Quotes
1. “I hate careless people. That’s why I like you”
-Jordan Baker
In this book, this quote shows the carelessness of all of the people with new money. Jordan Baker, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan have all showed signs of this carelessness. It is displayed in this scene and others, where those of West Egg have displayed signs of carelessness, which others have to deal with.
Gasper 54
2. “You must know Gatsby”
-Jordan Baker
This is the first statement in which Gatsby’s name is said in the presence of Daisy Buchanan. She responds with “Gatsby, What Gatsby?” The fact that Gatsby is announced in the Buchanan household falls right into the plans of Jay Gatsby. This is what was planned by hosting many parties and allowing uninvited people to enter the party. He has always hoped for Daisy to wander in to one of his parties.
Gasper 72
3. “She’s a Catholic, and they don’t believe in divorce.”
-Catherine
Although it is said that Daisy is a catholic, it is well known to Nick Carraway, Daisy’s cousin that she is not. It was most likely a story used by Tom for an excuse for not divorcing Daisy, and keeping his status with both his trophy wife and his mistress. It shows that Tom was willing to lie, at the misery of others, to keep both of the women in his life.
Gasper 72
4. “Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the advantages that you’ve had”
-Mr. Carraway
This quote, said by Nick Carraway’s father, has been the base of all that Nick has felt and lived by. He never really judged a person until he had found out truthfully what that person was like. He had kept an open heart to Tom, Daisy, Gatsby and Jordan, not judging until he had fully become acquainted with them. He never called anybody anything straight out, and always kept his personal opinions to himself.Gasper 74
5. “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”
-Nick Carraway
With the ending of the book, this quote shows the struggle of life that had caused Gatsby to long for the past and change all that had happened since.
However, Gatsby had not lived for the present, but for the past, not realizing that it was too late to repeat what had happened. Daisy had loved another as well, and that could not be changed.Gasper 65
“Who is he?” I demanded. “Do you know?”
“He is just a man named Gatsby.”
Pg.48 bottom
Nick just met Gatsby for the first time. Soon after they met, a calling phone swept Gatsby away. Nick was left wondering, who is this man. He had heard the gossip all around. No one seemed to know who he was though. Little did Nick know, but he would soon become this mysterious neighbor’s best friend.
This quote also applies to how people viewed Gatsby. He was just a man named Gatsby, and nothing more. They came to his parties without invitations. All they cared about was themselves, never taking the time to thank the man whose wealth they fed off. Gatsby during his life was just a man with the name Gatsby, and after his death, his name blew over as no one remembered cared about him except Nick.
Madinger 130
