Hi, I'm currently reading 'The Great Gatsby' and was wondering if someone could help me understand this passage:
"My commutation ticket came back to me with a dark stain from his hand. That anyone should care in this heat whose flush lips he kissed, whose head made damp the pyjama pocket over his heart!"
This is at the part where Nick is taking the train to Daisy and Tom's house before Daisy tells Gatsby she loves him in front of Tom. I'm just very confused. Where does this come from? Nick had just been "accused" of stealing a woman's pocket-book.
Thanks in advance.
Go back to the scene in the garden where Gatsby laid out his dream plan. Now, it is so dang hot, who cares if Gatsby gets his woman?
I don't recall Nick being accused of stealing, but just getting dirty looks when he picked up the purse.
Main Entry: commutation ticket
Function: noun
: a transportation ticket sold for a fixed number of trips over the same route during a limited period
The "heat" is the metaphor here. The heat of the day, the man's hands, his love for Daisy, his being accused.
He is in a stage of change, "trip" and it is full of conflict "heat".
Me neither. I'm just like you right now, digging through the internet to find an explanation to this freaking phrase!
In this passage from "The Great Gatsby," the narrator, Nick Carraway, is reflecting on his encounter with a man he met on the train. The man accused Nick of stealing his wife's pocket-book. Nick uses this incident to express his feelings of indifference towards the man's personal affairs.
To understand this passage, it is important to consider the context. Nick is on his way to Daisy and Tom's house, knowing that Daisy and Gatsby have had a romantic relationship and that Gatsby hopes to win her back during their meeting. He is caught in the middle of this complex situation and feels increasingly disconnected from the affairs of others.
The first sentence, "My commutation ticket came back to me with a dark stain from his hand," refers to the man with whom Nick had the encounter. The fact that the ticket bears a dark stain from the man's hand symbolizes the negative impact he had on Nick's experience, leaving a mark on his journey.
The second sentence, "That anyone should care in this heat whose flush lips he kissed, whose head made damp the pyjama pocket over his heart!" reflects Nick's disbelief that anyone would care about the personal relationships of others in the heat of the moment. The mention of "flush lips" suggests intimacy, and the "pyjama pocket over his heart" symbolizes affection or emotional attachment. This line represents Nick's detached perspective, as he questions why people are so concerned with who the man is romantically involved with or passionate about.
This passage serves to illustrate Nick's growing disillusionment and detachment from the people and relationships around him. It highlights his desire to distance himself from the chaos and drama of others, particularly during a hot and tense summer day.
To better understand the passage and its significance in the novel, it may be helpful to consider the overall themes and character development in "The Great Gatsby" and how Nick's perspective and experiences contribute to the story's themes of disillusionment, superficiality, and the corrupting influence of wealth.