"It takes two to make an accident."

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Pages 55-59

"Dishonesty in a woman is a thing you never blame deeply..." (Fitzgerald, 58).

At this point in the story, Nick halts his narration to clarify the chronology of the events occurring that summer. I had read the events as happening all within the same short period of time, yet they actually all took place several weeks apart. And although Nick claims that these events did not absorb him, he spent a good deal of time recording the events within the first quarter of the story. I think that these events actually will be key to the events that have yet to unfold in the upcoming portion of the novel.

Also, as Nick gets to know Jordan Baker better, her character becomes revealed to the reader. Nick claims that he is not particularly in love with the professional golfer, but he rather experiences "a sort of tender curiosity" towards something that he feels she is concealing (Fitzgerald, 57). He describes her as dishonest which is ironic because he claims to be the most honest person he knows. The irony lies within the classic cliche that opposites attract. Another seeming irony within the pair's relationship is that while Jordan is careless with her own wellbeing, she is attracted to more careful counterparts which explains her attraction to Nick.

The juxtaposition by Fitzgerald of the two quotes beginning and ending this entry show the difference between the views of honesty in men and honesty in women; it's not at woman's fault, but it is choice for man.

"Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known," (Fitzgerald, 59).