The Great Gatsby: Jordan Baker, my favorite
Throughout Fitzgerald's novel, Jordan Baker has been my favorite character. It was the same back when I read the book and watched the movie for the first time in high school.
I can't quite explain it, but somehow she seems like the most genuine character in the whole story. When Tom and Gatsby are preparing to butt heads, for instance, she is the one who chastises Tom directly for his behavior; this, to me, proves that she is a kind and thoughtful person at heart, because it shows her common-sense compassion for both Daisy and Gatsby.
Likewise, Jordan is one of the few characters who seems to earn her money through use of talent and skill (playing golf) instead of inheriting it from family or acquiring it through illegal connections. She doesn't exhibit any particular fondness for wealth, either.
Oh, and of course, she is "wise," as Nick describes her, because she understands how love works better than any of the other characters. She doesn't throw herself into a whirlwind of passion as Daisy and Gatsby attempt to do, nor does she seek love from people who are already attached, as Tom does.
Matt mentioned on Brenda's blog that he thinks Jordan is dishonest -- which could be proven true, if there were enough evidence -- but the reader never really finds out for sure if her golf scandal was real (at least, not to my knowledge).
Overall, Jordan is the character I most related to, and I am always a little disappointed that she didn't play a larger role in the story. But perhaps that is precisely why I like her: she doesn't get mixed up in the mess like all the others.
Comments
What about the night Myrtle is killed? When Tom drives Jordan home, and is about to take Nick home to West Egg, Jordan says, "Won't you come in, Nick? It's only half-past nine." She appears not to have any emotional response to the fact that a woman has just been brutally murdered, let alone that it was someone she knew.
Furthermore, I'm fairly sure that her character is based upon a real golf pro who did cheat at the game. I don't have the reference at hand right now, but I'm a teacher and I did a lot of critical reading. Oh well...It's really such a masterpiece, why quibble? I absolutely love this novel.
Posted by: Norma Vogel | June 24, 2007 1:38 PM
While all of your textual evidence is great backing to your love of Jordan, may I just point out that she has perhaps a snobbish side of her. Everytime FSF talks about the way she holds her head, it is in such a way with her chin up in the air. She comes and goes, participates in her golf events, leads Nick on a bit when she leans her head on his shoulder in the car, and in the end makes it seem like Nick was just another person - nothing special. While she seems to be true to herself, she does not open the door to outsiders. It seems to be a case of using what you can get from the person to satisfy own needs. Just another side to think about.
Posted by: Shanelle Kapusta | February 28, 2006 11:05 AM