ALLUSIONS IN THE GREAT GATSBY

What is an allusion? An allusion is a brief and indirect reference to a

person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text.

EX: For instance, you make a literary allusion the moment you say, “I do not approve of this quixotic idea,” Quixotic means stupid and impractical derived from Cervantes’s “Don Quixote”, a story of a foolish knight and his misadventures.

LITERARY ALLUSIONSAn Allusion to literary works,

myths, or works of art

Theodore Stoddard’s the Rising Tide of Color against White World Supremacy

In this novel, Stoddard presented a view of the world situation pertaining to race and focusing concern on the coming population explosion among the "colored" peoples of the world. It also focuses on the way in which "white world-supremacy" was being lessened in the wake of World War I and the collapse of colonialism.

Stoddard argued that race and heredity were the guiding factors of history and civilization and that the elimination or absorption of the "white" race by "colored" races would result in the destruction of Western civilization. Stoddard divided the white race into three main divisions: Nordic, Alpine, and Mediterranean. He considered all three to be of good stock and far above the quality of the colored races but argued that the Nordic was the greatest of the three and needed to be preserved by way of eugenics.

 

How does this relate? Chapter 2 Tom Buchanan discusses his view on white supremacy with Nick

Carroway . "Well these books are all scientific,” insisted Tom, glancing at her

impatiently. “This fellow has worked out the whole thing. It’s up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things.”

This idea supports the theme of the stratification (or separation) of social classes in Gatsby.

Tom relates to this book and agrees with Stoddard’s ideologies of whites being the master race and preventing their extinction by other non- Nordic races.

This also relates to the theme of the hollowness of the upper class This exhibits Tom’s arrogance and relates to the theme of “the

hollowness of the upper class”.

Historical Allusions

Kaiser Wilhelm Kaiser Wilhelm II (1859-1941), Germany's last Kaiser, was born

in Potsdam in 1859, the son of Frederick III and Victoria, daughter of Queen Victoria.

Wilhelm was an overtly militaristic man, and believed fervently in increasing the strength of Germany's armed forces.  In particular he was keen to develop a German navy the equal of Britain's Royal Navy

Following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on 28 June 1914, Wilhelm and his Chancellor, Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg, incited Austria-Hungary to exact revenge against Serbia.  Events spiraled throughout July resulting in the First World War

How does this relate? Gatsby is suspected of being a nephew of

Kaiser Wilhelm. This exhibits that the origin of Gatsby’s

wealth is unknown and there is much speculation as to where his wealth originated.

Rosy Rosenthal The Becker-Rosenthal trial was a

1912 trial for the murder of Herman Rosenthal by Charles Becker and members of the Lenox Avenue Gang

How does this relate? Chapter 4 When Meyer Wolfsheim describes the murder of Rosy Rosenthal at

the Metropole years before, his language, mannerisms etc., seem to indicate that he is somewhat a shady man himself gleaned from his discussion of money, guns, and gang connections.

Gatsby tells Nick that Meyer is the man who fixed the 1919 World Series. This is hardly the sort of man with whom a person of Gatsby's claimed background and esteem would associate with.

Nick becomes curious about Gatsby's relationship to Meyer. His doubts are further aroused when Gatsby is away from the table to make a phone call; Meyer brags to the host on being quizzed by him, that he has know Gatsby for several years and he is a "man of fine breeding" and a handsome and perfect gentleman who is "very careful about women."

The introduction Of Rosy Rosenthal in the conversation thus gives Nick an indication that Gatsby may not be what he claims to be.

 

The 1919 World Series “Black Sox”

The 1919 World Series was expected to be profitable -- and it was, generating 50% more revenue than any other World Series to date. It was such a big event, with so much money flowing around, that if someone could actually know the outcome beforehand, they could make a very large profit.

The fix was a collaboration of ideas. Two, however, stand out above the rest: William Thomas "Sleepy Bill" Burns and Billy Maharg. Burns was an ex-major league pitcher and was the connection to the players. Maharg was the gambler with the connections underground. The two men approached two of the White Sox players, Pitcher Ed Cicotte and First Baseman Arnold "Chick" Gandil, about fixing the Series.

The players realized it would take more than just two of them to ensure a proper fix, and, after speaking to a few of their teammates, added six more to their rank: Pitcher Lefty Williams, Centerfielder Happy Felsch, Shortstop Swede Risberg, Thirdbaseman Buck Weaver, Utilityman Fred McMullin, and one of the best and most popular stars ever, Leftfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. In order to pay off eight men, however, Burns and Maharg hit up "The Big Bankroll" Arnold Rothstein for a much needed loan, along with about half a dozen others. In the end, the gamblers bet nearly half a million dollars on the Reds, while agreeing to pay the players $100,000 to split.

The Series was played, and, despite gallant efforts by the other 17 men on the team, the fix was a success, and the fans couldn't even tell the Series had been thrown. Word continued to spread, and rumors swirled around throughout the next season. Finally, late in 1920, the eight players dubbed the "Black Sox" were indicted.

How does this relate? Chapter 4 The famous "Black Sox" scandal in which the Chicago White Sox

deliberately lost the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, a much weaker team, in order to make money for themselves. The arrangements were made through a group of gamblers , the key figure of which was Arnold Rothstein, the model for Meyer Wolfsheim in The Great Gatsby.

This relation between Wolfsheim and the “Black Sox” scandal indicates that Wolfsheim is not honest and a very “shady” character.

The relationship between Gatsby and Wolfsheim also gives insight to Gatsby’s character and shows that he is not an honest character as well.

This also relates to Gatsby’s money not being legitimately earned.

Trimalchio Trimalchio is a character in the 1st century

AD Roman work of fiction Satyricon by Petronius. He plays a part only in the section titled "Cena Trimalchionis" (The Banquet of Trimalchio). Trimalchio is a freedman who through hard work and perseverance has attained power and wealth.

How does this relate? Chapter 7 There is a single mention of Trimalchio in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The

Great Gatsby as his showy parties and background parallel those of Gatsby: Chapter Seven begins, "It was when curiosity about Gatsby was at its highest that the lights in his house failed to go on one Saturday night - and, as obscurely as it began, his career as Trimalchio was over.“Trimalchio and Trimalchio in West Egg were among Fitzgerald's working titles for the novel.

Gatsby is Trimalchio personified. A man from a common, modest background driven to extravagant, lavish spending. Trimalchio was driven by power, and control over others for his own amusement.

Bibliography N.p.. Web. 10 Feb 2014. <

http://www.askives.com/what-is-what-allusion-does-trimalchio- represent.html>.

etal, , ed. N.p.. Web. 10 Feb 2014. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothrop_Stoddard>. Everstine , E.. N.p.. Web. 10 Feb 2014. <http://www.mc.cc.md.us/Departments/hpolscrv/blacksox.htm>. Duffy, M.. N.p.. Web. 10 Feb 2014. <http://www.firstworldwar.com/bio/wilhelmii.htm>. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1925. Print.