I personally think that this passage is one of the most important out of the first two chapters because it really gives the reader an understanding of the true society in which this book takes place. In the first chapter, the reader learns that the narrator is living in a high class society in Long Island and is pressured by living in "West Egg, the--well, the less fashionable of the two"(9). From this point on, the book is centered on the proceedings of such a society and I feel that this passage reveals the complexity of this life.
When the narrator first goes to visit Tom and his wife Daisy, he refers to them as "two old friends whom I scarcely knew at all"(11). It is evident from him saying such a thing that relationships in this society at this time were distorted. He is going to visit two "old friends" who he claims to have not really ever known at all. This is the first time that the concept of relationships has been somewhat distorted in this novel.
In this passage, a further understanding of the distortion between relationships in this society is revealed. Chapter two begins with Tom saying, "I want you to meet my girl"(28), a girl that is not his wife Daisy. The fact that he refers to her as "my girl" shows that there is some sort of hidden relationship between the two. And so Tom and Nick go to see this girl. Once they get to the woman's house, she is described to the readers as full of "vitality"(30). It is said in this passage that "she smiled slowly and walked through her husband as if he were a ghost shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye. then she wet her lips and without turning around spoke to her husband in a soft, coarse voice"(29). It is evident that Tom and this woman, Myrtile, have a relationship that is not one of friends. When she first sees Tom she ignores her husband and then licks her lips while looking Tom straight in the eye. At this point in the novel we as readers learn the true type of society that Nick lives in; a society full of secrets and lies. Both Tom and Myrtile are defying the relationship that they have pledged to have with their spouses, and Nick is witnessing this without thinking anything of it. This distortion of the concept of relationships and how Nick does not question Tom or Myrtile's decision in cheating on their spouses leads me to question the morality of the society as well as the narrator of the novel himself.
After I read the passage but before I read your analysis, I thought that you were going to discuss that Myrtle was so unattractive. This is really a major point in this passage. She has a "thickish figure" with a "surplus of flesh" and a face that "contains no facet or gleam of beauty". Myrtle's repulsiveness is rather shocking, as traditionally a man's mistress is more beautiful than his wife (hence the desire to cheat).
ReplyDeleteBut Daisy is by no means ugly. Although he never gives a full description, Fitzgerald mentions that Daisy is charming, young, slender, and that her voice is very beautiful.
So why then the desire to cheat? I don't actually know for certain, perhaps the answer has not yet been revealed to us. It most likely has something to do with the aspect of Myrtle's personality that you mentioned: her vitality. Also it could be that Tom dislikes Daisy's obsession with wealth and possessions or that he dislikes high society altogether. But I'm not so sure about the latter.
Okay. As you said, all of the relationships in the novel, so far, are not what the reader would expect. This parallels the idea that society, with all of its corruption, is not what the reader would expect. But these two relationships are not the only ones that are strange. Mrs. Mckee continually tries to make her husband seem successful by talking about his paintings; and then there is the whole gay affair episode.
But really these relationships are not so much weird as they are dishonest. There are two characters that are cheating on their spouse and two characters that are potentially closet homosexuals. And if the relationships of the characters represent the quality of society, as you mentioned, then Fitzgerald is really saying that society is dishonest.
Lastly, I have a problem with you saying that "Nick does not question Tom or Myrtile's decision in cheating on their spouses" which leads [you] to question the morality of ... the narrator of the novel himself."
When Nick learns about Tom's affair from Jordan Baker he is unable to question her for details or voice his judgment as "before he could grasp her meaning [about the affair] ... Tom and Daisy were back at the table" (20). It's not like Nick is going to just come out and say, "So Daisy, I heard Tom is cheating on you. I disapprove. I am moral." What did you expect?
And although you said he didn't, Nick does question Myrtle's affair. Although he once again avoids being rude and doesn't do it to her face, he asks Catherine about the nature of Myrtle's relationship with her husband and why she is cheating. He says, "Doesn't she like Wilson" (38).
And this is the character who at the beginning of the novel said flat out that he reserves judgement.
So I guess I just don't understand.