Gatsby’s past
Throughout chapter 1-3, Gatsby has been a mysterious character, never really appeared in front of Nick, but rumors about him flows everywhere. From chapter 4, Gatsby starts to talk about himself and his past. Finally we began to see pieces of Gatsby’s past, and started to form a shape of him inside our minds. However, the story Gatsby tells is contradicting with what we can see from the book. Therefore, Gatsby’s past told by himself is not trustful.
Firstly, Gatsby told Nick,“I am the son of some wealthy people in the middle-west--all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition. (Pg65)” From his statement, it means he is an old money, as he has been rich since he was born. However, it contradicts the fact that he lives in West Egg, a place where new money live. From here, we’ll notice that Gatsby is new money, but tries to pretend to be an old money. So the story of him inheriting his family’s possession is a lie.
Another thing Gatsby told Nick about is his graduation from Oxford. He says that it’s a kind of tradition of his family to study in Oxford, but when he says the sentence, “he hurried the phrase “educated at Oxford,” or swallowed it, or choked on it, as thought it had bothered him before (65).” This is why Nick says “He looked at me sideways---and I knew why Jordan Baker had believed he was lying. He hurried the phrase “educated at Oxford,” of swallowed it, or choked on it as though it had bothered him before.” Nick doesn’t believe Gatsby because he thinks Gatsby’s way of talking about Oxford is suspicious. If Gatsby had really been to Oxford, he should talk about it very proudly, but in the book, he says it really quickly as if he feels so guilty about lying. However, since Gatsby takes out a picture of him at Oxford, Nick believes him at last.
Lastly, the relationship of Gatsby and Wolfsheim reveals that Gatsby may evolve some under ground illegal business, since Wolfsheim has a special, unusual atmosphere. Plus, Gatsby never told what he’s doing for job now, so it is suspicious.
To conclude, Gatsby’s back ground is contradicting, and his job is a mystery, so what he says about his past lacks truthful. His new money actions, pretentious way of speaking, and the relationship with Wolfsheim all show that he got everything he has now later, and that he is trying to hide this fact. Gatsby, at last, is just a nobody who worked hard to become rich.
Throughout chapter 1-3, Gatsby has been a mysterious character, never really appeared in front of Nick, but rumors about him flows everywhere. From chapter 4, Gatsby starts to talk about himself and his past. Finally we began to see pieces of Gatsby’s past, and started to form a shape of him inside our minds. However, the story Gatsby tells is contradicting with what we can see from the book. Therefore, Gatsby’s past told by himself is not trustful.
Firstly, Gatsby told Nick,“I am the son of some wealthy people in the middle-west--all dead now. I was brought up in America but educated at Oxford because all my ancestors have been educated there for many years. It is a family tradition. (Pg65)” From his statement, it means he is an old money, as he has been rich since he was born. However, it contradicts the fact that he lives in West Egg, a place where new money live. From here, we’ll notice that Gatsby is new money, but tries to pretend to be an old money. So the story of him inheriting his family’s possession is a lie.
Another thing Gatsby told Nick about is his graduation from Oxford. He says that it’s a kind of tradition of his family to study in Oxford, but when he says the sentence, “he hurried the phrase “educated at Oxford,” or swallowed it, or choked on it, as thought it had bothered him before (65).” This is why Nick says “He looked at me sideways---and I knew why Jordan Baker had believed he was lying. He hurried the phrase “educated at Oxford,” of swallowed it, or choked on it as though it had bothered him before.” Nick doesn’t believe Gatsby because he thinks Gatsby’s way of talking about Oxford is suspicious. If Gatsby had really been to Oxford, he should talk about it very proudly, but in the book, he says it really quickly as if he feels so guilty about lying. However, since Gatsby takes out a picture of him at Oxford, Nick believes him at last.
Lastly, the relationship of Gatsby and Wolfsheim reveals that Gatsby may evolve some under ground illegal business, since Wolfsheim has a special, unusual atmosphere. Plus, Gatsby never told what he’s doing for job now, so it is suspicious.
To conclude, Gatsby’s back ground is contradicting, and his job is a mystery, so what he says about his past lacks truthful. His new money actions, pretentious way of speaking, and the relationship with Wolfsheim all show that he got everything he has now later, and that he is trying to hide this fact. Gatsby, at last, is just a nobody who worked hard to become rich.