Sunday, May 17, 2009

37. The Funeral

Why couldn’t Nick get anyone to go to Gatsby’s funeral?

2 comments:

  1. Nick was trying very hard to get people to Gatsby’s funeral. However, the only people who came to the funeral were Nick himself and Gatsby’s father. Daisy and Tom could not make it because they travelled after Gatsby died. Meyer Wolfshiem did not want to come because “‘I can’t get mixed up on it,’ he said” (Fitzgerald 180). The rest of the people did not care for him. They only came to his parties and stayed over at his house because Gatsby had money and there were free food, drinks, service, etc. They only knew that “’he’s just a man named Gatsby’” (53). Having money and host great parties does not make people love Gatsby. Nick and Gatsby’s father only went because they did care about Gatsby. They did not care about his money but knew what kind of person he was.

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  2. I agree with Inti. The only two people who went to his funeral actually knew him for who he really was. Gatsby's father was the first to know him compared to the other characters in the book. Nick on the other hand, met him at his last.
    The way Gatsby's father and Nick knew Jay make one realize how he (Jay) changed in almost every aspect, except for his ideals. There is even a relationship that supports it, not the one with Daisy, but with Nick. From the beginning of the book Nick displays his morale and the values he believes in. So the fact that he had a friendly relationship with Gatsby made Gatsby a good, not great person.
    Nick and Gatsby's father were the only two people who went to his funeral because they appreciated him and knew he was a good man. He was one.

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