The Great Gatsby Group

Question:

pito156
pito156
Student
High School - 12th Grade

In The Great Gatbsy, why is Jay Gatsby wearing a bathing suit when he dies?  Is there any symbolism there?

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Posted by pito156 on Wednesday February 25, 2009 at 10:25 AM and tagged with characters, jay gatsby, symbolism, the great gatsby.

Answers:


  1. gbeatty Teacher
    College - Freshman

    eNotes Editor

    A good question. Gatsby was wearing a swimming suit because he had been swimming. I know you asked for symbolic reasons, but the symbolic is always anchored in the practical/literal. Remember that swimming pools were much less common at that time, and having a private pool—and the time to swim in it—were signs of great wealth. So, the first reason is a display of his wealth. The second is to show that even wealth doesn't provide protection. Like the stories he wrapped around his true identity, the wealth he owned could be penetrated and he was as vulnerable as anyone. A related third reason is the vulnerability of near-nakedness. A possible fourth is coming full circle: remember that he started his fortune on the water. A fifth is irony: remember that he had been planning to drain the pool because autumn was coming.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/great-gatsby/summary

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    Posted by gbeatty on Wednesday February 25, 2009 at 10:43 AM


  2. bookworm-bev Student
    High School - 11th Grade

    another part of the symbolism is that every major part of his life has occured in water. He re-established his relationship with Daisy while it was raining, he left home to work on a boat, died by a swimming pool, and it was raining at his funeral. . . though this could just be a motif? The water has to symbolise something though . . .

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    Posted by bookworm-bev on Tuesday August 11, 2009 at 11:59 AM