Syntax

Fitzgerald describes many characters in the book illustrated and flourishing with wealth. Gatsby, for instance, is covered in a cloak of majesty and comfort with brand new cars, lavish parties, and exemption from the law. While he may seem to Nick and mostly the rest of the characters that he is a well-respected, and hardworking man; many conspire and assume his as an illegal bootlegger, haggling and manipulating his way to wealth. Fitzgerald hints at these rumors several times in the novel to create an uncertainty about Gatsby, a mysterious dramatic desire to find the truth to the finding of his treasures. For instance, Gatsby quickly hurries the worries words "educated at Oxford" in a hope to conceal a part of his past. More importantly, Fitzgerald puts quotation marks around these words in the novel to hint the reader at a thought of uncertainty about his true roundabouts at Oxford. We later find out that Gatsby spent very little time at Oxford, a few months to be exact, while he was forced to study there after the Great War. Fitzgerald adds this syntax into his novel to give it a certain style of mystery while giving Gatsby also an abstruse or hidden tone for truly he had no intentions or most likely qualifications to be Oxford, and quickly he departed from this esteemed school without a second thought. To lengthen on the tone of concealment, while Gatsby is describing his past to a bunch of guests at his party, he says "'I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West--all dead now"'(65). While Gatsby is evidently lying about his past to better cover the amount of rumors surrounding him, Fitzgerald adds dashes to the end of his false statement to better show the amount of thought put into his past. Gatsby, most likely, ponders upon where he came from and how he ended in such a place, even if he misconstrues the truth. Fitzgerald gives the sentence a morbid tone with the addition of their deaths; however it is crucial to Gatsby's soliloquy in how it ties up the loose ends of his stories to more questions. The man may be an illegal bootlegger, but his understanding of language and manipulation is quite admirable to his audience and on-lookers. Tom on the other hand, is not too admirable or majestic in his act, even if he is not participating in illegal actions. Perhaps he is egotistical and callous of other's thoughts and actions, though he is depicted as a rotten man, feared by any man looks at him. While being addressed together with his wife, Gatsby stutters,"Mrs. Buchanan ... and Mr. Buchanan--" (105). Gatsby stutters his name and hesitates as a sign of disrespect or out of a fear of the name. Either way it was perceived disrespectful or impolite towards his guest no matter the circumstances. This impolite style further amplifies the furious rivalry of the men for Daisy.