Introduction
Scott Fitzgerald published his fictional work The Great Gatsby in 1925. The protagonist of the tale, Gatsby, is highlighted in the narrative. The persona is described as a self-made somebody who has built a life around deceit and accepts it. The main character attempts to recover his former love life by living an illusionary existence. He contests the assertions that Daisy was her lifelong partner and that she is Tom’s wife. Gatsby attempts to convince Daisy to escape with him and abandon her husband. When Gatsby is murdered by Toms’ mistress and husband, George, the narrative comes to a devastating conclusion. The third chapter sentence, “He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you might come across four or five times in life,” will be the focus of this essay’s analysis. It briefly confronted, or seemed to face, the whole outside world before focusing on you with an unavoidable bias in your favor. It related to the overall idea of the work and its symbolism, “understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you just as you would like to believe in yourself” (Fitzgerald).
Characters
Nick and Gatsby are the sole characters in the paragraph. The paragraph is included in chapter three of the book, where Nick has a thorough examination of the protagonist’s persona and looks. The two protagonists are seen in the paragraph as they attempt to conceal their true selves and present a fake front. People describe Gatsby as a charming person who enjoys grinning and being accommodating. Gatsby’s grin plays a significant part in his persona, demonstrating how he juggles optimism and creativity in his daily life. On the other hand, Nick is portrayed in the chapter as a curious but tolerant and nonjudgmental individual who analyzes Gatsby’s character and blends in despite the gaps in the protagonist’s tale.
Nick is an excellent character reader and investigator, and in this passage, he defines Gatsby’s uncommon concentration as one that is inviting and enticing and may persuade someone to believe that they have been picked out of everyone in the world. Nick continues to play a significant part in Gatsby’s life by connecting him to his cousins Daisy later in the book, and by arranging for Gatsby’s funeral at the conclusion of the book, Nick proves that he is still one of his devoted friends. In any case, Gatsby’s pal skips his funeral.
The characters need to have concentrated
Major figures like Daisy, Tom, his spouse, Myrtle Toms’ mistress, and George’s wife are not mentioned in the chapter. Additionally, neither Gatsby’s father Jay nor Jordan, who Nicks meets at the Gatsby party, are mentioned in the chapter.
Themes
The overall theatrical staging of the text illustrates the following themes:
Existence and PerceptionThe section, in which Nicks examines Gatsby’s character and demonstrates how the main character is stuck between fantasy and reality, exemplifies the difference between reality and perception. Gatsby makes an effort to lead a false existence that is entwined between his past, which he conceals, and the present, where he claims to come from a wealthy family. In addition, Gatsby, the party, downplays all the unflattering information about his background that is really accurate and persuades Nick to the contrary with his affable demeanor and charm.
External world Optimum
The protagonist is portrayed in the chapter as someone who strives to be the best in the outside world. Gatsby is a perfectionist who accommodates and attracts individuals of high status despite them spreading rumors about his previous behavior, as seen by his grin towards his visitor at the party.
Courage and Confidence
Without revealing the protagonist’s backstory, Gatsby is shown in the text as a self-assured and brave man who accepts Rich and brushes off the rumors by flashing an alluring grin that is both warm and comforting in his home. Additionally, it takes a lot of self-assurance and realism to replicate the phony existence and conceal the past in order to prevent crumbling or revealing his prior suffering.
Symbols used in the text
Smile
The smile conveys confidence while reading the sentence. At the party, Gatsby grins and makes a dazzling entrance to reassure his guests that everything is OK and to welcome them into his world. The confident grin conceals his true feelings, making it difficult for his audience to properly comprehend Gatsby’s nature.The protagonist is also shown by the grin as an enticing person who attempts to lull his friends or visitors into fitting in his make-believe world.
Party
The chapter elaborates on Gatsby’s thin façade, which conceals his actual existence. The protagonist of the chapter enjoys throwing parties and inviting upscale visitors to present a refined lifestyle that conceals his personal existence.
East vs. West Egg
East Egg is the region with elites whose money is ancient and has been handed down through many generations, whereas West Egg, where the party is hosted at the protagonist’s house, represents individuals who have just ascended into riches. People that identify with the west egg wish to be related to the east egg. Gatsby is attempting to maintain contact with Daisy, who resides in the East Egg neighborhood with her husband.
Conclusion
Although the paragraph strives to capture both the protagonist’s outward demeanor and the dark side that the protagonist seeks to conceal, it is clear that the book is more of an illusion than reality. Nick is understanding and impartial despite his lack of character judgment.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. S. F. Scott Fitzgerald: The Great Gatsby. Cambridge UP, 1991.