Great gatsby party comparison
Great gatsby party comparisonMyrtle's party in chapter two and Gatsby's party at the start of chapter three of The Great Gatsby are one example of Fitzgerald's use of juxtaposition to contrast the two atmospheres. Some of these contrasting ideas include the difference in the two hosts' lifestyles and wealth. However, the two parties also share some similarities such as the shallow tendencies of the people involved and the endless drinking which ends in fights in both settings.
One main difference of Myrtle's party is its size. Not just the number of people, but the size of her surroundings. Her place is described as "...a small living-room, a small dining-room, a small bedroom, and a bath."(p. 33) The entire place gives the feel of being closed in and too small for its contents: "The living-room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it...”(p. 33) Even the photograph on the wall is labeled as being "over-enlarged."(p. 33) Gatsby's party, however, spares no expense; much like his house. Fruit is sent in every Friday, caterers bring enough lights to "...make a Christmas tree of Gastby's enormous garden"(p. 44), and elegant dinner is served: "On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors d'oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys..."(p. 44) A full scale orchestra provides music all night for the hundreds of guests, laughing and dancing.
A second variation between Myrtle and Gatsby, is their class of wealth. Myrtle is from the "valley of ashes," but she is continually trying to live the life of the rich. She is obsessed with money and admits to losing interest in her husband after learning "He borrowed somebody's best suit to get married in..."(p. 39) because he didn't have one of his own. Myrtle also complains about the "shiftlessness of the lower orders"(p. 36) which proves she thinks of herself as upper class.
Gatsby, on the other hand, has acquired the wealth that Myrtle lusts after. Unlike her though, the material possessions and the superficial admiration is not important to him. He prefers to witness his parties from the outside, refraining from drinking and partying with the others: "...my eyes fell on Gatsby, standing alone...
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