Why
I Believe That Jay Gatsby Is A Black Man
August 25, 2000
Carlyle V. Thompson
Assistant professor of
American and African literature at Medgar Evers
College, United States
Jay Gatsby, F.
Scott Fitzgerald's opulent playboy hero, was a black man. Fitzgerald litters
his novel with signifiers that suggest Gatsby to be black, although he
"passes" as white. In The Great
Gatsby, he is frequently described as "pale", as is his car:
"It was a rich cream colour, bright with nickel, swollen here and there in
its monstrous length" Yellow is a great signifier in Afro-American
discourse to suggest miscegenation and racial passing. Here, Fitzgerald is also
playing with the symbolic status of the car and with stereotypical images of
blackness. Why does he do this? Why are there so many clues?
I have looked
at similar themes of racial tension in works of Charles Waddell Chesnutt,
William Faulkner and others. Gatsby has 40 acres: 40 acres and a mule are
traditionally given to ex-slaves; he is associated with New Orleans and
"black" jazz music; he trims his hair everyday - suggestive of African
hair.
And he tells
Nick Carraway that his family is dead. The word 'dead' is significant in that
those light-skinned black individuals who choose to try and pass for white in
society become symbolically dead to their families.
Fitzgerald was
writing in the jazz age, a time of eugenics and the rise of white supremacy. He
had already written on the threat of "the negroid that creeps
northwards". Fitzgerald's racial anxieties shape the novel. A book popular
in Fitzgerald's time, “The Rise of the Coloured Empires,” is cited by one of
the novel's characters, Tom Buchanan, early on. The novel then explores
(traditionally) the search for The American Dream.
There is one
open discussion of race in the novel, where Tom insinuates Gatsby is a
"black" individual, but Jordan defends him saying: "We're all
white here." Jordan, however, is known as a liar: another hint.
More than
that, every time we see black individuals -- such as “the three modish negroes,
two bucks and a girl” in the limousine, or the “pale well-dressed negro” who
describes the yellow car that hit Myrtle Wilson -- we see Gatsby or Gatsby has
just left. Not to mention, the color yellow also suggests the term “high
yellow,” which is a signifier for black individuals who pass as white.
Importantly
Gatsby is identified as a "bootlegger.” Bootlegger means counterfeit, and
here Fitzgerald implies that Gatsby was racially counterfeit. The narrative
constantly whispers the presence of blackness. In my paper, "The Tragic
Black 'Buck': Jay Gatsby's 'Passing' in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby,”
I wanted to make people read a favorite book as they had never read it before.
My audience
was skeptical at first, but they have been reviewing the evidence. A CNN
"quick vote" poll showed that 15 percent of voters agreed with me
that Gatsby was black.
I would like
to see Denzel Washington or Laurence Fishburne, not Robert Redford, playing Jay
Gatsby and dancing with Daisy.
Your comment must be at least 370 words. Due by
Tuesday 3/13 at 11:59pm. Your reply to a classmate is due Thursday 3/15 at
11:59pm.
-In our reading so far,
how have you pictured Gatsby in your head?
-What do you think of
the authors argument here? Do you believe he has some sound evidence?
-If Jay Gatsby really
is supposed to be a black man, how does that change the significance of the book?
-Consider the time
period this was written in and that Gatsby is from West Egg and therefore seen
as “other” or “less than” the people of East Egg. What about the fact that it
seems society is determined to keep him from achieving his American Dream. Do
these considerations reinforce the idea that Gatsby may be a black man?
ReplyDeleteIn our reading so far, I’ve pictured Gatsby like the Gatsby in the most recent movie. I pictured him to look like Leonardo DiCaprio. I see the long, dirty blonde hair and a defined face. I picture him to be extremely rich and very well dressed. No matter what the occasion is or what he is doing, he always has a clean, matching outfit on. I agree and disagree with the author because there are some things I’ve noticed that makes Gatsby seem like he is black. When Tom said something about a black and white couple in chapter 7, it made me think. Other than that, I don’t really agree. Once I saw he was a white man, or read that he was, my mind stuck to it. I didn’t go about researching or really getting into if he were black or white. If Jay Gatsby were black, I don’t think it would change the story that much. I think the story would continue as is. If the story was to start off by stating he was a black man, we would’ve never known, guessed, or questioned if he was white. The plot and whole write out of the novel would be the same as it is now. Gatsby is a very wealthy man, and many people know that. He lives in the less than Egg, but that doesn’t stop him. He keeps going for his dream. Society plays a role in his life. The people he talks to either help him, or doubt him. Tom thinks he's a bootlegger so it kind of brings him down because it’s not true. Gatsby really likes Daisy so Gatsby seeing her helps him strive. Where he lives is kind of poor. It’s very grim, and all the same.
i agree. i pictured him as Leonardo. I wouldn't be leave if he was black. he will always be white in my eyes. Maybe chapter 7 was a coincidence but maybe not.
DeleteI think Gatsby is a white man. Even if he was black id still think he was white. I picture him to be a white man. However it's a book its for imagination. I picture him a tall wealthy clean white man. He's wearing the nice clothes. Works hard for his money. However if he was black the story wouldn't change at all for me. Gatsby would still love Daisy, still have money, and so on. Only the author knows this answer. I think white.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Gatsby being a white man. He may have still loved Gatsby if he was black but they probably would have never been a thing, and he might of still had money but not as much.
DeleteIn the book so far, I’ve imagined Gatsby as a white male, that is wealthy and is always dressed nice. No matter what occasion, he always has a good impression of himself. How I imagined him is as a blonde hair colored guy, with blue eyes and very detailed of everything like his features and his clothing and styles. I disagree because I don’t think that he has sound evidence of what he could be like, since when the book started, that’s how I pictured him and I don’t think i can picture him differently now. If Jay Gatsby were to be black, I don’t think that would change the book whatsoever because it really wouldn’t matter because way back then, I don’t think wealthy white people would mix in that much with colored people unless they just don’t care but I think that’s it’s just based on people’s imagination’s of how they picture someone because they could pick up different details that maybe i didn’t. But, it could be true because Gatsby has mentioned how in west Egg they were considered “less than” and was a farmer that basically just because rich, when it could mean that he probably is a black male that made his way up from society then just staying as a farmer so now is wealthy and impresses everything that he has and wants to have to accomplish his american dream.
ReplyDeleteIn the reading so far i have pictured Gatsby like Leonardo DiCaprio. Slicked back dirty blonde hair, clean shaven and dressed nicely. The authors argument seems strong but seems like a stretch. If Gatsby was black the story would change drastically. This story took place in the 1920s which is a time blacks and whites still didn’t converse. Segregation was still a thing so if Gatsby was black he wouldn’t have been able to live in his neighborhood. Also he probably would have never met Daisy and fall in love with her because she would have never talked to him. I see that him living in West Egg makes him an “other” or “less than” people from East Egg. If he were black he would be kept from really achieving his American dream. Except I don’t see this as him being black I see that he didn’t come from money so he made something of himself and became rich. So he moved to the neighborhood of new money and he reached the American dream of making money the only thing he didn’t get was the girl.
ReplyDeleteThe way I have pictured Gatsby so far is like a tall good looking guy with nice hair, having a lot of money, always wearing nice clothes and having good things. What i think about the author argument is that he has some good evidence for the character to be a black man. If Jay Gatsby supposed to be a black man it would not really change anything about the book. It would only be darker skin person but it can change since back then it was the non color people who had everything and were so rich. If a he was a color person it would not change anything the story would be as it is, maybe some few changes and different conflicts. The time the book was written in was when the color people did not have many things. Gatsby is seen less than because he is from West Egg were they did not have much there and it is a place where there is not a lot compared to the people in East Egg. Society keeps Gatsby from achieving his american dream because some people talk about him and how he does things to get so much money and how people do not like him. You can consider Gatsby being a color person because there are some evidence that can you give you that idea about him.
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of things that I have pictured Gatsby in my head during the following reading we have done . I think of him as a rich male that pretty much has everything . Everything besides love at the moment, but also thinks he can get everything through one way . And that is his money . He thinks he can get his way because he is rich which is false . Money can buy happiness but it can’t at the same time . Also picture him dressing real fancy because he also thinks he can find love throughout his looks. If Gatsby was to be a black man in this novel it would honestly change a lot especially during the time period . This is the time period where black males would get accused for a lot and the time of racism. So I think everything .. well a lot would be totally different . Most importantly back in this time period it wasn’t likely that a black man would be rich like this also wouldn’t really get along with white men and women . It is just really rare . Also the parties he throws . If he was a black man I would think everyone that went would be against him and try robbing him or try to harm him in some type of way. Most importantly it would be rare for him to even try to be with daisy cause a black man touching or talking to a white female usually go to jail for rape because of a black mans color. I think he definitely wouldn’t even of had the chance to talk to Daisy . Another thing is he didn’t really conquer the American Dream as a white male so I don’t think he would of even had a chance to do it as a black male . Especially since everything was harder for a black male back then . He might be black on the inside but on the outside he’s still a white male so he kinda has it easier on him despite the stuff that had happened in his past .
ReplyDelete