“Things gained through unjust fraud are never secure.” -Sophocles. Up to chapter 5 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, there are recurring rumors about Gatsby’s background including that he had killed a man, is of German descent, and is a bootlegger. These rumors portray Gatsby as a man other than himself, but whether this is true is still uncertain. However, Nick’s keen awareness of Gatsby’s servants raises suspicion and allows readers to attain evidence that reveals Gatsby’s true identity.
The maid, seen by Nick and portrayed through her actions, undermines Gatsby’s status and reveals his identity as phony.
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Start My OrderIn chapter V, narrator Nick observes Gatsby’s house, but it is clear from Nick’s observations that something is not right; everything seems artificial and inconclusive. Nick notes that a brewer had built Gatsby’s mansion, and Gatsby tried to “pay five years’ taxes on all the neighboring cottages if the owners would have their roofs thatched” (88) so that it would complement Gatsby’s house.
It is important to emphasize that Gatsby had specifically paid for the neighbor’s taxes in order to improve the looks of his house. This ostentatious action was done for reason: to attract Daisy. Nick also concludes that Americans have always been obstinate about being peasantry. At this point, he observes: “A maid began opening the upper windows of his house, appeared momentarily in each, and, leaning from a large central bay, spat meditatively into the garden.” (88) Nick sees the maid “spit into the garden” as if she disrespects Gatsby.
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It is important to note that the maid spat “meditatively” meaning that it was done with intention and with great thought. There was no reason for her to spit, nor was spitting a common action back in the 1920’s, but her intentions were hidden. While she “spat” in Gatsby’s garden, one of his valuable properties, her action was actually directed towards Gatsby himself. From this, it can be inferred that she disrespected him and despised him for his wealth, upper class, and fame. While Gatsby exploited his wealth, intending to impress Daisy, the maid, completely oblivious about Gatsby’s goal, could also have despised him for his pretentious attitude.
Maids were usually part of the lower class, and it raises suspicion about why Gatsby would hire such a person. More importantly, it raises the question as to how she knows a lot about Gatsby and why she would hate Gatsby for his wealth. Her decision serves as a juxtaposition; Gatsby and the maid share similar qualities. Perhaps Gatsby’s background does not match the image that he portrays. It raises suspicion that Gatsby might be from the lower class as well and lives his current life as a fraud.
Fitzgerald puts the maid here in this chapter to insinuate something about Gatsby’s background. Nick’s keen observations and suspicious judgment gives the readers an opportunity to make connections. Ultimately, it is the connection that Gatsby and the maid were both raised in the lower class. Perhaps Gatsby was a bootlegger, and his ways of promoting himself into the upper class led to the maid’s actions;, it was her reaction in contempt that spoils the true identity of the great Gatsby.
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