Jay Gatsby

Age and build

Young man of indeterminate age

“I had expected that Mr. Gatsby would be a florid and corpulent person in his middle years” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Physically fit and tanned

“His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed every day” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Face and hair

Short, neatly trimmed hair

“his short hair looked as though it were trimmed every day” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Tanned complexion with tight facial features

“His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Pale and exhausted in moments of stress

“Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-coloured tie, hurried in. He was pale, and there were dark signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Dress

Elegant formal attire in pastel colours

“Gatsby in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-coloured tie” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Caramel-coloured suit worn while driving

“the knee of his caramel-coloured suit” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Pink suit worn at night

“the luminosity of his pink suit under the moon” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 7)

Hat and light overcoat for outings

“Gatsby, with hat and light overcoat in hand, came out the front door” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 6)

Voice and speech

Formal, courteous manner of speaking

“He excused himself with a small bow that included each of us in turn” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Polite and deferential tone

“Anything to say about what?” inquired Gatsby politely” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 6)

Leaves sentences unfinished when agitated

“Gatsby began leaving his elegant sentences unfinished and slapping himself indecisively on the knee” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Signature words

old sport

“If you want anything just ask for it, old sport,” he urged me” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Don't mention it

“Don’t mention it,” he enjoined me eagerly” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

I'm afraid

“I’m afraid I’m not a very good host” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

You must remember

“You must remember, old sport, she was very excited this afternoon” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 8)

Look here

“Look here, old sport,” he broke out surprisingly, “what’s your opinion of me, anyhow” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Gait and mannerisms

Leisurely, secure movements on the lawn

“Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 1)

Stretches arms toward the water in a curious gesture

“he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 1)

Restless foot movements when anxious

“Gatsby’s foot beat a short, restless tattoo and Tom eyed him suddenly” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 7)

Trembling hands in moments of emotion

“he turned and caught it with trembling fingers, and set it back in place” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Strengths

Extraordinary capacity for hope and romantic readiness

“an extraordinary gift for hope, a romantic readiness such as I have never found in any other person” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 1)

Heightened sensitivity to life's promises

“some heightened sensitivity to the promises of life, as if he were related to one of those intricate machines that register earthquakes ten thousand miles away” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 1)

Military valour and leadership

“Major Jay Gatsby,” I read, “For Valour Extraordinary” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Flaws

Obsessive devotion to an impossible dream

“He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Dishonest business dealings

“He’s the man who fixed the World’s Series back in 1919” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Inability to accept reality about Daisy

“There must have been moments even that afternoon when Daisy tumbled short of his dreams—not through her own fault, but because of the colossal vitality of his illusion” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Desperation and lack of restraint

“he took Daisy one still October night, took her because he had no real right to touch her hand” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 8)

Traits

Mysterious and enigmatic figure

“It was testimony to the romantic speculation he inspired that there were whispers about him from those who had found little that it was necessary to whisper about in this world” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Abstemious; does not drink

“it seemed to me that he grew more correct as the fraternal hilarity increased” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Socially reserved despite hosting lavish parties

“no one swooned backward on Gatsby, and no French bob touched Gatsby’s shoulder, and no singing quartets were formed with Gatsby’s head for one link” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 3)

Entirely self-invented

“The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg, Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 6)

Capable of intense emotion and vulnerability

“He literally glowed; without a word or a gesture of exultation a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 5)

Lines in their own words

Greeting with characteristic phrase

“Good morning, old sport. You’re having lunch with me today and I thought we’d ride up together” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 4)

Showing vulnerability after confrontation

“I don’t trust him, old sport” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 7)

Final vigil

“I want to wait here till Daisy goes to bed. Good night, old sport” (The Great Gatsby, chapter 7)