Gatsby Chapter 3, Your turn (pt. 3)
After Jordan is called away to speak with Gatsby in private Nick wanders alone for a few minutes.
A clue for you here is the figure of speech called euphemism. Euphemism is when we substitute a pleasant or polite word for a harsher, but truer, reality. For example a “moron” might be described as “mentally deficient,” or some one who is spastic and out of control could be described as “over zealous.”
Here it is:
I was alone and it was almost two. For some time confused and intriguing sounds had issued from a long, many-windowed room which overhung the terrace. Eluding Jordan’s undergraduate, who was now engaged in an obstetrical conversation with two chorus girls, and who implored me to join him, I went inside.
The large room was full of people. One of the girls in yellow was playing the piano, and beside her stood a tall, red-haired young lady from a famous chorus, engaged in song. She had drunk a quantity of champagne, and during the course of her song she had decided, ineptly, that everything was very, very sad—she was not only singing, she was weeping too. Whenever there was a pause in the song she filled it with gasping, broken sobs, and then took up the lyric again in a quavering soprano. The tears coursed down her cheeks—not freely, however, for when they came into contact with her heavily beaded eyelashes they assumed an inky color, and pursued the rest of their way in slow black rivulets. A humorous suggestion was made that she sing the notes on her face, whereupon she threw up her hands, sank into a chair, and went off into a deep vinous sleep.
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Filed under: Summer Reading, The Great Gatsby and
Perhaps this singer is a symbol for the Jazz Age itself. Due to her description one can probably safely assume that she is the definition of a flapper, one of the most characteristic character types of an era where society was changing, art in particular. When that happens, there is bound to be confusion among the people (look at the 1970’s for a good example).
One can also assume that this “quantity of champagne” was not particularly small (there’s your euphemism), and during this era of prohibition can be interpreted as a symbol of defiance not much unlike what we encounter today. Personally, I don’t blame her. The ladies in her profession are forced to put up with “obstetrical conversations” (translation: dirty) and hecklers, and she is no exception.
She must find some way to shut this constant badgering out of her mind, and it so happens that the way that she has chosen is illegal (perhaps a symbol of the oppression of overnment?).
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VERY good analyzation there, Jonathan.
What gets me though is why Nick uses euphemisms. It’s almost like they are used because everyone is in denial of what they’re doing.
Denial, or better yet, ignorance, seems to be playing a role. Examples are ignorance of the well-being of others, ignorance of the law (drinking), and most importantly, ignorance of consequences (Valley of Ashes).
Perhaps ignorance is bliss?
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Great to see you two start a conversation on the post. This is the habit I’d like everyone to get into.
Keep it up & thanks.
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