A Poor Heart
In the novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway's father tells him right at the beginning of the book that "'Whenever you feel like criticizing any one... just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.'” Fitzgerald, of course, felt that this was important to show to readers right away, before the story could really get started.
Fitzgerald may have wanted to make the advice stand out because a lot of judgment occurs in the novel and in the extravagant lives of many characters. It also occurs in the lower-class lives of George and Myrtle Wilson. George is likely judged because he comes from a lower class, and Tom thinks he is above George. He does not care that Myrtle is already married, and has no respect for George. It is obvious that he does not live the same upper-class life as Tom, and this likely played a roll in the way he was treated. George did not have many advantages. He had to be focused on his job to earn enough money, and unfortunately Myrtle was a bit neglected and took matters into her own hands to find a "better man." However, Jay Gatsby was part of the upper class and he was judged as well. Characters wonder how Gatsby acquired all his riches, and many assumptions are made about him, such as the rumors that he killed a man, was a German spy, and involved in various illegal activities. He was disadvantaged as well. Poor Gatsby held onto the hope that someday Daisy would leave Tom for him, and this hope itself both kept him going and led to his downfall. It was both an advantage and disadvantage. Gatsby was poor, but not literally. His heart was poor and lacked the love it desired. Fitzgerald may have wanted to make the line stand out because it shows that criticism and judgment does not always depend on wealth, and neither do advantages or disadvantages. |