Contrast Jay Gatsby's story about himself on p. 65 and Jordan Baker's story about Daisy and Gatsby on pp. 74-77. What is different about these stories, and why do you think that they are different? [Contrast: Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.]
One big difference between Gatsby's and Jordan's stories to Nick about Gatsby is the fact that Gatsby doesn't even mention Daisy in his and Jordan's is all about Daisy. Gatsby went to war in both of their stories, or at least, he was an officer in Jordan's, because she references the "excited young officers from Camp Taylor" who were all in love with Daisy (74), and in Gatsby's he says that he "accepted a commission as first lieutenant when [the war] began," (66).
Something that Gatsby and Jordan say that is dissimilar is that Gatsby went to Oxford. Jordan doesn't specifically say it in her backstory of Gatsby, but she does say it earlier in the book, and the text even mentions it when Gatsby mentions to Nick that he went there. "He looked at me sideways—and I knew why Jordan Baker believed he was lying. He hurried the phrase 'educated at Oxford,' or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it bothered him before. And with this doubt, his whole statement fell to pieces," (65).
Obviously one or both of them are lying, or at least withholding information about Gatsby's past. Only continuing with reading the book shall reveal the truth.
No comments:
Post a Comment