The Role Of Emotion In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

To further the thought of motion in the characters is the literal meaning that is displayed in the novel as well as the emotional definition that was previous stated. The characters are always moving. They tap, leap, run, shake, and tremble. While these are normal things to do, they were not put in the text without thought. In fact, without Fitzgerald’s use of these words the feel or mood of the book would be completely different. With this in mind, certain scenes in the book where the character’s thought or feelings are not stated directly but instead by actions would be completely altered. An example of an interpretive scene is the following, “ ...cried Daisy, and began to clog on the brick fireplace. Then she remembered the heat and sat down guiltily…” (Fitzgerald 116) This statement is vital to the impact and emotion in this part of the book. As a result of Daisy’s movement, jitteriness, and inability to really stay still, it can be determined that she is on edge and nervous. By not coming right out and saying that she is nervous, Fitzgerald creates an “actions speak louder than words” kind of feeling.