(1) “He was balancing himself on the dashboard of his car with that resourcefulness of movement that is so peculiarly American"
In this quote, Fitzgerald argues that Americans are known for their resourcefulness and balance. Instead of simply describing the movement as "American," he uses the word "peculiarly," which limits the type of resourcefulness and balance he used to strictly that of an American. He also places these qualities above other countries in that instead of putting it that Gatsby was resourceful and balancing in the movement, he puts that the movement "is so peculiarly American." The author would not have done so, if he did not believe that Americans were resourceful and balanced.
(2) “Unlike Gatsby and Tom Buchanan, I had no girl whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs, and so I drew up the girl beside me, tightening my arms.”
With this, Fitzgerald argues that Gatsby and Tom Buchanan had a girl "whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs." To do so, the author states that "unlike" the two men, he "had no girl" that was similar to their girls. By stating this, he implies that this girl is different from those girls and that she was unique when compared to the other girls. At the same time, the author implies that he did not have a girl, until the second part of the sentence, which exclaims that he simply had the girl next to him. When first reading this, the reader may get a conflicting feel, as if the author had contradicted himself, but when greater examination occurs, the reader will discover that there is a deeper meaning within the text. This deeper meaning is that he does not have a girl like Gatsby or Tom, but has a girl who is unique.
(3) “We both looked at the grass — there was a sharp line where my ragged lawn ended and the darker, well-kept expanse of his began.”
In this quote, the author subtlety uses symbolism to display the class differences between him and Gatsby. The lawns represent the differences in class in that a "sharp line" separates the upper and middle class. The narrator's grass represents the middle class, being described as "ragged." Gatsby's grass, on the other hand, represents the upper class in that it is "darker," "well-kept," and expansive.
(4) “Americans, while occasionally willing to be serfs, have always been obstinate about being peasantry.”
In the selected sentence, Fitzgerald argues that even though there may be exceptions, Americans are typically to stubborn to put themselves below others. In this, the author carefully selects the words, using serf as the first description of what some Americans will put themselves through. In the second description though, he uses the word "peasantry," which, when used, sounds as if it is even further below that of a serf. When the author uses these descriptions for Americans, he argues that Americans are stubborn and proud, and that, with exceptions, most Americans will not put themselves that low.
(5) “No amount of fire or freshness can challenge what a man will store up in his ghostly heart.”
In this quote, the author argues that nothing can even stand up to a man's emotional heart. He uses the terms "fire" and "freshness" to represent that "no amount of" power or emotion can challenge the potential of a man's heart. When the author uses the word "ghostly," he is describing the heart in two different ways, transparent and mysterious. The author also uses the verb "will" instead of can, which states that it is inevitable that a man will have something stored within his heart. By using these double meanings and selectiveness of words, the author argues that a man's heart is powerful and mysterious.
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