Talk:Jay Gatsby

Is Jay G Old?
Is Jay G Old? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.188.243.179 (talk • contribs) 02:45, 3 December 2009 (UTC)


 * I think I remember reading that Fitzgerald wrote somewhere (not in the book itself, but in his notes) that Gatsby was born in 1891. I think he also implies somewhere in the book that Willaim Gatz invented Bill Gatsby at age 17 and that this was "about 5 years" after an event that happened in 1902 (which would point to an 91 or more likely 90 birth year).  Fitzgerald is famous for letting inconsistencies slip into his work, but Gatsby is meant to be but 31 or 32.  (A peer of Nick, who is 30.)  The Robert Redford film always bugged me because I felt Redford was too old for the role.  Part of the point of Gatsby is not that he's rich and young but that he's impossibly rich and impossibly young.  I'll see if I can verify what I just said. --JayHenry (talk) 04:49, 3 December 2009 (UTC)

Accuracy
This "bio" seems inaccurate starting from the first sentences. I don't think the book pins down his birth year or says anything about German farmers. Regardless, we need to decide what can be used for the canonical biographical material. The only obvious choice is the book. All other sources (films, author notes, etc.) should be mentioned separately. This is clear: you cannot mix conflicting biographical material, especially as the various adaptations change it in incompatible ways. Jason Quinn (talk) 20:41, 3 September 2013 (UTC) [EDIT FOR GRAMMAR Jason Quinn (talk) 12:29, 19 September 2019 (UTC)]
 * After a careful review of Fitzgerald's text, I have discovered the novel actually does provide such details. On page 120 of the original 1925 edition, Fitzgerald writes that Dan Cody went to sea in 1902 and, five years later in 1907, Cody first encounters Gatsby in Little Girl Bay at Lake Superior. Two pages prior, on page 118, Fitzgerald writes that Gatsby was 17 years old when he first met Cody at Lake Superior. Consequently, Gatsby would be born circa 1890 (i.e., 1907 - 17 years = 1890) according to the novel itself. Regarding the description of Gatsby's parents as farmers, Fitzgerald writes on page 118 that his parents are "shiftless and unsuccessful farm people" and, on page 209, Gatsby's father is revealed to adhere to the Lutheran faith. So far, the only speculative part is that his parents are German immigrants. — Flask (talk) 07:38, 30 August 2021 (UTC)


 * Wow. Thanks for your analysis. I barely barely remember writing this. But your reply will be valuable to future readers. I'm okay with your synopsis. Especially that you used "circa". Jason Quinn (talk) 12:11, 30 August 2021 (UTC)

Leitmotif section should be excised
The musical leitmotif section is very specious both in its premise and supporting evidence. Incredulity is raised by referring to gershwin's composition as a "song", the assertion that a specific motif is the focus of the section while linking a recording of the entire 18 minute composition, and the ensuing paragraph doing nothing to substantiate the claim any specific motif in Rhapsody in Blue has anything specifically to do with the character of Gatsby. 199.168.73.20 (talk) 03:03, 6 November 2022 (UTC)