Sunday, October 4, 2009

What is something Gatsby hates in The Great Gatsby?

In chapter six, Nick recalls two things that he understood that Gatsby despised when he was a young man growing up in the Midwest.  The first was certain types of women of whom he was "contemptuous"--"young virgins because they were ignorant," and "others because they were hysterical about things...he took for granted."


The second thing that Nick says Gatsby "despised" was "the janitor's work with which he was to pay his way through" college in Minnesota. He dropped out of St. Olaf, and shortly thereafter met and went to work for Dan Cody.  


Though the reader has to take Nick's word for what he claims Gatsby hated, Gatsby's actions seem to support at least one of Nick's claims.  Gatsby had many opportunities to take up with other women, but he pursues only one, Daisy, after he meets and falls in love with her.  

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