Parties

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

 

In chapter three, Nick Carraway received his first taste of one of Gatsby's parties. Prior to the party, Nick noted various preparations which included the delivery of five crates of oranges and lemons (that were to be squeezed at the press of a button), the arrival of many caterers, and the arrival of an orchestra. To say the least, Gatsby's parties display extravagance and wealth. I find interesting the loose morals that Fitzgerald emphasizes during the party scene. "Suddenly one of these gypsies, in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air, dumps it down for courage and, moving her hands like Frisco, dances out alone on the canvas platform" (Fitzgerald, 41). When Fitzgerald mentions Frisco in this quote, he is stating that the young girl is dancing as a Vaudeville performer would. Some believed that morals loosened due to dance. However, Fitzgerald attributes the loose morals to alcohol consumption. Prohibition was an issue at the time, but apparently wealth surpassed the law. "...champagne was served in glasses bigger than finger-bowls" (Fitzgerald, 46). 

Finger-bowls were quite large, so glasses bigger than that filled with champagne were sure to intoxicate the guests. The more people drank, the wilder the party became. One man admitted to being drunk for the past week, while others did "stunts" in the garden. By exposing actions that people were taking at the time, Fitzgerald calls for people to rethink their immoral decisions.