "Costume" dressing up, play pretend, connotations of pretense Colloquial language, omissions of the letter "g", "one comin"", "one goin"", omission and the accident where Myrtle dies. He is "astonished" with Wilson's unexpected behaviour towards his wife. He is the first to reach Myrtle after being hit by the "death car". He has been neighbours with the Wilson's for 4 years and is surprised to hear that Wilson was thinking of moving without telling him. Michaelis is first introduced in Chapter 6, when he is called upon to give testimony in the aftermath of the car accident that kills Myrtle Wilson. He is described as being nervous and uncomfortable during his testimony, and he appears to be out of place in the world of the wealthy characters in the novel. Despite his somewhat minor role in the novel, Michaelis serves as a symbol of the immigrants who came to America during the "Roaring Twenties" in search of a better life. His presence serves as a reminder of the larger social and economic forces that are at play in the world of the novel, and highlights the tension between the "old money" of the East Egg residents and the "new money" of the West Egg residents. "Michaelis wasn't even sure of its color- he told the first policeman it was light green" (Chapter 7) suggests he has terrible memory or is highly nervous under pressure and interrogation Motorcycle policeman - He is first introduced in Chapter 7, when pulls over a drunken Tom Buchanan who is driving recklessly. He is described as a man with a rough and gruff demeanour, who speaks harshly to Tom and threatens to take him to jail. He serves as a symbol of law and order that is slowly breaking down in the decadent and corrupt world of the "Roaring Twenties". His presence serves as a reminder of the consequences that the characters in the novel face for their actions. Provides a glimpse into the larger social and political forces at work in the world of the novel "A motorcycle policeman taking down names with much sweat and correction in a little book." (Chapter 7) "Presently Tom lifted his head with a jerk and after staring around the garage with glazed eyes of the letter "d" "an"" "N'York" ● Surprised tone at Wilson's statements about his wife ● Shocked at the accident scene and confused about the "death car" ● Annoyed that Tom disrupts his work "What you want fella?" non-standard grammar and colloquial language The use of omissions "Ins'antly" ● ● Colloquial language "son-of-a-bitch", "stopus" instead of "stop his" ● Elliptical sentences "see the accident?" ● Suspicious towards Tom when he mentions "the yellow car" "And what color's your car?" American spelling "color" addressed a mumbled incoherent remark to the policeman" "Some dim impulse moved the policeman to look suspicious at Tom" (Chapter 7) suggests the policeman is unlikable, Tom and the policeman do not get along very well "The policeman caught something in the tone and looked over with truculent eyes" (Chapter 7) suggests he is perceptive Meyer Wolfsheim - Introduced as a close associate of Gatsby. Wolfsheim is described as a man with a reputation for being involved in shady criminal activities, particularly fixing the 1919 World Series. Hel is depicted as a man with a striking appearance, with a large nose and a tendency to wear cufflinks made from human molars. Wolfsheim is portrayed as a mysterious and somewhat sinister figure, who is hinted at having connections to organised crime, despite his reputation, Gatsby seems to hold him in high regard, implying a close and possibly mutually beneficial relationship between the two. Wolfsheim serves as a symbol of corruption and decadence that characterised the era of the "Roaring Twenties". He represents the dark underbelly of the Jazz Age and the moral decay that was a hallmark of the time. The character is based on a real-life gangster: Arnold Rothstein. Wolfshiem tells Nick that he actually 'made' Gatsby the man he was: 'I raised him up out of nothing, right out of the gutter' (p. 162). We know that Gatsby inherited no money from Dan Cody, so it is possible that Wolfshiem is telling the truth about the key role he played in his acquisition of wealth. "The man who fixed the World Series back in 1919." (Chapter 2) "He's a regular man" said Gatsby. "He wears a suit and a round hat." (Chapter 7) "Wolfsheim? No, I know him very little... He's a gambler." (Chapter 7) ● Elliptical sentences, refrains from using contractions often such as "can't" instead of "cannot" express sorrow, speaks formally, uses simple modifying adjectives "very" "terrible": "This has been one of the most terrible shocks of my life... I cannot come down now as I am tied up in some very important business" "Yeah Gatsby's very careful about women. He wouldn't never so much as look at a friends wife" but Gatsby in fact does so it shows that Wolfsheim doesn't know Gatsby personally/as well as he assumes ● Quite compassionate/humble, talks wisely: "It ● never occurred to me that one man could start to play with the faith of..." "Let us learn to show our friendship for a man when he is alive and not after he is dead" "Careful about women" "He's a gambler, all right," said the young man. "I've heard he backed the little government out of several million dollars." (Chapter 7) "Wolfsheim? No, he's a gambler too." (Chapter 9) "I've seen him. He's a nicely built sort of sturdy fellow." (Chapter 9) "Wolfsheim! With his gross crooked nose!" (Chapter 9) Nick Carraway introduces us to Meyer Wolfsheim saying "A small flat-nosed Jew raised his large head and regarded me with two fine growths of hair which luxuriated in either nostril. After a moment I discovered his tiny eyes in the half darkness" Ewing Klipspringer - Described as a pale, slender man who spent most of his time at Gatsby's mansion. Klipspringer is a musician who is often seen playing the piano and singing. Klipspringer is portrayed as a freeloader who takes advantage of Gatsby's hospitality and lives off of the luxurious lifestyle provided by his host. He is depicted as a good-natured but ultimately unimportant forgettable figure. Despite his constant presence at the mansion, Klipspringer has little impact on the events of the story and is mostly described as a background character. He is portrayed as a representative of the aimless and directionless young men who were attracted to Gatsby's extravagant lifestyle and sought to be a part of it. Despite his musical talent, he is shallow and lacking in substance, qualities that contrast to the more important characters in the novel "He was a versatile man who played piano in dives and composed shameless ditties for cigarette commercials, but his chief source of income was the making of chords for popular songs." ● "Well, the fact is the truth of the matter is that I'm staying with some people up here in Greenwich, and they rather expect me to be with them tomorrow. In fact, there's a sort of picnic or something. Of course I'll do my very best to get away." He stumbles over his speech a lot, introvertness He must have heard me, for he went on nervously, this that he possibly fears the wealthy "He was one of those pieces of congenial society who are the envy of less fortunate souls." "He was one of those people who never quite seem to have a purpose or a direction in life, but manage to be popular nonetheless." Owl Eyes - Is a somewhat whimsical and quirky individual, with a love for books and a tendency to be somewhat absent-minded. He is physically distinguishable by his round, owlish appearance and his near-sightedness. He is portrayed an observant but passive character, who is often seen watching the events of Gatsby's parties unfold. Like Nick he is curious about Gatsby "Owl Eyes was plump and owlish, with a little straw hat and a white silk scarf." "His large eyes blinked near-sightedly at Gatsby's partygoers and his nose was bent down at the end." "He was a vague and dreamy character who often appeared inebriated." "He was fascinated by Gatsby's books and was the only guest at the party who took an interest them." ● ● "I've been drunk for about a week now, and I thought it might sober me up to sit in a library." Shows he's careless, is usually not sober There is irony in his name, with large eyes and spectacles it would be expected that he was to be more perceptive than those around him, Fitzgerald makes sure the reader notices the glasses as the guy is always taking them off and wiping them: "He took off his glasses and wiped them again, outside and in" He is the only guest who is wise enough to investigate further into Gatsby's life: "See!" he cried triumphantly. "It's a bona-fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. This fella's a regular Belasco. It's a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop, too - didn't cut the pages. But what do you want? What do you expect?" The owl-eyed man is surprised (and a little delighted) to find out that the books are real So, Gatsby's done his due diligence in trying to fool people: he's actually gone out and purchased real books. But, as the man discovers, he hasn't cut the pages and actually read them. That's because he's the perfect Belasco, a reference to theater producer David Belasco. Gatsby knows how much he has to do to fool people, and he knows that he doesn't need to cut the pages. Nobody in this crowd is going to check, because they're just as fake as he is. That's what the owl-eyed man sees. Catherine Myrtle's younger sister and a party guest in Chapter 2. Nick describes Catherine as wearing an excessive amount of makeup and jewelry. She is unmarried, saying that she has other priorities. Her hair sits in a red bob and her skin is a pale milky white. She dresses in elaborate bracelets and is said to have her eyebrows, as a drawn on edging shape. She is independent. "slender, worldly girl of about thirty" Mr Sloane - Gatby's acquaintance. A haughty man who does not approve of having Gatsby over for Dinner and Gatsby does not take the hint. Mr. Sloane wanted nothing. (Chapter 6) Mr. Sloane didn't enter into the conversation but lounged back haughtily in his chair (Chapter 6) Gatsby looked at me questioningly. He wanted to go and he didn't see that Mr. Sloane had determined he shouldn't. (Chapter 6) Mrs Sloane - Drunkenly invites Gatsby for dinner which he takes sincerely, hinting that he has an inability to read social cues. Mrs Sloane invited him purely just to be friendly. She is being decorous "A pretty woman in a brown riding habit" (Chapter 6) "The woman said nothing either-until unexpectedly, after two highballs, she became cordial." (Chapter 6) Mrs Lucille McKee - Loud and brash and is annoying to Nick. Married to Chester McKee. Downstairs neighbours to Tom Buchanan in the NY apartment building Mr Chester McKee - A dilettante photographer. He has clearly makes some money through his photography, though his exaggerated sizing up of ● ● ● ● 'Neither of them can stand the person they're married to.' 'Can't they?' 'Can't stand them.' She loves to gossip "You see," cried Catherine triumphantly. She lowered her voice again. "It's really his wife that's keeping them apart. She's a Catholic..." She talks enthusiastically and without no shame "Be ver' nice," said Mr. Sloane, without gratitude omissions of 'y' "Well-think ought to be starting home." "You come to supper with me," said the lady enthusiastically. "Both of you." Eager and outspoken like a flapper girl "I wouldn't think of changing the light," cried Mrs. McKee. Very expressive "But it looks wonderful on you, if you know what I mean," pursued Mrs. McKee. People's pleaser "I've done some nice things out on Long Island," asserted Mr. McKee. Self-centered Myrtle for "a study" illustrates his likely lack of true artistic talent Mr. McKee awoke from his doze and started in a daze toward the door. (Chapter 2) Mr. McKee was asleep on a chair with his fists clenched in his lap, like a photograph of a man of action. (Chapter 2) Mr Henry Gatz - Gatsby's father. Gatz seems to be an honest man, but also naïve, he has no idea how his son made this money, always just thinking the best of him. Henry is described as solemn, old, helpless, and dismayed, much the opposite of his carefree, flamboyant son. Gatz opened the door and came out, his mouth ajar, his face flushed slightly, his eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears. (Chapter 9) Ms Baedeker - Daisy's acquaintance. A woman who has a strange reaction to alcohol. When she drinks too many cocktails, she begins screaming. Mrs. Baedeker's behavior is routine, for her. When she screams, someone puts her head under water. The details of this passage suggest that this has happened before. Though her friends seem to believe that Mrs. Baedeker should avoid drinking, she refuses to be abashed or ashamed and along with one of her friends attacks the friends who would chastize her. Finally she turns the accusations away from herself and toward the doctor who has gotten her all wet. The girl addressed was trying, unsuccessfully, to slump against my shoulder. At this inquiry she sat up and opened her eyes. Ella Kaye - The newspapers woman. Ella Kaye was a reporter and Dan Cody's lover. Dan Cody was the wealthy yacht owner that Gatsby worked for throughout the course of several years. One day, Ella Kaye comes to visit Cody, and a week later he is found dead. ● Mr. McKee regarded her intently with his head on one side and then moved his hand back and forth slowly in front of his face. Awkward, slow in his though process Mr. McKee only nodded in a bored way and turned his attention to Tom. Refers to Gatsby as 'Jimmy' and uses possessive determiners and personal pronouns: "My Jimmy' ● Often repeats his sentences although having just said them: "If he'd of lived he'd of been a great man. A man like James J. Hill. He'd of helped build up the country." "Wha'?" omission of 't' "Anything I hate is to get my head stuck in a pool," mumbled Miss Baedeker. "They almost drowned me once over in New Jersey." ● "Speak for yourself!" cried Miss Baedeker violently. "Your hand shakes. I wouldn't let you operate on me!" ● Fitzgerald makes a reference to Madame de Maintenon here in accordance to Ella Kaye. Maintenon was a secret second wife to King Louis XIV of France. She had three husbands and for a good portion of her life she lived off the money from her second husband. The King gave more money to Maintenon as he The none too savory ramifications by which Ella Kaye, the newspaper woman, played Madame de Maintenon to his weakness and sent him to sea in a yacht, It might have lasted indefinitely except for the fact that Ella Kaye came on board one night in Boston and a week later Dan Cody inhospitably died. And it was from Cody that he inherited money - a legacy of twenty-five thousand dollars. He didn't get it. He never understood the legal device that was used against him, but what remained of the millions went intact to Ella Kaye. He was left with his singularly appropriate education; the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man. Dan Cody - Gatsby's mentor and friend. He was a mining mogul in his fifties who had achieved incredible wealth and prestige. But there was nothing--only the picture of Dan Cody, a token of forgotten violence staring down from the wall. Gardener - Gatsby's gardener interrupts the story to tell Gatsby that he plans to drain the pool. Once more it was pouring and my irregular lawn, well-shaved by Gatsby's gardener, abounded in small muddy swamps and prehistoric marshes. (Chapter 5) It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete. (Chapter 8) The gardener, the last one of Gatsby's former servants, came to the foot of the steps. (Chapter 8) became uninterested in his wife and his secret other affair who happened to be friends with Maintenon. In this reference, Kaye is using Cody for his money and simply "sent him to sea" so she could bask in his wealth. Ella Kaye used illegal action to get the inheritance which Cody intended to give Gatsby - twenty-five thousand dollars. This betrayal leads Gatsby to believe that the money he wants will not be earned with kind-heartedness or honesty. And so Gatsby will earn his money by selling liquor. ● Idiosyncratic phrase: "Old sport" ● 'I'm going to drain the pool today, Mr. Gatsby. Leaves'll start falling pretty soon and then there's always trouble with the pipes.' Omission of 'will', Gatsby converses with his gardener about emptying the pool ready for winter, symbolic meaning of letting go of love, the image and the dream. Dr Webster Civet - East-egger. A doctor. Drowned last summer in Maine "Then you ought to leave it alone" Countered Doctor Civet (Chapter 6) Puppy seller - Grey old man. Bore and absurd resemblance to John D. Rockefeller. A basket swung from his neck which cowered a dozen very recent puppies of an indeterminate breed "That's no police dog" (Chapter 2) "It's a bitch" Tom said decisively, "Here's your money. Go and buy then more dogs with it" (Chapter 2) The minister - His eyes began to blink anxiously, and he spoke of the rain in a worried, uncertain way The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half and half. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came (Chapter 9) Rosy Rosenthal - Minor gambler and bookmaker who owned illegal casinos in New York City at a time when corruption in the city's police force was widespread. Rosenthal had made a complaint to the ● ● "All kinds. What kind do you want, lady?" speaks in short sentences, uses interrogatives often, refers to Myrtle as 'lady', has a sense of respect, careful not use any addresses such as 'sweetheart' or 'darling' because he knows the men who are accompanying her (nick and tom) are of high authority and would probably pick a fight with him (tom would) The man peered doubtfully into the basket, plunged in his hand and drew one up, wriggling, by the back of the neck he really wants to sell the dogs/get money so he is upset when he is unsure that he can fulfil her request • "No, it's not exactly a police dog" said the man with disappointment in his voice negatively orientated lexis 'no' 'not' He passed his hand over the brown washrag of his back. "Look at that coat. Some coat. That's a dog that'll never bother you with catching a cold" short sentences, imperatives "That dog?" he looked at it admiringly "that dog will cost you ten dollars" "That dog? That dog's a boy" Repetition of 'that' and 'dog', use of interrogatives ● ● "Then you ought to leave it alone" Countered Doctor Civet. 'Countered' showing he always speaks his mind, he argues back, he doesn't bottle his thoughts, 'ought' displaying higher level posh lexis ● "Blink anxiously, and he spoke of the rain in a worried, uncertain way" shows that the minister is nervous and apprehensive. He is unsure of what to expect and feel as if the rain can be a cause or an explanation of the potential impact e.g. pathetic fallacy The minister is doubtful, negative ● N/A press that bribery among police officers was affecting his business. Rosy Rosenthal got shot by a gun. Pammy Buchanan - Daisy's and Tom's daughter. Although Pammy is rarely referenced in the novel, Daisy recounts that when Pammy was born and was told the baby was a girl she said: "All right...I'm glad it's a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool -- that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool." Pammy did appear in the novel, towards the end when her parents, Gatsby, Jordan and Nick are all the house on the hottest day of the year. She comes in with her nanny and Daisy flaunts her and asks if she likes her friends. Pammy responds and then her nanny takes her away. Pammy most likely represents a younger version of Daisy. Daisy wishes that her baby girl will be a fool like her so she ends up married and well off with a rich man. She also wants her daughter to be a fool so she is protected. She is taken care by a nurse rather than Daisy herself. Pammy reminds Gatsby of how much time has passed and that Daisy does have another life. She might tarnish the vision he had of Daisy, realizing that she is married and a mother. Pammy was not part of Gatsby's vision and Gatsby wishes for Daisy to leave her behind, despite Daisy's affection and fondness for her daughter. Benny McClenahan - Always arrived at the party with 4 girls. This idea that having either multiple women or one that no one else could have is shown in the actions of Benny McClenahan. Benny McClenahan arrived always with four girls. They were never quite the same ones in physical person but they were so identical one with another that it inevitably seemed they had been there before. I have forgotten their names - Jaqueline, I think, or else Consuela or Gloria or Judy or June, and their last names were either the melodious names of flowers and months or the sterner ones of the great N/A N/A American capitalists whose cousins, if pressed, they would confess themselves to be. Clarence Endive - East-egger He came only once, in white knickerbockers, and had a fight with a bum named Etty in the garden. From farther out on the Island came the Cheadles and the O. R. P. Schraeders and the Stonewall Jackson Abrams of Georgia and the Fishguards and the Ripley Snells. Etty - Fought with Clarence Willie Voltaire - East-egger Bunsen - Knew Nick from Yale The Chester Beckers - Most likely a married couple, socialize by attending Gatsby's lavish parties. They are referenced once in the novel, appearing on Nick's list for guests at Gatsby's party on July 5, 1922. Notably, they come from the East Egg, the more fashionable and upper-class of the two sides of the bay. They join many others on Nick's East Egg list who travel to Gatsby's West Egg mansion. The East Eggers are the snobbish contingent at the parties. Vladimir Tostoff - Musical composer who created 'Behind the Jazz History of the World'. A fictional piece of music The nature of Mr. Tostoff's composition eluded me, because just as it began my eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone on the marble steps Mr Mumble - Three men are introduced as this pseudonym by Nick. Clearly, we can gather from this that since these people have real names, Nick is fairly uninterested in speaking to any of them, seeing as he doesn't remember who they were. The three Mr. Mumbles bent forward and listened eagerly. But young men didn't-at least in my provincial inexperience I believed they didn't (Chapter 3) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Kaiser Wilheim - Gatsby's rumoured uncle or cousin. The last German emperor and the King of Prussia, who abdicated right before the end of World War "Well, they say he's a nephew or a cousin of Kaiser Wilhelm's. That's where all his money comes from." (Chapter 2) Mrs Eberhardt - The woman who looked at Myrtle's feet "Mrs. Eberhardt. She goes around looking at people's feet in their own homes." (Chapter T.J. Eckleberg - Dr. T.J. Eckleburg is an eye doctor whose eyes stare out over The Valley of Ashes from the billboard upon which they are painted. This billboard is known to the characters as "the eyes of Dr. T.J. Eckleburg" Doctor T. J. Eckleburg's eyes serve as a foreshadowing, seeming to caution Nick or admonish him for taking part in a night that cannot possibly end well. "The eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg are blue and gigantic-their irises are one yard high. But above the gray land and the spasms of bleak dust which drift endlessly over it, you perceive, after a moment, the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg." Demaine - The oil man "It belonged to Demaine, the oil man." Ferdie-Daisy's Chauffeur "Tell your chauffeur to go far away and spend an hour" "Come back in an hour, Ferdie" Then in a grave murmur: "His name is Ferdie" (Chapter 5) Gatsby's Chauffeur - When Daisy starts to visit Gatsby's house, he dismisses his servants, to prevent gossip. In their place he hires people supplied by Wolfshiem; these associates of a gangster have been trained to keep quiet. one of Wolfshiem's protégés N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A (chauffeur) hears the shots fired by George Wilson but doesn't take much notice of them. The implication is that gunshots are not unfamiliar to a man used to living in Wolfshiem's social circle. He stopped at the garage for a pneumatic mattress that had amused his guests during the summer, and the chauffeur helped him pump it up. Once he stopped and shifted it a little, and the chauffeur asked him if he needed help, but he shook his head and in a moment disappeared among the yellowing trees. A chauffeur in a uniform of robin's egg blue crossed my lawn early that Saturday morning with a surprisingly formal note from his employer--the honor would be entirely Gatsby's, it said, if I would attend his "little party" that night. Gatsby's Butler - The butler is described as a stoic and reserved figure who goes about his duties without much interaction with the guests who attend Gatsby's extravagant parties. He is a symbol of the extravagance and opulence of the wealthy elite during the Roaring Twenties, as well as a reminder of the vast social and economic divide between the rich and the working-class. Despite his lack of dialogue and his background role in the novel, the butler serves an important purpose in highlighting the excess and decadence of Gatsby's world, and the disconnection and detachment of the wealthy from the reality of the world around them. Gatsby's butler was suddenly standing beside us Wondering if he were sick I went over to find out--an unfamiliar butler with a villainous face squinted at me suspiciously from the door. Almost at the moment when Mr. Gatsby identified himself a butler hurried toward him with the information that Chicago was calling him on the wire. N/A At two o'clock Gatsby put on his bathing suit and left word with the butler that if any one phoned word was to be brought to him at the pool. No telephone message arrived but the butler went without his sleep and waited for it until four o'clock--until long after there was any one to give it to if it came. Buchanan's Butler - The butler has to quit his previous job in "polishing silver" because it affected his nose, this could imply drugs of some kind. Daisy refers to the butler's nose as a "family secret." "The butler's nose" is a metaphorical reference with a meaning similar to "the walls have ears,"/"the hills have eyes" an allusion to the concern of wealthy families. Daisy's butler is a symbol of the wealth and extravagance of the wealthy elite during the Roaring Twenties. He is depicted as a servant who is always at the beck and call of his employer, performing tasks and serving drinks at her parties without a word of complaint. Although the butler is not a major player in the story, his presence serves to reinforce the theme of wealth and excess that is central to the novel. He is also a reminder of the vast social and economic divide between the wealthy and the working class, and of the unequal power dynamic that exists between the rich and their servants. Well, he wasn't always a butler; he used to be the silver polisher for some people in New York that had a silver service for two hundred people. When, almost immediately, the telephone rang inside and the butler left the porch Daisy seized upon the momentary interruption and leaned toward me. The butler came back and murmured something close to Tom's ear whereupon Tom frowned, pushed back his chair and without a word went inside. N/A Midas, Morgan, and Maecenas - The three famous wealthy men whose secrets narrator Nick Carraway hopes to find in the books he buys for his home library. The name Midas is an allusion to the Greek god Midas, who turned everything he touched to gold, and "Morgan and Mæcenas" are allusions to the financier J. P. Morgan and the wealthy Roman patron Mæcenas J.P. Morgan was a U.S. banker who controlled railroads and other profitable industries, and Maecenas was a Roman statesman and patron. All of these men were very rich, and very powerful. Nick alludes to these people because they match the social class that lives on both Eggs. N/A