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The Great Gatsby-Chapter 3
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This is a comprehensive linguistic analysis of Chapter 3 of the Great Gatsby
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The Great Gatsby: CHAPTER 3- The chapter begins in an evocatively rhapsodic, poetic way through a series of
impressionistic Romantic descriptions “In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like
moths.” The simile suggests the fleeting carelessness of the guests. Moths are drawn to glitz
but also have the ability to be both destructive and self-destructive. The structure of the
chapter moves from a macro-perspective of the party and its guests to pastiches/ vignettes
of different guests. The guests are observed macro-cosmically and then specifically. There is
a transition from global observation to observation of individuals.
- There is a suggestion of the guests abusing / using Gatsby for his hospitality and his wealth.
This was a carless society where the hospitality of the wealthy was used and abused
- The repeated pattern of the possessive pronoun “his” emphasises Gatsby’s colossal material
wealth
- The list of the jobs of the servants “toiled all day with mops and scrubbing brushes and
hammers and garden shears…” evokes the labour of the underbelly of society whose
laborious work maintains the lifestyle of the wealthy. The social structure emphasises the
disconnect between the hedonistic, excessive, pleasure-seeking behaviour of the guests and
the contrasting experience of the poor, serving underclass
- The “pyramid of pulpless halves” evokes the mass consumerism of the wealthy but also the
waste and detritus they leave behind
- There is a dichotomy / ironic contrast between the waste of the wealthy and the exploitative
labour of the serving class. The synecdoche “butler’s thumb” suggests that the servants are
so exploited and dehumanised by the work that they simply become disembodied parts
- The temporal reference “At least once a fortnight” suggests the frequency of the parties
- The exhibition atmosphere of the party is similar to that of a carnival or fair (World Fair
context). This is set in a time when Coney Island was in its prime
- The use of plurals and ‘large’ similes “Gatsby’s enormous garden” suggests the vastness of
his wealth
- The dominant pattern of sea / oceanic imagery “glide on through the sea-change of faces” is
used to suggest the proliferation of the guests.
- The use of the verifiable Broadway celebrity name “Gilda Grey” suggests the high profile
nature of Gatsby’s parties (gives kudos to the party.) The 1920s saw the genesis of the cult of
celebrity
- The fact that Nick “was one of the few guests who had actually been invited” implies the
slipping of social and moral conventions. The loose morals of 1920s society are again evoked
through the description of the hedonistic behaviour of the guests who conduct themselves
“according to the rules of behaviour associated with an amusement park.” This is presented
in an exaggeratingly parodic way.
- There is a sense of bathos about the event, “I was on my way to get roaring drunk from
sheer embarrassment.” Despite the hedonistic activities of those around him, Nick feels a
sense of awkwardness and gaucheness
- The guests’ gossip about Gatsby “Somebody told me they thought he killed a man once”
implies the loose morals that pervaded society. While they exploit Gatsby’s wealth, they still
feel no shame in gossiping about him. The rise of the ‘rumour mill’ was paralleled with that
of the mass media. The rise of new technology provided a conduit through which gossip
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