Journal Entry #3

Chapter 3: Pages 39-59

Chapter Summary:

In Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby, Nick describes Gatsby’s parties in full detail; analyzing the money Gatsby must spend on his maintenance crew and party decorations and performers. Nick receives an invitation from Gatsby’s chauffeur for a party at the mansion where Nick attends and runs into Jordan Baker. They spend the evening together and, while talking to members of her party, hears of rumors about their host, Gatsby. Searching for Gatsby, Nick and Jordan come across Owl Eyes in the library; a drunken man stuck marveling at the unread books. At midnight, Jordan and Nick sit at a table with a handsome man who thinks Nick looks familiar and they later realize they served in the same division in the war. After saying goodbye, Nick returns home and later confesses that he likes Jordan Baker and is seeing her despite her dishonesty. He tells of his life other than attending large parties and considers himself the most honest person he’s ever met.

Character Name:

a) Jay Gatsby

Most Defining Quote:

b) “I thought you knew, old sport. I’m afraid I’m not a very good host.” (Gatsby 48)

Characteristics:

c) Jay Gatsby is a man about Nick’s age with a rare smile that holds a “quality of eternal reassurance in it”. “His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed every day. I could see nothing sinister about him.” (50) Gatsby seems to be always standing alone as if deep in thought.

Role in the Book:

d) In the book, Gatsby looks like a man with overloaded with money that he would have a snobbish personality, constantly showing off his material possessions for others to drool over like Tom Buchanan, but in contrast, he is the most polite character thus far. The way Nick talks about the people at the party, or of Gatsby’s house, suggests that many of the people of East Egg and West Egg show their wealth and material possessions on the outside to cover up their corrupted and messed up lives, but Gatsby seems to use his outer wealth to cover up something else, something possibly more important, that enhances Nick’s curiosity in him. Gatsby’s role in the book will be to eventually allow the reader to understand the deeper outlook on life as the characters’ lives progress and change.

Quote:

“She was incurably dishonest.” “It made no difference to me. Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply – I was casually sorry, and then I forgot.” (Nick 58)

This quote really struck me as the most significant throughout a chapter of important lines because it proves that Nick does not judge people like he said he did not in the beginning of Chapter 1. I find it unimaginable to associate with someone known for being dishonest, as I believe dishonesty is not a trait I would look for in a companion, let alone in a relationship. Coming from Nick, who dubs himself as “one of the few honest people he has ever known” (59), it seems impossible that Jordan can still be attractive to Nick despite this god-awful trait she possesses.