DICTION

• “Mr. Wolfsheim…began to eat with ferocious delicacy” (71).

The contradiction that Fitzgerald uses to describe Wolfsheim illustrates Fitzgerald’s annoyance at the 1920s generation. He creates Wolfsheim as a contradiction, and exemplifies his two-sidedness by writing that he ate in a brutal but dainty way. These adjectives oppose each other, just as the 1920s was a period of contradiction in America. Fitzgerald hints at Wolfsheim’s future betrayal of not attending Gatsby’s funeral, although he is one of Gatsby’s friends, by establishing him as a man of contradiction that is achieved through his use of conflicting diction as well as creates his tone of aggravation towards this superficial and disenchanted generation.

• “three men, each introduced to us as Mr. Mumble” (43).

By choosing to name each of these three men “Mr. Mumble”, Fitzgerald asserts his belief that the people of the Lost Generation of the 1920s had no differentiation between themselves and all conformed to the society norms. The author gives these three characters the same name to create his overall tone of irritation with the entire generation that was so disillusioned by material wealth, trivial pursuits and especially in this novel, the conformity to a “perfect” society.

• “What had amused me then had turned septic on the air now” (106).

Fitzgerald includes this strong choice of words to describe how Nick feels about the people at Gatsby’s party. He used to laugh with them and enjoy their company, but now their presence has turned to something akin to sewage. Nick realizes how petty and shallow these people are as Fitzgerald critiques them for how disillusioned their existence is. Fitzgerald’s aggravated tone is clearly exemplified when he compares the party attendees to toxic waste. He believes this generation to be filled with people that are worth no more than sewage, for they are only consumed with greed and pride and do not contribute to the betterment of society.