(1)“‘I know I’m not very popular. I don’t give big parties. I suppose you’ve got to make your house into a pigsty in order to have any friends — in the modern world.’” (ch 7)
This sentence is used to show how ridiculous being popular is in the modern times. Being popular is not about who you are. Being popular is about what you do and how many things you have. If you throw huge social events and have lots of money, you will be popular. If you enjoy quiet evenings alone and have a moderate amount of money, you will not be nearly as popular. Fitzgerald throws “-in the modern world.” at the end to say that it was not always this way and to further mock the idea of modern popularity.
(2)"...an infinite number of women tried to separate him from his money." (ch 6)
Fitzgerald is trying to express that women in society only care about money. He is saying the a majority of them are becoming superficial and no longer care about having personal relationships with people as long as they just want money. The word infinite is used to show that a huge amount of people are becoming this way. The word separate is used because they do not want the person and his money, they only want the money, and will exploit that person in any way they can in order to get to it.
(3)“Nope.” After a pause he added “sir.” in a dilatory, grudging way.(ch 7)
The author is trying to get across the lack of friendliness in society. This dialogue was taken from a butler. Butlers are supposed to act politely, yet this one is acting rude. This is to show that even the old constants are no longer true. If butlers are always polite, and now they are not, then common people are given an even lower standard. Because the rude butler then becomes the standard for how polite should look, everyday people will become much less polite. This is what Fitzgerald is saying about society, they are no longer friendly or polite. They are rude.
(4)“‘I wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip.’” (ch7)
The author is trying to make a point about character. Gatsby fired his entire staff because they were all guilty of gossiping. Consider Gatsby’s staff as a sample of people and that there were only ten of them. That would make ten out of ten people who could not be trusted. These are pretty bad odds. This is a hyperbole, much like the term “infinitely” Fitzgerald used previously. An overwhelming amount of people in society have poor character and gossip.
(5)”The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted him in his bed at night.”
Everyone experiences conflict. It would be impossible to find person who does not lie awake in bed at night while the troubles of his day overflow his tired mind. Gatsby has everything and yet he still has problems. Wealthy people worry just as everyone else does.
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