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How does one live "a wonderful life" if they're a criminal. He was guilty of bootlegging, a federal crime, and was a kingpin in a scam to sell illegitimate worthless bonds to people in small towns. He was headed for prison. That's not much of a wonderful life in my book.
Yeah, but Monty, don't you think Gatsby could have gotten away with it if he had just laid low and not gotten in the car accident? I mean, lots of people got away with bootlegging. But -- because of Gatsby's obsession with Daisy and his desire to recreate the past, he got in more trouble.
Once you're involved with organized crime, you're in for life, is what I've been led to believe. That's why is called a "family." By his own admission, Wolfsheim think's he "made" Gatsby, therefore Gatsby owes him. Owes him for life.
There's honorable greed and their's corrupt greed. By engaging in large-scale bootlegging, Gatsby proved his greed was corrupt, and he also proved his lust for Daisy recognized no legal boundaries.
(Adultery is still technically a crime in New York--a class B misdemeanor--and grounds for courts martial in the military.)
Gatsby's trail of deception is documented in the novel from age 18, when he lied to Cody about his name. And again, when he misled Daisy about his station in life to seduce her, not just once, but enjoying a month of weekend bliss before heading overseas.
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Monty J
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Jul 31, 2015 06:11PM
How does one live "a wonderful life" if they're a criminal. He was guilty of bootlegging, a federal crime, and was a kingpin in a scam to sell illegitimate worthless bonds to people in small towns. He was headed for prison. That's not much of a wonderful life in my book.
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Yeah, but Monty, don't you think Gatsby could have gotten away with it if he had just laid low and not gotten in the car accident? I mean, lots of people got away with bootlegging. But -- because of Gatsby's obsession with Daisy and his desire to recreate the past, he got in more trouble.
Once you're involved with organized crime, you're in for life, is what I've been led to believe. That's why is called a "family." By his own admission, Wolfsheim think's he "made" Gatsby, therefore Gatsby owes him. Owes him for life. There's honorable greed and their's corrupt greed. By engaging in large-scale bootlegging, Gatsby proved his greed was corrupt, and he also proved his lust for Daisy recognized no legal boundaries.
(Adultery is still technically a crime in New York--a class B misdemeanor--and grounds for courts martial in the military.)
Gatsby's trail of deception is documented in the novel from age 18, when he lied to Cody about his name. And again, when he misled Daisy about his station in life to seduce her, not just once, but enjoying a month of weekend bliss before heading overseas.
