"If he'd of lived he'd of been a great man. A man like James J. Hill. He'd of helped build up the country." (168)
Speaker: Mr. Gatz
Context: Mr. Gatz is explaining to Nick how Jimmy Gatz (Gatsby) could have had a big future ahead of him and how he could have contributed to the country.
Significance:
Foreshadowing
* Foreshadowing, that if Gatsby had lived, he could have been great and would have accomplished amazing things for himself and others
* Might have been able to change many things in West egg
* Others could have respected him more and actually become friends with him if he had provided for West egg or even the 'country'
Contrast
* Contrast between what he had done for others opposed to what he would have done for others
* When Gatsby was alive, he did nothing extravaggent for others, except for throwing lavish parties
* Now, his father is saying he could have "been a great man", just because he has passed
* He now sees the potential (or is he just saying that because he can?)
Context: Mr. Gatz is explaining to Nick how Jimmy Gatz (Gatsby) could have had a big future ahead of him and how he could have contributed to the country.
Significance:
Foreshadowing
* Foreshadowing, that if Gatsby had lived, he could have been great and would have accomplished amazing things for himself and others
* Might have been able to change many things in West egg
* Others could have respected him more and actually become friends with him if he had provided for West egg or even the 'country'
Contrast
* Contrast between what he had done for others opposed to what he would have done for others
* When Gatsby was alive, he did nothing extravaggent for others, except for throwing lavish parties
* Now, his father is saying he could have "been a great man", just because he has passed
* He now sees the potential (or is he just saying that because he can?)
"The minister glanced several times at his watch, so i took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came." (174)
Speaker: Nick Carraway
Context: Here, Nick is explaining to the reader that no one had shown up for Gatsby's funeral.
Significance:
Character Revelation
* Shows how others only wanted to know Gatsby so they could go to his lavish parties
* No one cared about Gatsby enough to show up to his funeral
* Didn't have real friends...again they just came to enjoy the drinks and take advantage of his parties he throws
Theme
* American Dream: how people don't care about friends or anyone else, individuals fend for themselves in any which way to achieve their goal (selfishness)
* Relates back to this quote because people just went to his parties to get two things off of him: alcohol and a great party ( representing the goal of the american dream)
* In the end, clearly no one cared enough to go to his funeral and this shows how others got what they wanted from him, pretended to be his friends and that was it (shows greed within the american dream)
Context: Here, Nick is explaining to the reader that no one had shown up for Gatsby's funeral.
Significance:
Character Revelation
* Shows how others only wanted to know Gatsby so they could go to his lavish parties
* No one cared about Gatsby enough to show up to his funeral
* Didn't have real friends...again they just came to enjoy the drinks and take advantage of his parties he throws
Theme
* American Dream: how people don't care about friends or anyone else, individuals fend for themselves in any which way to achieve their goal (selfishness)
* Relates back to this quote because people just went to his parties to get two things off of him: alcohol and a great party ( representing the goal of the american dream)
* In the end, clearly no one cared enough to go to his funeral and this shows how others got what they wanted from him, pretended to be his friends and that was it (shows greed within the american dream)