The Obscenities

[Gary]

Unlike profanity, which originally meant something irreligious or profane, but is these days a kind of blanket term for "bad words" in general--or vulgarity, which is usually defined as "common, course, or uncultured" to the point that it is offensive to the sensibilities--an obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time.

At two points in The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald describes the language used as "obscene" or as an "obscenity." He doesn't tell us what those words are, though.

The first is at Myrtle's impromptu party. When Nick is talking to Myrtle's sister, they are discussing the respective marriages of Myrtle and Tom.

"Doesn't she like Wilson either?"

The answer to this was unexpected. It came from Myrtle, who had overheard the question, and it was violent and obscene.

What do you think Myrtle said?

The second is after Gatsby's funeral as Nick is preparing to leave.

On the last night, with my trunk packed and my car sold to the grocer, I went over and looked at that huge incoherent failure of a house once more. On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick, stood out clearly in the moonlight, and I erased it, drawing my shoe raspingly along the stone....

What do you think that word was?

[Monty J]

Gary wrote: "What do you think Myrtle said?."

"I'd like to shoot the bastard."


"On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick,..."

"Fuck" More to the point, what point was Fitzgerald making? That Nick felt paternal, protective or possessive toward Gatsby?

[Natalia]

Myrtle didn't please me at any time. Perhaps Daisy was superficial and play with Gatsby, but Myrtle is worse, because she's a vulgar and adulteress besides all, don't have any remorse.

[Karen]

Monty J wrote: "Gary wrote: "What do you think Myrtle said?."

"I'd like to shoot the bastard."


"On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick,..."

"Fuck" More to the point, wh..."


Nick was certainly protective of Gatsby

[Gary]

Monty J wrote: ""What do you think Myrtle said?."

"I'd like to shoot the bastard."

Interesting. I took the word "violent" as more of a characterization of her tone, but it would make sense if it was actually a violent expletive.

Monty J wrote: "On the white steps an obscene word, scrawled by some boy with a piece of brick,..."

"Fuck" More to the point, what point was Fitzgerald making? That Nick felt paternal, protective or possessive toward Gatsby?"

There's a been a lot of speculation on what that sequence means. Was writing on the "white" steps an indication of purity, race, innocence or death? Was Nick's action (he erases the word with his shoe) an indication of his acceptance/approval of Gatsby? Was it an act of defiance?

I think it would be interesting if the word written there were "BASTARD" because of what that would imply about Gatsby.

[Sheila]

I think the obscenity here that Nick was really rubbing out, was the ACT of vandalism on Gatsy's house steps (the memorial to his dream and life).

The "obscenity" really was the inaccuracy of that single word, whatever it was, diminishing the complexity of the man himself, and his dream and/or quest.

[Geoffrey]

Natàilia wrote: "Myrtle didn't please me at any time. Perhaps Daisy was superficial and play with Gatsby, but Myrtle is worse, because she's a vulgar and adulteress besides all, don't have any remorse."

And Daisy had remorse? Daisy kills a woman and has no remorse, nor does she assume responsibility but is complicit after the fact in her lover's death, unless she did tell her husband that it was her behind the wheel.And she also has an illicit affair.

No, Daisy's miscreance far outweighs Myrtles.

[Duane]

AHA!!!!!

I finally fingered out, after days of agonizing, what bothers me about this thread.

Why is anyone so sure that F. Squatt KNEW what the "Obscenities" were? Maybe he just decided there was "An Obscenity" written, or something "Violent And Obscene" said, but didn't really *have* anything specific in mind? Where do WE get off blithely assuming that he just didn't dare say it because some coven of pecksniffian tweezerbeaks in tweed jackets were going to ban his book someplace, and then taking the whole idea and running with it like we actually *know* something??

I mean, *really*... (there, I feel lots better now)