“No legacy is so rich as honesty” –William Shakespeare. A civilized society cannot function without honesty. This can be examined in multiple ways, as in a dishonest society there is no trust, it is impossible for order to be sustained and progress becomes limited. More specifically, in Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl, the three examples listed above are also present in this book. Whether it be that there is no trust in Nick and Amy’s relationship, limited progress with the investigation of Amy’s disappearance/murder, or all order being lost with Nick going to jail for a murder that he did not commit. It does not matter if it is in a work of fiction, or the real world, no civilized society can function without honesty for many reasons. Within …show more content…
Neither of them is honest with each other, therefore their relationship cannot last because they do not truly know one another. “People want to believe that they know other people. People want to believe that they know their kids. Wives want to believe that they know their husbands.” (Flynn 92). Nick wants to believe that he knows Amy, and Amy wants to believe that she knows Nick. However, neither of them really knows each other because there is no trust in their relationship due to the fact that they are dishonest with each other. Another reason that there is no honesty in Nick any Amy’s relationship is that Amy has been lying to Nick about who she really is since the first time that they met. “Nick loved a girl who didn’t exist. I was pretending, the way I often did, pretending to have a personality. I can’t help it, it’s what I’ve always done. The way some women change fashion regularly, I change personalities. [...] I think most people do this, they just don’t admit it, or else they'll settle on one persona because they're too lazy or stupid to pull off a switch. That night at the Brooklyn party, I was playing a girl who was in style, the girl that a man like Nick wants: The Cool Girl” (222). Nick thought he knew the woman that he was …show more content…
On the morning of Amy’s disappearance, an investigation is started up. Just like in any other case, Nick was questioned first in order to eliminate him straight away from the list of suspects. However things did not skew in Nick’s favour once the questioning started. “It was my fifth lie to the police. I was just starting.” (37). “This was my eleventh lie.” (49). Nick was lying to the police left and right about what went on, on the morning of Amy’s disappearance. His dishonesty however was just limiting the progress being made on Amy’s case thereby preventing the police from finding Amy. Also by being dishonest with the police, Nick only made himself look guilty. “If the police talked to anyone who knew me, they'd quickly learn that I rarely went to the beach and that I never sometimes brought my coffee to just enjoy the morning.” (47). Another way that progression is limited by dishonesty can be seen in Amy’s treasure hunt. Each year for their anniversary, Amy sets up a treasure hunt for Nick. “Those are all just bonus f***-yous. I know my wife, believe me. She knew that she had to do a treasure hunt or it would look fishy. So she does it and of course it has eighteen different meanings.” (255). This year, Amy’s treasure hunt was designed specifically to make Nick seen guilty for her murder. The reason that this is limiting progress is that because of Amy’s lies in the treasure hunt, the police cannot
In “The Death of Honesty,” William Damon raises the concern that current apathy towards increasing dishonesty threatens democracy. In this essay taken from the online volume “Endangered Virtues ” published by the Hoover Institute in 2012, Damon initially concedes that there are situations where lying could be considered acceptable. However, with that being acknowledged, he transitions to his main premise that honesty is losing its importance in society and will lead to its downfall, and he cites examples in politics, law, journalism, and business in contemporary society where dishonesty is expected, and even, condoned. Damon finally directs his remarks pointedly at teachers and current students who accept cheating in schools. To persuade
Nick is an image of order in a society of disorder also adds to the general impact of the story. He describes himself as one of the most honest people he has ever met (59). Nick is likewise seen as the person burdened with needing to witness all the occasions and not partake in any of them. “I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life” (35). He wanted to leave, but the crowd kept dragging him back.
7. Nick thinks he's one of the few honest people he knows, why? Do you think he is honest?
Nick's actions support his claim of honesty throughout the book. Gatsby's convoluted ways of passing on information lead Nick to confront him outright admitting that "I don't like mysteries." "Why has it all got to come through Miss Baker?" Instead of lying or trying to pass off that he wasn't annoyed.
Nick and Gatsby can both relate to wanting the girl that they can't have. For Gatsby, his dream girl is Daisy. They had a relationship but then Gatsby had to go into war and they hadn't seen each other for five years. All Gatsby thought about was seeing daisy again, he even bought a house across a lake from her. Daisy obviously moved on because she married Tom, a rich socialite but their relationship is toxic. A quote to support this statement is “Look!” she complained. “I hurt it.” We all looked- knuckle was black and blue. “You did it, Tom, she said accusingly. I know you didn't mean to but you did do it. That's what I get got marrying a brute of a man, a great, big, hulking physical specimen of a-”( ). This shows that Tom is abusive and he is a very ignorant and disrespectful human being. Gatsby's has always had an undying love for Daisy and he states that they should be together. A quote that shows is “I'm going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, nodding determinedly. “She’ll see.” ( )That shows that Gatsby has never stopped loving Daisy and he wants to fix his relationship with her. Nick on the other hand has his eyes on Jordan. Things are not easy because Jordan is focused on her golfing career and her Aunt is very controlling. Gatsby obsesses over Daisy and is in love with her but with Nick he is just attracted to Jordan, nothing close to love. Nick says, “ I wasn't actually in love but, I
To begin with, because Nick is merely another character in the unfolding tragedy readers can never see into
Before taking into consideration that honesty is extremely important when writing, we should understand what honesty means. Honesty is being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, fair, genuine, and loyal with integrity. It is the best way to gain respect and confidence from your audience. According to Linda Flower, in her work of “Writing for an Audience”, “the goal of the writer is to create a momentary common ground between the reader and the writer. You want the reader to share your knowledge and your attitude toward that knowledge.” The ability to adapt your knowledge to the needs of the reader is often crucial to your success as a writer. Even if the reader eventually disagrees, you want him or her to be able for the moment to see things as you see them. Telling the truth lets everyone know what really happened. There's less chances of misunderstandings, confusion, or conflict. If you tell the truth, you have an infinite power supporting you.
- Nick says never trust a woman “dishonesty in a woman is something you can never blame too deeply.”- You should expect women to lie, they don’t know any better.
Honesty and deception both play valuable roles in all parts of personal lives and society. Richard Gunderman stated, “To tell the truth is to live authentically and responsibly, to really live.” Living honestly is a way to have less stress to your life, proven by Richard Gunderman in “Is lying bad for us?” However, dishonesty seems to at an all time high with the growth of communication as stated in “On Bullshit” by Harry Frankfurt. In addition, lying can provide incredible short-term benefits discussed by Stephanie Ericsson in “The Ways We Lie.” Gunderman’s claim on authenticity is valid because most cultures see honesty and trust as two of the more lauded values. Telling the truth relieves stress and adds trust. Yet, there is a seemingly
Nick agrees to invite Daisy over to his house for multiple reasons. I think that one of the things that persuaded him the most was the fact that Jordan Baker was the one asking him. She had gotten the request from Gatsby and explains the whole, laid out plan. Nick is kind of skeptical of the plan at first, but Jordan talks around it and expresses how important it is. All the while, Nick describes how he “put [his] arm around Jordan’s golden shoulder and drew her toward [him] and asked her to dinner” (79), which shows how Nick is somewhat distracted by her and will easily give in to the favor that she is asking.She is ultimately the one that persuades him into doing it. By doing this for Gatsby, he will make Jordan happy. Another reason is because it is for Gatsby. There are next door neighbors and get along well. Gatsby is a wealthy, powerful man, and this would further their friendship. Nick understands that Gatsby has made several efforts to reconnect with Daisy, but this is the best way that Gatsby felt would be the most convenient and subtle. All he wants is a chance to see Daisy again. Another reason Nick agrees is for Daisy’s sake. Nick can see that she is not happy in her relationship with Tom. Tom doesn’t treat her how a wife should be treated, and Tom continues to have an affair with Daisy's knowledge. Jordan and Nick both know that she deserves to have something a little more in her life. Jordan expresses the love that Daisy and Gatsby shared, and how this could only benefit Daisy. However, they can’t tell Daisy about it because if she knew, she might not show due to fear or respect to her husband. Even though Gatsby does feel a great, longing love for Daisy, he acts much like an adolescent boy. He makes their whole reconnection a complicated and extensive plan instead of just arranging it himself and actually talking to her about it. He is still scared of seeing her and talking about her, which is why I think he had Jordan ask Nick instead of asking
As readers, we are more subject to recognize those changes, but the other characters in the book, as well as Nick, had noticed those changes. At the beginning of the book, we understand Nick to be a pretty honest, caring, and non judgmental person. ““Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had”’ (Fitzgerald 1). However, after hanging around with the people he calls “friends”, he has become just as dishonest and careless as the rest of them.“You said a bad driver was only safe until she met another bad driver? Well, I met another bad driver, didn't I? I mean it was careless of me to make such a wrong guess. I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride” (Fitzgerald 177). Jordan realizes maybe he isn't exactly what we thought him to be. After Jordan
To strike things closer to home, picture having your sister cheated on, or even your own mother. Nick, not wanting to fall under the burden of being a bad person, tries to convince himself as well as us the reader that he is an honest person. “I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known.” (59). After the feud between Gatsby and Tom, Nick realizes that it was his birthday.
Although he claims not to have a judgmental bone in his body – surprise, surprise – he readily holds other characters to a standard that casts himself in a better light. For example, Nick describes Tom and Daisy Buchanan as careless, and Jordan Baker as hopelessly dishonest. It is as if he hopes his audience will conveniently misinterpret his hypocrisy, and think of it more as putting others down to make himself look better in an entirely unbiased way. The narrator’s chicanery is furthermore conspicuous with an inspection of the story he tells of his past. He claims descent from a family in the mid-west, and glosses over the fact that the eligible member did not even fight in the war. Instead, he sent a substitute – the most noble and moralistic thing to do in the situation, obviously. Later on in the Carraway saga, Nick leaves home, seemingly with no explanation. Moving from the mid-west to New York City is a pretty radical change, one that would not usually come without just cause. This begs the question, why did Nick really leave home? And moreover, why is he withholding this information? Nick quite possibly may have left out these details because it would inhibit his creation of a façade of
Amy eventually finds out that Nick has a mistress, which causes all sorts of problems for Nick. Nick clearly does not love Amy anymore, especially if he is willing to cheat on her. When two people are in a relationship they must be willing to commit to each other and show empathy toward one
Nick tends to be intoxicated during parts of his narration, which does not guarantee us, as the reader, an accurate description of events that take place during the story. In chapter two, NIck went over to Myrtle's apartment and got drink off of whiskey before the actual party had started. Because Nick had a little too much to drink that night, his perception